Virginia Commonwealth University
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

“Virginia Commonwealth University does not discriminate in admissions, treatment, employment or access to its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin (including ethnicity), age, sex (including  pregnancy,  childbirth  and  related  medical  conditions),  parenting  status,  marital  status,  political affiliation,  military  status  (including  veteran  status),  genetic  information  (including  family  medical  history), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or disability, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments  of  1972;  the  Americans  with  Disabilities  Act  of  1990,  as  amended;  Section  504  of  the Rehabilitation  Act  of  1973;  Titles  VI  and  VII  of  the  Civil  Rights  Act  of  1964;  the  Genetic  Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008; the Virginia Human Rights Act; the Virginia Personnel Act; and other state or federal laws and university policies. VCU prohibits sexual harassment and sex-based misconduct, including sexual  assault  and  other  forms  of  interpersonal  violence.  VCU  also  prohibits  discrimination  against employees or applicants for employment because they have inquired about, discussed or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.

As an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer, VCU promotes the full realization of employment opportunity for all persons, including minorities, women, individuals with disabilities and veterans. VCU bases all employment decisions only on job requirements. These efforts apply to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, selection, hiring, promotion, and compensation.

VCU  promotes  equal  access  to  its  owned  and  controlled  facilities,  and  to  educational  and  employment opportunities for qualified individuals with disabilities in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as other applicable state and local laws and university policy. Qualified individuals with disabilities are protected from discrimination, including  harassment,  and  are  entitled  to  reasonable  accommodations  to  enable  their  participation  in  and enjoyment of all university programs, services, and activities.”

URL: https://vcu.public.doctract.com/doctract/documentportal/08DA32A740D33543CBC5EBF25ED5AF9D

The Bias Response Team is comprised of staff from the Dean of Students Office, Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, University Counseling Services, and the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity. The University Police Department will separately evaluate the complaint to determine whether any Commonwealth laws have been violated.

When there is a report of a bias incident, the Dean of Students (or designee) will convene the Bias Response Team to respond to a bias complaint. The Dean of Students (or designee) will appoint a Bias Response Team member to serve as the primary contact for the reporting party. The Bias Response Team member will interview the reporting party to obtain additional information regarding the complaint and in collaboration with other team members assess the facts for possible violation(s) of University policy, including the Student Code of Conduct.

The Bias Response Team member will coordinate resources and support for the affected student/group. The assigned Bias Response Team member will continue to follow up with any reporting party until an individual case is concluded.

Even when it is determined that a complaint has not violated criminal law, University policy, and/or the Code of Conduct, the Bias Response Team may choose to address the issues in the form of an institutional response such as educational programing within buildings or residence halls, email response to all students, make recommendations to schools, departments, and university administration, etc. The team is also responsible for monitoring trends and supporting preventive measures the reduce/prevent incidents of bias at the university.

URL: https://www.thefire.org/sites/default/files/2017/09/29154401/Bias-Response-Team-_-Division-of-Student-Affairs-_-Virginia-Commonwealth-University.pdf

Recruitment Inclusive Champion

Recruitment Inclusive Champion from the Office of the Provost, Faculty Affairs program was established in 2014 to help strengthen VCU’s faculty and staff recruitment efforts by building cohorts of knowledgeable champions from units across the university who have completed a comprehensive learning experience. RICs serve as consultants, resources, and advisors to the search committee and help to support the search process to ensure that a robust, diverse set of qualified candidates are being considered. In addition, some RICs, specifically appointed by their deans, are responsible for working closely with the hiring manager and the search committee chair to ensure diversity, inclusion and equity throughout the search.    

Champions will assist their units with developing and implementing strategic recruitment plans. This may include identifying potential search committee members, establishing strategies targeting faculty candidates from underrepresented groups, integrating inclusive language into written documents and making suggestions for campus visit itineraries.

URL: https://faculty.provost.vcu.edu/faculty-resources/recruitment-inclusive-champion-ric/

Quest 2028

The strategic plan, Quest 2028: One VCU Together We Transform, sets the projected course for VCU for the years 2022 to 2028. One of the four themes of this plan is Diversity Drives Excellence, which is described in the Quest 2028 plan as follows: 

“Champion diversity, equity and inclusion in all that we do and advance a conscientious drive to

support a climate where excellence and success for all people are valued and differences are

celebrated.

This theme is integral to the goals and strategies of all themes and is woven throughout the plan

because it is foundational to the success and excellence of our students, faculty and staff.

Goals and Strategies

DDE 1: Nurture an institutional culture and climate that is diverse, inclusive, equitable and

engaged.

● Assess the continuous improvement in culture and climate indices for all units across the

enterprise

● Administer biennial organizational culture and climate survey across academic and

medical enterprises

● Implement a progressively phased approach to DEI education, training and remediation

● Fully integrate DEI leadership competencies in management and performance systems

for all employees across the enterprise

DDE 2: Implement an organizational infrastructure to support, sustain and scale DEI initiatives

that infuses them into clinical care, curriculum, scholarship and practice.

● Incorporate National Association for Diversity Officers in Higher Education standards into

senior leadership performance goals

● Employ federal, state and institutional data to set faculty and staff hiring benchmarks that

are responsive to shortfalls in placement goals for women and minorities

● Set utilization goals for employee hiring that exceed recommendations for persons with

disabilities and protected veterans

● Utilize internal expertise to guide accrediting bodies and national organizations in

developing compliance standards and best practices for engaging diverse students and

patients

DDE 3: Demonstrate national and international DEI thought leadership.

● Engage in developmental, transitional and transformational change management

processes to build enterprise-wide teams that focus on DEI goal attainment

● Institutionalization of faculty and student pipeline programs, in particular the STEM and

health professions that address deficits in expertise and representation

● Promote, develop and scale curricular initiatives related to inclusive pedagogy and

experiential learning

● Create opportunities that increase underrepresented minority and minority faculty and

students engaged in transdisciplinary research

Metrics of Success

● Diversity training: 100% of employees complete Title IX and nondiscrimination trainings

● Organization culture and climate: Positive percent change in biennium culture and

climate survey results in diversity, inclusion, engagement and performance indices

● Faculty retention: Positive percent change in minority, underrepresented minority and

women faculty

● Staff retention: Positive percent change in minority, underrepresented minority and women staff”

A second theme of this plan is Student Success, which includes the following goals and metrics: 

“Ignite student success through curricular innovation, a holistic culture of care and an engaged

and empowered workforce.

Goals and Strategies

SS 1: Transform curriculum so that all students engage in inquiry, discovery, innovation,

experiential learning, civic engagement and creative expression to prepare them for the future of

work.

● Foster interdisciplinary collaboration by engaging multiple knowledge communities in

developing new undergraduate and graduate academic programs and credentials

● Support undergraduate and graduate curricular innovations that align with 21st-century

workforce needs and VCU's research strengths and priorities

● Redesign undergraduate curriculum to expand the integration of transformative

experiences (i.e., internships, clinicals, placements, undergraduate research, etc.)

focused on the future of work and student engagement in research

● Redesign general education to include expected competencies for the future of work:

digital literacy, racial literacy and entrepreneurship

● Foster a hybrid university environment focused on improving student learning that

integrates technology with teaching and learning innovation in course and program

design

● Deliver high-quality educational opportunities and services that are responsive to the

needs of learners (i.e., traditional, nontraditional and lifelong learners) and are attractive

and accessible to communities across Virginia and beyond

● Reshape graduate education to strengthen the attraction, reach and education of

master’s and highly qualified Ph.D. students

● Develop approaches and initiatives that enhance the global competency of students,

faculty and staff, and also facilitate differentiation of VCU’s education, research and

engagement in the global academic marketplace

SS 2: Enhance the university culture of care and responsiveness that supports student

engagement, success and sense of belonging.

● Empower and sustain a university-wide culture of collaboration, adaptability and

innovation focused on student success

● Develop approaches and programs that strengthen student academic, financial, and

career planning, readiness and agency

● Increase institutional financial aid

● Strengthen and provide intentional opportunities and conditions for purposeful student

engagement, growth, physical/mental well-being and belonging among all students

(undergraduate, graduate and first-professional)

● Create an environment that supports and strengthens student success through

faculty/staff-student mentorship and faculty/staff development and engagement

SS 3: Retain and attract a diverse community of highly qualified faculty and staff that reflects a

culture where everyone matters and belongs, and ensure the culture supports career

satisfaction and growth.

● Strengthen a cross-organizational culture of appreciation that is expected of all academic

and administrative units and is reflected in day-to-day behaviors, activities, clarity of

goals, rewards and accountability

● Develop and scale innovative employee recruitment, advancement and retention

programs that contribute to a diverse and highly qualified faculty (tenure track) and staff

(i.e., iCubed)

● Develop a culture through appropriate institutional shared governance structures to

promote inclusive excellence in teaching and learning across the curriculum and within

co curricular programming

Metrics of Success

● Retention rate: 90% one-year retention rate and elimination of gaps among student

populations (i.e.gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic and/or first generation status)

● Graduation rate: 78% six-year graduation rate and elimination of gaps among student

populations (i.e.gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic and/or first generation status)

● Post-graduation outcomes: 70% employment and/or graduate/professional school within

six months of graduation

● Enrollment: 32,000 students

● Faculty: Increase tenure-track faculty positions

● Faculty: Increase faculty retention

● Staff: Increase staff retention”

By summer 2023 all division and unit plans will be developed and/or updated to align with Quest 2028.

The full Quest 2028 plan document is available at this URL: https://quest.vcu.edu/media/quest/pdf/bovdocument.pdf

The Presidential Awards for Community Multicultural Enrichment

The Presidential Awards for Community Multicultural Enrichment (PACME) recognizes those VCU and VCU Health individuals and groups who have made exemplary contributions with regard to promoting civility, building community, establishing cross-cultural initiatives, advocating equity, and nurturing a welcoming and inclusively excellent environment throughout the university and area communities.

PACME recipients are honored for their efforts and contributions that move beyond the routine expectations of the individual or group’s position and enhance the goals of inclusive excellence and VCU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Each award winner will receive $750. In addition, one of the four recipients will be selected to receive the capstone award – The Riese-Melton.  This special award is given for contributions made in advancing cross-cultural relations. The awardee will receive an additional $250.

Award categories

• Academic and Administrative Leadership Award (includes administrators, directors, and university organizations)

• Faculty Award (includes teaching, research, and adjunct faculty)

• Staff Award (includes classified, hourly, and part-time staff, and university and academic professionals)

• Student Award (includes graduate and undergraduate students, post-docs, and student organizations)

URL: https://inclusive.vcu.edu/news-and-events/pacme/

Students: 

The VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) provides diversity, inclusion, and social justice education for VCU and the surrounding area while serving as student advocates and offers opportunities for community building and identity affirmation for underrepresented students and student organizations. OMSA hosts the Multicultural Leadership Council (MLC) which is made up of representatives from cultural and social justice organizations at VCU. The council gives student org leaders an opportunity to build their support network, share strategies on how to navigate challenges, as well as, collaborate on programming and advocacy efforts.

University Counseling Services provides support for all students,but does have specific support for underrepresented groups. They host a page specifically of identity based resources (https://counseling.vcu.edu/students/identity-based-resources/) and host support groups for students struggling with concerns or community around their specific identity. Some examples of support groups held by UCS include: ADHD Support Group, Asian Voices, Black Voices: A Supportive Space for Black Students, Chronic Illness Support Group, Grief Support Group, International Student Discussion Hour, Latine Voices, Rainbow Group for LGBTQIA+ Students, and Trans and Non-Binary Support Group (URL:https://counseling.vcu.edu/students/services/support-groups/). 

Faculty: 

The VCU Minority Educator Recruitment, Retention and Equity Center provides ongoing culturally-centered mentoring and induction support to improve the success of minoritized educators. MERREC's Mentor Program seeks to provide an opportunity for our educators of color to enhance their educational experience here at Virginia Commonwealth University. They aim to connect current students with faculty, staff, or alumni from within the School of Education to create relationships which will successfully increase retention among our future educators of color.

URL: https://soe.vcu.edu/centers/merrec/ 

Staff: 

The Well at VCU caters to marginalized students, faculty, and staff and provides resources on health and well-being including financial management, addiction recovery, and family planning resources. URL: https://thewell.vcu.edu/ 

The VCU Division of Inclusive Excellence provides resources, training, mentoring, and support for underrepresented groups. URL: https://inclusive.vcu.edu

RAMmalogues is a space for intercultural, multigenerational, and community-wide dialogues around who we are and what matters to us. All students, staff and faculty are invited but these sessions are specifically geared towards underrepresented groups. These dialogue sessions serve as supportive groups to discuss with facilitators issues facing underrepresented groups. There are separate, reoccurring sessions for issues facing underrepresented groups, including race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and socioeconomic issues. URL:  https://inclusive.vcu.edu/iexcel/rammalogues/

The VCU Minority Educator Recruitment, Retention and Equity Center provides ongoing culturally-centered mentoring and induction support to improve the success of minoritized educators. MERREC's Mentor Program seeks to provide an opportunity for our educators of color to enhance their educational experience here at Virginia Commonwealth University. They aim to connect current students with faculty, staff, or alumni from within the School of Education to create relationships which will successfully increase retention among our future educators of color.

URL: https://soe.vcu.edu/centers/merrec/

VCU is a participating university in The PhD project. The PhD Project was founded upon the premise that advancements in workplace diversity could be propelled forward by increasing the diversity of business school faculty. Today, The PhD project's expansive network of supporters, sponsors and universities helps Black/African Americans, Latinx/Hispanic American and Native Americans attain their business PhD and become the business professors who will mentor the next generation of leaders.

URL: https://www.phdproject.org/

The VCU Graduate School has partnered with the SREB Doctoral Scholars Program to provide support services to eligible (see below) students seeking their Ph.D. and planning to become college or university professors. Preference will be given to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The VCU University Award is for scholars expecting admission for the Fall 2024 semester. The University Award offers three years of program support. In addition, the award provides professional development support and covers expenses associated with attending the Compact for Faculty Diversity Annual Institute on Teaching and Mentoring.

URL: https://graduate.vcu.edu/life/awards-and-competitions/doctoralscholars

https://students.vcu.edu/student-life-at-vcu/living-and-transportation/gender-inclusive-bathroom-map/

https://housing.vcu.edu/applinks/gihr/#:~:text=Gender%20Inclusive%20Roommate%20Groups,part%20of%20a%20roommate%20group.