Loyola University Maryland
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

"Loyola University Maryland does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, or any other legally protected classification in the administration of any of its educational programs and activities or with respect to admission or employment. Prohibited discrimination includes harassment on the basis of a protected classification and harassment based on participation in any "protected activity." Complaints of harassment and discrimination will be addressed pursuant to Section
8.7, except for complaints of sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual assault, and sexual exploitation, which will be addressed pursuant to Section 8.8.
Discrimination, harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual assault, and sexual exploitation are inconsistent with Loyola's commitment to excellence and respect for all individuals.
Loyola is also committed to protecting the academic freedom of all members of the University community, and this policy shall be applied in a manner that protects the academic freedom of all parties to a complaint...."

To see the full policy visit https://www.loyola.edu/department/hr/about/policy

Students who feel they have been the target of bias (or who have witnessed a bias related behavior) may report the incident online, or contact the Dean of Students Office. Loyola's new system is used to report any instances of age, gender, religion, race, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, disability, and/or other targeted aspects of one’s identity.

When a bias-related behavior form is submitted, it will be received by the associate dean of students who will then take action based on the information provided. The associate dean of students or his/her designee will conduct a follow-up interview with the targeted person to gather additional information regarding the incident, determine the targeted person’s interest/role in responding to the incident, and determine possible Student Code of Conduct violations.

The associate dean of students or his/her designee may consult with relevant university personnel (dean of students office, student life, Counseling Center, ALANA Services, Disability Support Services, Women’s Center, assistant vice president for academic affairs and diversity, department of public safety, and assistant vice president for human resources) to determine next steps.

The targeted person and alleged offender each have the option of being assigned an advisor whose role is to support them through the investigation and/or student conduct process. The advisor must be a full-time member of the Loyola University community (faculty, administrator, or staff) and cannot be an attorney or hold a law degree. The associate dean of students may provide advisors with pertinent information regarding the bias related behaviors incident/case being investigated.

Programs to recruit students from underrepresented groups:
Charm City Promise Program & Grant: https://www.loyola.edu/department/financial-aid/undergraduate/programs/grants/charm-city-promise
The Charm City Promise Program was established to recognize and support high-achieving students from Baltimore City public, charter, or Catholic high schools who demonstrate significant financial need. Additional details can be found on the Charm City Promise Program page. Through this generous grant program, all eligible accepted students will receive a financial aid award that meets 100% of their demonstrated need toward Loyola’s full direct cost of attendance.

Ignatius Scholars Program (ISP): https://www.loyola.edu/join-us/ignatius-scholars
This program is designed for first-year students who exhibit strong academic promise and leadership abilities. The program provides opportunities to students who identify as first-generation college students, demonstrate significant financial need, or come from diverse backgrounds. Forty-five scholars participate in a highly selective program to get a head start on their college career, creating an academic foundation that enables them to excel.

Programs to recruit academic staff from underrepresented groups:
Our entire hiring protocol at Loyola is aimed at building diverse pools of potential academic candidates. Our job ads, evaluation rubrics, interview questions, training of search committees, and on-campus protocols are vetted for every single academic search to ensure diverse pools and inclusive hiring practices. By engaging in these data-driven hiring practices we have seen an increase in the number of faculty we hire from underrepresented groups. We also have an ALANA Faculty Retention Report that recommends the university make sure we place ads on websites geared towards hiring underrepresented groups, even if there is a cost to the posting(s). Loyola also received the Clare Booth Luce Professorship grant that provides funds to hire and support (for five years) new faculty women in STEM.

Recruiting non-academic staff from underrepresented groups:
Loyola University Maryland strongly values the benefits that diversity brings to the workplace. In accordance with its Ignatian values, the University is committed to creating and promoting a community that recognizes the inherent value and dignity of each person. Loyola University Maryland does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military status, or any other legally protected classification. The University recruits, hires, and promotes in accord with this policy and its Core Values.

Support programs for underrepresented groups (students): ALANA (African, Latinx, Asian and Native American) Services is committed to providing support, services and programs that facilitate the success of all ALANA students at Loyola. Through intentional programming and a myriad of services, we foster the academic, cultural, personal, spiritual and leadership development of ALANA students. Furthermore, we seek to create and maintain an environment of respect and awareness, while advocating for ALANA students and responding to their needs.

Time & Space: Trans support group: This weekly therapy support group is for transgender, non-binary, and gender questioning individuals of diverse backgrounds to confidentially discuss aspects of gender and gender identity in a space of mutual support.

Spectrum: Spectrum at Loyola University Maryland is an all-inclusive group for LGBTQ students and their allies. Whether you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, pansexual, questioning, or anything else under the LGBTQ alphabet soup, Spectrum has something for you!

Resources for Black/African American People, Indigenous/Native People, and People of Colors: Black Lives Matter Meditations, Grief & Racism, Liberate Meditation, Restorative Healing for People of Color, Strategies for Disarming Racial Microaggressions.

Support programs for underrepresented groups (academic staff):
We have a robust faculty mentoring program out of the Academic Affairs office where every faculty member that is hired at Loyola is assigned a faculty mentor. The program was designed using empirical principles to ensure that faculty of underrepresented groups got the most benefit from the program. A few of the features that lead to better outcomes (and that we have adopted) is intentional pairing (using data from incoming faculty and current faculty to create best pairings), continuous check-ins with members of the pairing, and resources for pairings to engage in meaningful relationship building. 2.There are affinity groups; some, if not all, have support funds coming from Academic Affairs. Some meet regularly and help certain initiatives such as forming the ad hoc committee on ALANA Faculty Retention. Others meet in just a more social, support setting.