Boston University
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Since its founding in 1869, Boston University has been dedicated to equal opportunity and has opened its doors to students without regard to race, sex, creed, or other irrelevant criteria. Consistent with this tradition, it is the policy of Boston University to promote equal opportunity in educational programs and employment through practices designed to extend opportunities to all individuals on the basis of individual merit and qualifications, and to help ensure the full realization of equal opportunity for students, employees, and applicants for admission and employment. The University is committed to maintaining an environment that is welcoming and respectful to all.

URL: https://www.bu.edu/policies/non-handbook-version-equal-opp-affirm-action/

The Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center (SARP) at Boston University provides "professional, rapid, confidential, and free-of-charge advocacy and assistance to BU students who have experienced a traumatic incident." Although SARP's particular focus is on sexual trauma and rape, they "also assist survivors of physical assault, interpersonal violence, and other crimes." Because a "Bias Response Team" does not exist at Boston University, historically, SARP has been the go-to office for those that have experienced or witnessed a bias incident, act of discrimination or hate crime. SARP's team includes Crisis Intervention Counselors and staff with a background in social work. In cases of those that have experienced discrimination, SARP works with the individual by giving them information and support to make decisions. An example of this includes how SARP works with the University Police Department to address the needs of the Clery Act (the University is required to compile and publish crime statistics in an Annual Security Report), SARP only reports an incident if the victim/witness feels comfortable. According to the director of SARP, in the future, the Office of Diversity & Inclusion may be the office dedicated to discrimination response.

http://www.bu.edu/shs/sarp/

Another office worth highlighting is the Office of the Ombuds. Established in fall 2009 at the recommendation of the Council on Faculty Diversity and Inclusion, the office's mission is to provide a confidential place for people to voice concerns, develop options, and problem-solve. The Ombuds also provides summary data to senior university officials on trends and patterns so that problems may be prevented from escalating or recurring without breaching the confidentiality of communications with individuals.

https://www.bu.edu/ombuds/

Students:

Boston University is committed to ensuring that students from underrepresented backgrounds have access to and are knowledgeable about BU. The University has strategically hosted, visited, and partnered with organizations that serve students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. BU has hosted nearly 200 community-based organizations (CBOs) and schools with predominantly low-income and underrepresented students, and visited over 500 CBOs over the past five years. In addition, BU has partnered with the Strive for College (formerly known as Center for Student Opportunities) which gives the University access to over two thousand CBOs and a growing number of first-generation students through the campaign “I am first”.  BU also maintains strong partnerships with the Posse Foundation, Chicago Scholars, Say Yes to Education, A Better Chance, Venture Scholars, The National Hispanic Institute, YES Prep Public Schools in Houston, TX, Prep for Prep, and many other organizations that serve students from underrepresented backgrounds. Additionally, this year, we began working with the Charles Hayden Foundation, and specifically the schools the Foundation supports in New York and New Jersey. Locally, BU has partnered with Boston Public Schools (BPS) and created annual programming that gives students early exposure to college through summer and fall programming. Finally, BU is a partner with the Leadership Scholar Program out of the Marine Corps which helps Marines continue their education.

Leadership Scholar Program URL: http://usmc-mccs.org/services/education/leadership-scholar/

Faculty:

Boston University Diversity & Inclusion has developed several programs to help recruit faculty from diverse, underrepresented backgrounds. One program is the Target Opportunity Program, which seeks to provide flexibility in hiring and allow academic leadership to capitalize on potential hires that represent an opportunity for the university to support the diversity goals. Another program is The University Scholars Program, which supports individuals from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups through various means - single or multiple day conferences, visits, or a semester-long residency - to deepen the university search pools for faculty members and positively impacting the search outcomes.

More information on these programs are here: https://www.bu.edu/diversity/initiatives-data/faculty-hiring/

Boston University has many programs to support underrepresented students, staff, and faculty on campus. Details of the programs can be found at the following website: http://www.bu.edu/diversity/

For example, the Howard Thurman Center provides individual and group mentoring, peer support, and community building through specific programs and relationships with the Director, Associate Director, Assistant Directors, graduate interns and student staff and volunteers. The HTC hosts retreats for student groups around topics of identity, campus climate and dialogue every September. The Center also hosts Welcome Receptions for under-represented groups at the beginning of the semester. We also support other schools and departments mentoring and training programs.

BU's Newbury Center offers programming and services designed to ensure that first-generation students experience the same sense of well-being, belonging, self-efficacy, and academic accomplishment as their continuing-generation peers. Each semester it holds a Newbury Center Orientation, which introduces students to the resources of the Newbury Center, teaches them the ins and outs of being a first-gen student at BU, and helps them begin building a community on campus. The Newbury Center has initiatives to support students with various aspects of the college experience, such as navigation of the financial aid system and course selection, and provides additional support through mentoring programs to foster a sense of belonging.

The Center for Gender, Sexuality, and Activism was established with the goal of providing a safe space for students of all genders and sexualities. It provides guidance and resources for gender minorities and advocates for their equality and inclusion. They host many events throughout the year, including the weekly Trans Listening Circle, which offers a safe space for people to share their experiences, troubles, worries, and encouragements surrounding trans, non-binary, non-cis, gender-variant, gender-nonconforming, etc identities in life and on campus.

An example of a counseling/support program for staff & faculty is the Faculty & Staff Assistance Office (FSAO). FSAO can serve as a transitional liaison for between an employee (considering gender transition) and their department/office by protecting the employee’s confidentiality while developing a plan, assisting in the negotiation process and suggesting a timeline.

Graduate Women in Science and Engineering (GWISE) at Boston University strives to create a community to support and promote women in STEM fields. Through professional development seminars and workshops, social events, mentoring, and outreach, GWISE fosters interaction across disciplines at Boston University and connects graduate students to postdocs, faculty, and broader networks in Boston and beyond.

From pre-college to undergrads, graduate students, postdocs, and faculty, ARROWS (Advance, Recruit, Retain & Organize Women in STEM) aims to facilitate the advancement and success of Boston University’s women in STEM. For example, ARROWS connects women to the resources BU has in place to support and advance women STEM postdocs such as the Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs (PDPA) office. PDPA helps postdocs establish individual development plans to help them identify their career goals and professional development needs. They can also be a great conversation tool between postdocs and faculty mentors to ensure that postdocs develop the skills they need to be successful both here at BU and throughout their careers.

http://www.bu.edu/arrows/
http://www.bu.edu/gwise/

This represents FY2022 BU Metrics.

Special needs of transgender and transitioning students are met based on an individual's need.

Additional URLs:
www.bu.edu/eoo
www.bu.edu/safety
https://www.bu.edu/housing/assignments/gender-neutral-housing/
http://www.bu.edu/hr/careers/diversity/
https://www.bu.edu/newbury-center/about/
http://www.bu.edu/diversity/
http://www.bumc.bu.edu/gender-neutral-restrooms/
https://maps.bu.edu/?id=647#!ce/37028