Bryant University
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

https://www.bryant.edu/campus-and-community/culture-respect-and-inclusion/title-ix-and-sexual-misconduct

listed under "policies"

"Notice of Non-Discrimination: Bryant University admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, or veteran status, and without regard to genetic information, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the University.

It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, veteran status, or genetic information, in the administration of its education policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other University-administered programs, and employment policies. In accordance with Title IX, it does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs or activities."

As part of the University’s commitment to an inclusive campus community, the Bias Incident Committee has been developed to address incidents that occur on-campus or at any Bryant-sponsored off-campus event. We urge all community members to familiarize themselves with the Protection from Harassment Policy and to report promptly any incidents that violate the standards that we as a community seek to uphold. Students can report incidents via phone, online or in person.

Students who report a bias incident can expect that their report will be acknowledged within 48 hours, and that a Bias Incident Committee member will be assigned to meet with the student to discuss options for addressing the issue and next steps of the process.

In most cases, once an incident has been reported, the Bias Incident Committee will review the report within the week. Based on the nature of the incident, the Committee can recommend appropriate next steps. Recommendations can include, but are not limited to, further investigation, a conversation with impacted student, etc. Once all information about the incident has been gathered, the Committee will meet to review and discuss findings and make recommendations to VPSA or designee. Due to confidentiality laws, the University may not be able to reveal all the information related to the investigation. Conduct found to be in violation of the Student Code will be referred for action through existing disciplinary procedures.

Individuals experiencing hate crime are referred to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) https://www.bryant.edu/campus-and-community/student-related-offices/public-safety where they are provided with the necessary support to stay safe on campus.

In situations involving students (where both parties are students), a member of the Bias Incident Committee will reach out to the impacted student to provide support and assistance. The first step is educating the student on the entire process to ensure they have all of the information at their disposal. The committee member actively listens to the needs of the impacted student to make the appropriate referrals if necessary. Additionally, the committee member seeks to get a complete picture of the incident to be better prepared to support others who may be impacted. Asking the student for what they need or want allows the committee member to gauge physical, emotional, and mental safety and security. If needed consultation with the counseling center, residence hall staff, or department of public safety may be initiated depending on the specific support needed.

Conduct found to be in violation of the Student Code will be referred for action through existing disciplinary procedures https://www.bryant.edu/campus-and-community/student-related-offices/student-affairs.

If the situation is related to sexual violence, one of the Advocates from the Hochberg Women’s Center will connect with the student to provide support and assistance. https://www.bryant.edu/campus-and-community/culture-respect-and-inclusion/title-ix-and-sexual-misconduct

Situations involving faculty and staff (including student issues with faculty/staff) are referred to and handled by the Office of Human Resources. A representative from Human Resources sits on the Bias Incident Committee to maintain similar processes to the student process. Follow up can take a number of different forms including informal resolution, supervisory action, institutional mediation, etc. The university also provides employee assistance program run by a third-party counseling service to support employees. There is also a Bryant Affinity Network that brings together employees from all areas of the university in groups including Women's Circle, Black Affinity Group, Latino Affinity Group, LGBTQ at Bryant, MBA's at Bryant. The Affinity Network serves as an informal mentoring program to welcome new members of the community and provide spaces to connect.

The Office of Admissions has two full-time staff members dedicated to the recruitment of underrepresented groups. Two staff members focus on the recruitment of multicultural student with established goals in compliance with federal, state and institutional guidelines and/or regulations. One staff member works on the recruitment of first-generation college students. Staff work to cultivate new and strengthen existing relationships with local and regional community-based organizations. Admissions staff work to effectively conduct pre-admission counseling to ensure a thorough understanding and acceptance of Bryant University and its programs, to representing Bryant University at high schools, college fairs, college nights and on- and off-campus events as needed, and participating in the formulation of events when appropriate. In conjunction with the Vice President for Enrollment Management, staff research, develop and implement office-wide strategic multicultural recruitment initiatives and develop on campus programs for prospective multicultural students in collaboration with current students and the staff in the Center for Diversity and Inclusion.

4MILE@bryant is a transition program traditionally held the week before fall classes begin for new multicultural and international students who have been admitted to Bryant University.

Students have the opportunity to be paired with an upperclass mentor, get acquainted with their new home, and learn more about academic, personal, social and cultural supports available throughout their four years at Bryant.

The program is designed to provide international and multicultural students with a positive transition into their college career. The week consists of sessions and team building exercises along with an interactive introduction to Bryant University. Incoming students are assigned mentors who will serve as a support to them during their first year.

4MILE@bryant provides a connection to the resources and networks necessary for success at Bryant University. More information can be found at our website: http://www.bryant.edu/life-at-bryant/live/intercultural-center.htm

Safe Zone Training presented by the Bryant University LGBTQ and Allies Faculty and Staff Caucus The training is designed to reduce prejudice and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression at Bryant University and create a safe and affirming campus for all.

From the very first semester, Bryant’s HYPERLINK "news/news-articles/2012/12/27/first-year-experience-is-innovative-transformative/"nationally recognized First-Year Gateway is the foundation for your success. Centered on fundamental questions about the role of the individual in an ever-changing world, the interdisciplinary Gateway sets the stage for you to explore the global foundations of character and leadership, and of organizations and business.

Central to the Gateway is a 13-credit core curriculum aimed at improving your writing proficiency, critical thinking, cultural awareness, and ethical reasoning — skills you’ll need for success during your four years at Bryant and beyond. In addition to the Global Foundations of Character and Leadership and Global Foundations of Organizations and Business courses, the interdisciplinary curriculum includes a writing course and The Bryant IDEA (Innovation Design Experience for All), our immersive January program.

Bryant University utilizes diversity recruitment resources including Diversity Issues in Higher Education and Hispanic Outlook. On a search by search basis, the University also utilizes discipline specific diversity recruitment vehicles, as well as direct outreach at specialized diversity conferences or by utilizing a head hunter. By targeting outreach to recruitment vehicles with a broadly diverse readership, the University is able to attract a more diversified pool of candidates. By broadening the diversity in the pool of applicants, the University has a greater chance of hiring diverse talent.

Bryant developed a faculty search strategy that has enhanced Bryant’s ability to secure a “balanced” slate of candidates for faculty searches. A “balanced” slate is one of the expectations of any faculty or staff recruitment effort on campus. On an annual basis, the Human Resource Office provides workforce demographic data to college dean and department chairs to identify areas with underutilization. We also utilize data from our annual Affirmative Action Report to set appropriate target areas for diversification. Faculty are always encouraged to seek out prospective candidates for future faculty positions when attending external conferences within their respective disciplines.

The University is also a proud member of the PhD Project. The PhD Project was founded upon the premise that advancements in workplace diversity could be propelled forward by increasing the diversity of business school faculty. Today, the Project’s expansive network of supporters, sponsors and universities helps African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Native Americans attain their business PhD and become the business professors who will mentor the next generation of leaders.
Though there is not a defined program for students to become faculty currently, the programs outlined in this section are leading indicators to that end.