Boston University
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

The Howard Thurman Center provides individual and group mentoring, peer support, and community building through specific programs and relationships with the Director, Assistant Director, professional and student staff and volunteers. The Center also hosts Welcome Receptions for under-represented groups at the beginning of the semester and supports other schools and departments mentoring and training programs. The Howard Thurman Center assists in the development, planning, and implementation of projects designed to build common ground within BU’s diverse student body. Projects include a Book Club and Tea Club, a Cultural Mentorship Program, the Culture Shock Blog, TEDxBU, and the Council for Global Citizenship. The Cultural Mentorship Program is dedicated to creating a rich and meaningful experience for incoming African American, Latino and Native American first-year students. Based on the Howard Thurman philosophy of common ground, first-year students are paired with returning students who share similar cultural, academic, and social interests. The Boston University Women’s MBA Association is a student-run organization that provides career guidance and support to women currently in the MBA program by providing access to professional women leaders, educating members about topics related to work-life balance, career advancement, and networking, and uniting men and women in addressing women-related issues in the workplace. Cohort Q is a student-run club for LGBT students that connects and supports LGBT students within the School of Management. Spectrum is Boston University’s Queer and Allied Student Group with a purpose of organizing cultural, social, and political events, as well as facilitating increased public awareness, tolerance, and support for the GLBTQA community. The University is committed to providing equal and integrated access for individuals with disabilities to all the academic, social, cultural, and recreational programs it offers. Disability Services provides services and support to ensure that students are able to access and participate in the opportunities available at Boston University.

Boston University has an Equal Opportunity Policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of membership in a protected class (e.g., race, color, age, sex, disability, etc.) and retaliation for bringing forward a complaint of discrimination. We also have a Sexual Harassment Policy prohibiting sexual harassment and retaliation for bringing forward a complaint of sexual harassment. Boston University has two offices that investigate complaints of discrimination. In cases where the named accused is an employee, the Equal Opportunity Office investigates. In cases where a student is accused, the Office of Judicial Affairs investigates. Depending upon the circumstances, other offices might respond to incidents of bias, for example, the Dean of Students Office, the Boston University Police Department, Human Resources, and the Deans Offices in the schools and colleges are among those that might have a role in responding to an incident. Support is offered to victims by a number of offices, including but not limited to the Sexual Assault Response and Prevention Center (which supports student victims of any kind of trauma or crisis), Behavioral Medicine, the Faculty/Staff Assistance Office, the Dean of Students Office, the Office of Residence Life for resident students, and the Equal Opportunity Office.