Washington University in St. Louis
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Non-Discrimination Statement
Washington University encourages and gives full consideration to all applicants for admission, financial aid, and employment. The university does not discriminate in access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, veteran status, disability or genetic information. Inquiries about compliance should be addressed to the university’s Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, Washington University, Campus Box 1184, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130.

Amended:
January 1993
July 2007
September 2009 (compliance with Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, H.R. 493)
September 2011 (compliance with the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010)

https://hr.wustl.edu/items/non-discrimination-statement/

Bias Report & Support System
The university developed a system through which students, faculty, staff and community members who have experienced or witnessed incidents of bias, prejudice or discrimination involving a student can report their experiences to the university’s Bias Report and Support System (BRSS) team.
The BRSS team will:
- Support students who have witnessed or been the target of bias-related incidents.
- Refer community members to appropriate university and local resources, and educate reporters on what to expect from each resource.
- Inform the university community about the frequency and nature of bias incidents through semesterly summary reports in order to drive discussion around making Washington University more diverse and inclusive. In addition to providing regular reports, the BRSS coordinator will meet with the vice chancellor for students and the vice provost to discuss our community’s climate and areas for potential improvement.

After reports are filed, the BRSS team member will:

- Listen and support you as you provide details of the incident
- Identify campus and community resources to help you understand your options
- Walk you through what to expect should you choose to utilize referrals
After your in-person meeting, you will receive an email from your team member to make sure the BRSS has answered your questions and provided appropriate referrals.

How We Use Summary Reports
The BRSS coordinator will issue reports of incidents submitted through the BRSS that will be freely available to members of the Washington University community. All incidents will be summarized and identifying information will be removed. With the release of each report, the BRSS coordinator will meet with the vice chancellor for students and vice provost to discuss trends in when and where incidents occur and potential university actions.

STUDENTS
The Office of Diversity Programs at the School of Medicine attends numerous recruitment fairs every year that focus on recruiting URM’s into medical school. The recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented and economically disadvantaged groups are key components of the department mission to promote cultural diversity throughout the medical school.

The Office of Diversity Programs also sponsors and promotes a number of community outreach programs throughout the educational pipeline to enhance the exposure of students from underrepresented and economically disadvantaged groups to careers in science and medicine.

STAFF
The creation of The Manager of Diversity and Community Engagement position which engages the leadership of the institution to assist with the creation and execution of strategies to attract and retain diverse individuals into leadership positions and build strategic and sustainable relationships with community and professional based organizations.)

FACULTY
The Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Institutional Diversity actively supports the faculty hiring process. The Office offers an annual fall workshop for hiring chairs, focusing on best practices for running an effective and efficient search that yields an excellent diverse pool of candidates. Vice Provost Adrienne Davis is available to meet with or talk to potential candidates. Additional key resources offered by the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Institutional Diversity include:
- customized search workshops for full hiring committees on hiring best practices and strategies;
- supplemental funding for publicizing searches and recruitment visits;
- assistance in coordinating recruitment visits;
- conducting tours of St. Louis
- arranging cross-campus or community introductions for candidates or their partners;
- referrals to real estate agents;
- identifying resources regarding schools and daycare.
https://diversity.wustl.edu/framework/faculty-advancement-institutional-diversity/support-hiring-faculty/

STUDENTS
Established in 2014, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion enhances and strengthens Washington University’s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community.
The center’s staff supports and advocates for students from traditionally underrepresented or marginalized populations and creates collaborative partnerships with campus and community members to promote dialogue and social change.

Through the Cornerstone Learning Center, students qualifying as TRiO scholars (students who are first in their families to go to college, low-income by federal guidelines or have a learning or physical disability) receive individual services which include academic advising, individualized academic coaching, workshops to strengthen skills in writing, chemistry, biology and mathematics, assistance in preparing for graduate school admission examinations, and experience working with and in study groups led by a trained academic peer mentor. In addition, cultural and leadership programs, summer internship assistance and information regarding other campus resources are available. Also, students may apply for monetary assistance for tuition, book purchases, pre-freshmen program scholarships and study abroad opportunities.

Office for Student Success (ttps://studentsuccess.wustl.edu) The Office of Student Success, an extension of the Office of the Provost, creates an infrastructure of support to assist Washington University students with their transition to and through college. The office uses a principled approach to enhance the on-campus experience of all students in the following four areas:

-Creating experiential equity
-Harnessing cultural wealth
-Utilizing high-impact educational practices
-Building a framework for student success

The Office of Diversity Programs - (https://mddiversity.wustl.edu/about/) - In 1972 the Office of Minority Affairs (OMA) was created to recruit and provide support for minority medical students. By 1996, the country’s growing cultural diversity and increasing concern with health inequities prompted the OMA to expand its mission under a new name, the Office of Diversity Programs. This office replaced its predecessor and added the goal of teaching students the skills needed to attend to an ethnically and racially diverse patient population.

Before medical students hit the books, they hit the streets of St. Louis, where their ideals meet face-to-face the realities of health care in America.Part of the first-year course, the Practice of Medicine I, the Washington University Medical Plunge (WUMP) is a four-day orientation program. It provides first-year medical students with an overview of health care and public health in St. Louis through lectures, site visits and public health service projects. WUMP introduces students to the social determinants of health, highlights the message of culturally competent health care and offers an excellent opportunity for service learning.

The Diversity Retreat makes up another pat of the Practice of Medicine I course. It gives first year medical students the opportunity to learn about different patient populations that they will serve and to explore ways to communicate in cross-cultural situations through small group discussions and interactive exercises.

FACULTY & STAFF
Affinity Groups (https://diversity.wustl.edu)
- Diversity & Inclusion Forum for Faculty and Staff
- Campus Diversity Collaboration
- Bridge (LGBTQIA)
- The Cabinet (African American)

To develop the most diverse pool of scholars and leaders of tomorrow, Washington University is committed to creating possibilities for budding researchers, leaders and innovators through scholarships, internships and fellowships. Some examples include:

Leadership Alliance: Mission and Program Description
Washington University in St. Louis is a partner in the Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Program (SR-EIP). The Leadership Alliance is an academic consortium of over 30 institutions of higher learning, including leading research and teaching college and universities. The mission of the Leadership Alliance is to develop underrepresented students into outstanding leaders and role models in academia, business and the public sector.

This program offers undergraduates interested in pursuing a PhD or MD-PhD the opportunity to work for eight to ten weeks under the guidance of a faculty or research mentor at participating Alliance institutions. The SR-EIP is principally designed to encourage students from groups traditionally underrepresented in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities including students who identify as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans (including Alaska Natives) and US Pacific Islanders, to consider research careers in the academic, public, or private sectors.

We have an active diverse faculty recruiting program, including search workshops that help advertise and pursue diverse candidates for our pool. Our search procedures include targeted opportunity policies to bring underrepresented groups to campus.

Our Distinguished Visiting Scholar Series targets academics from underrepresented groups and brings them to campus for 1-2 week visits. We often end up recruiting those who make the trip.

Math Alliance: funding available to support women (Mrs. Spencer T. Olin Fellowships) and underrepresented students (The Chancellor's Graduate Fellowships). Fellowships ares designed to facilitate training for students who, in light of all pertinent academic qualifications, experiences, and attributes, would contribute to the diversity of graduate education at Washington University in St. Louis. Applicants should have a strong interest in becoming a college or university professor.

The Washington University Diversity Programs Consortium – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (WUDPC-STEM) Focus exists to strengthen the university’s pipeline efforts to recruit, retain and support individuals from underrepresented backgrounds in science and research related fields.

Additional programs include:
- Buder Scholars Program
- Buder Scholarship for American Indian Law Students
- Chancellor’s Graduate Fellowship Program
- Danforth Scholars Program
- Institute for Public Health Fellowships & Internships
- Internships and Career Center Stipends
- John B. Ervin Scholars Program
- Mellon Mays
- Olin Business School MBA Dean’s Scholarships, including U.S. Military Veterans Scholarships
- Olin Fellowships for Women in Graduate Study
- Rodriguez Scholars Program
- Washington University Internal Fellowships
- National Scholarships and Fellowships, such as the Charles B. Rangel International -
Affairs Fellowship Program, and City Year, providing funding for students of diverse racial, cultural and economic backgrounds
- The School of Engineering & Applied Science Fellowships for Graduate Students
- Alexander S. Langdorf Fellowships in Engineering and the James M. McKelvey Undergraduate Research Award in Engineering

For an overview of pipeline programs: https://diversity.wustl.edu/initiatives/academic-pipeline-programs/ and https://diversity.wustl.edu/initiatives/academic-pipeline-programs/scholarships-internships-fellowships/

Additional funding opportunities: https://artsci.wustl.edu/mellon-mays-undergraduate-fellowship

Gender Inclusive Restrooms
https://diversity.wustl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/GenderInclusiveRestrooms_09012016.pdf