Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 68.06
Liaison Meredith Moore
Submission Date March 17, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Stephanie Lage
Assistant Director
Ctr for Sustainable Environment
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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

A brief description of the programs sponsored by the institution to support underrepresented groups:

Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center
In 1969, the African American Cultural Center was created with the two-fold purpose of assisting the University in providing a safe and welcoming environment for African American students and serving as a resource to the campus at-large regarding African American contributions and issues.
Asian American Cultural Center
The Asian American Cultural Center promotes cross-cultural understanding of Asian American and Asian international experiences, and provides educational and cultural support for Asians and Asian Americans in our university community.
La Casa Cultural Latina
The mission of La Casa Cultural Latina is to promote a welcoming and dynamic atmosphere through the development of educational, cultural, socio-political, and social programs that lead to greater recruitment, retention, advancement, and empowerment of Latina/o students. La Casa engages current and future leaders through mentorship, civic engagement, and the promotion of social advocacy.
Native American House
The Native American House serves as a support and resource center for all American Indian and Alaskan Native students and their families by providing programs throughout the year that allow students the opportunity to enrich their cultural and academic experiences at the University of Illinois.
Women’s Resource Center
The Women's Resources Center as a part of Student Affairs is responsible for improving the campus climate for women and developing and implementing programs that address women's issues and gender-related concerns.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Resource Center as a part of the Office of Student Affairs serves as an integral part of the University community, dedicated to intellectual and personal development of the individual. Its mission is to foster an environment that is open, safe and inclusive for people of all sexualities and gender identities.
Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services
The mission of the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services is to ensure that qualified students with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the programs, services and activities of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign through the identification and enactment of reasonable modifications to institutional policies and procedures; the provision of effective auxiliary aids and services; the establishment of innovative educational services; and the pursuit of interdisciplinary disability research.
Diversity and Social Justice Education
I-Connect Diversity & Inclusion workshop is an experiential training designed to help incoming students embrace differences and recognize shared experiences in order to build a welcoming and engaged campus community. Facilitated by fellow students, I-Connect uses collaborative exercises and engaging discussion to build participants’ communication skills and their ability to collaborate, learn, and work in diverse environments.
Inclusion and Intercultural Relations
The Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations (OIIR) seeks to improve campus climate by providing transformative learning experiences to the Illinois community that result in an appreciation for diversity and cross cultural engagement. OIIR contributes to the academic mission of the University by providing students educational opportunities about the various dimensions of diversity and intersections of identities.
Cultural Programming Fee
The purpose of the Student Cultural Programming Fee (SCPF) is to provide direction and allocation of resources for culture-specific programming for African American, Asian American, Latina/o, Native American, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and women’s programs and activities. The goal is to advance further cultural awareness, encourage diversity, educate the University of Illinois community as a whole, and provide a forum for the development, exploration, and improvement of cultural programs.
iUnite
I-Unite draws together over 30 events for all members of the University community to embrace the value of differences in individuals and communities, while exploring diversity and inclusion locally and globally. This campus-wide event is an exciting opportunity for the campus to learn about and celebrate the unique cultures and contributions of faculty, staff, and students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Lunchtime Discussion Series
The Asian American Cultural Center, Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center, La Casa Cultural Latina, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resources Center, Native American House and the Women's Resource Center collaborate to host a series of lunchtime forum that provide audience members and participants with introductions to the cultures, histories, and societal issues that the diverse communities of our campus face. We welcome you to our centers and encourage you to connect with us.
Latino Family Visit Day
Latina/o Family Visit Day is an all-day event held annually in the fall for families of first-year and transfer Latina/o students. LFVD provides families with the opportunity to learn about the college experience. Activities such as the resource fair, parent panels, alumni panels, and faculty presentations emphasize the benefits of college while providing an opportunity for parents to discuss the transitions families face when their children leave for college. Little siblings participate in age-appropriate activities to give them a glimpse of what a college campus has to offer.
Campus Uncensored
The University is deeply committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive, just, and respectful learning community. The University of Illinois welcomes and encourages all of its students, faculty, and staff to embrace the marketplace of ideas as part of the educational experience. Campus Uncensored program is an event that highlights the vital roles and meanings of the First Amendment and Academic Freedom at the University of Illinois.
This program of activities has three goals:
• To broaden our understanding of the First Amendment. This includes both historical and contemporary analyses, and conversations about your rights to free speech and other freedoms granted by this amendment;
• To enhance awareness of the responsibilities that accompany these constitutional rights and freedoms, and;
• To encourage students, faculty, and staff to use this understanding and awareness for personal and collective application on the campus and in everyday life.


The website URL where more information about the support programs for underrepresented groups is available:
Does the institution have a discrimination response policy and/or team (or the equivalent) to respond to and support those who have experienced or witnessed a bias incident, act of discrimination or hate crime?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s discrimination response policy, program and/or team:

Policy and Procedures for Addressing Discrimination and Harassment at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Policy
The commitment of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Illinois) to the most fundamental principles of academic freedom, equality of opportunity, and human dignity requires that decisions involving students and employees be based on merit and be free from invidious discrimination in all its forms. Illinois does not engage in discrimination or harassment, or tolerate discrimination or harassment, against any person because of the following protected categories: race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, disability, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, order of protection status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation including gender identity, arrest record status, military status, and unfavorable discharge from military service.


The website URL where more information about the institution’s discrimination response policy, program and/or team is available:
Does the institution offer housing options to accommodate the special needs of transgender and transitioning students?:
Yes

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

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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.