Overall Rating	Bronze - expired
Overall Score	38.03
Liaison	Bradley Flamm
Submission Date	March 1, 2019
Executive Letter	Download

STARS v2.1

West Chester University of Pennsylvania
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	2.00 / 3.00	Bradley Flamm Director of Sustainability Office of the President

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Non-Discrimination Statement

Does the institution have a publicly posted non-discrimination statement? :

Yes

The non-discrimination statement, including the website URL where the policy is publicly accessible:

Through collaborative efforts, the Office of Social Equity helps to foster an inclusive and civil community by monitoring a number of policies that promote diversity and inclusion, as well as work to eliminate discriminatory behaviors at West Chester University. Furthermore, the Office of Social Equity is responsible for the overall well-being of the campus community and its climate by monitoring a number of policies that work to keep our campus a civil and safe environment for all. See https://www.wcupa.edu/_admin/social.equity/ for more information.

Bias Response Team

Does the institution have a discrimination response protocol or committee (sometimes called a bias response team) to respond to and support those who have experienced or witnessed a bias incident, act of discrimination or hate crime?:

A brief description of the institution’s discrimination response protocol or team (including examples of actions taken during the previous three years):

In the Spring of 2018 WCU is in the process of developing such a reporting mechanism. The Office of Social Equity is working with University legal counsel on the definitions and response protocol.

Recruitment Programs

Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit students from underrepresented groups?:

Yes

Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit staff from underrepresented groups?:

Yes

Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit faculty from underrepresented groups?:

Yes

If yes to any of the above, provide:

A brief description of the institution’s programs to recruit students, staff and/or faculty from underrepresented groups:

WCU's Office of Admissions coordinated a Multicultural Recruitment Ambassador (MRA) program and hosts multicultural events throughout the academic year for both prospective and admitted students (e.g., Check Us out Day, Discover WCU and Shadow Day for high school juniors). See https://www.wcupa.edu/_admissions/SCH_ADM/multiculturalAffairs.aspx for more information. For faculty and staff positions, each search committee is required to complete a Diversity Recruitment and Marketing Plan to ensure the search committee is able to recruit a broad and diverse pool of candidates. The Admissions Office and Human Resources work with the Office of Social Equity to ensure compliance with ADA, Affirmative Action, HIV/AIDS, and Sexual Harassment Policies.

Mentoring, Counseling and Support Programs

Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support, academic support, or other programs to support students from underrepresented groups on campus?:

Yes

Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support or other programs to support staff from underrepresented groups on campus?:

Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support or other programs to support faculty from underrepresented groups on campus?:

Yes

A brief description of the institution’s programs to support students, staff and/or faculty from underrepresented groups:

For students, the Larry Dowdy Multicultural Center provides peer mentoring, non-academic support and resources from under-represented groups. Additionally, Student Affairs partners with other campus offices to provide support. For staff and faculty, there is not organized support and resources for these employee groups. However, there is a faculty mentoring program managed by the Provost's Office and the Multi-Cultural Faculty Commission provides support and resources for under-represented faculty.

Support for Future Faculty

Does the institution have training and development programs, teaching fellowships and/or other programs that specifically aim to support and prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty members?:

Yes

A brief description of the institution’s programs to support and prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty members:

Through the Frederick Douglass Institute, WCU offers the Summer Scholars Program: In keeping with the spirit of Douglass’ life of public service, the Frederick Douglass Teaching Scholars Summer Program is designed to provide graduate students teaching experiences and potential employment opportunities within university settings that are strongly committed to cultural diversity. (See https://www.wcupa.edu/_academics/fdouglass/summerscholarsprogram.aspx.)

Optional Fields

Does the institution produce a publicly accessible inventory of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus?:

Yes

Does the institution offer housing options to accommodate the special needs of transgender and transitioning students?:

Yes

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:

https://www.wcupa.edu/_services/stu.lgb/transResources.aspx

Additional documentation to support the submission:

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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Lynn Klingensmith, Director of Social Equity/Title IX and ADA Coordinator (lklingensmith@wcupa.edu, 610-436-2433)

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.