North Carolina State University
PAE-8: Support Programs for Underrepresented Groups

Below are many of NC State’s programs to support underrepresented groups within the student body: The Academic Colleges each have a diversity coordinator who provides advising and academic support to students from under-represented groups, as well as advising organizations for underrepresented students in their disciplines (e.g., African American Textile Society, Association of African American Student Educators). The Department of Multicultural Student Affairs researches, designs and implements unique programs that promote the pursuit of academic success, retention and graduation of students, with an emphasis on African American, Native American and Hispanic students. The Peer Mentor Program targets first-year African American, Native American and Hispanic students. The primary objective of the program is to contribute to the advancement of first-year students by aiding in their academic, emotional and social adjustments to college. The African American Cultural Center, Women’s Center, and GLBT Center offer mentoring, counseling, and peer support. The Freshman Advancement Seminar (USC 101) is a one credit hour course that teaches transitional and study skills. The Native American Symposium and the African American Symposium give incoming freshmen the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of self, develop transitional strategies for academic success and begin building a personal network of support at NC State before the semester begins. Packs' Pact is a targeted program designed to positively impact student persistence. The goal of this program is to create an intentional support network for program participants via peer-to-peer networks and faculty/staff engagement (http://oied.ncsu.edu/oied/diversity/packs_pact.php) Guaranteed 4.0 Academic Boot Camp utilizes the Guaranteed 4.0 Curriculum Materials and delivers structured workshops and on how to strategically maximize academic success and achieve and maintain a 4.0 grade point average (GPA). Sponsored by the Department of Multicultural Student Affairs, there is no registration fee and this program is open to all NC State University students (http://oied.ncsu.edu/msa/guaranteed-4-0-academic-boot-camp) NC State’s Pack Promise Program began with the 2006-2007 academic year. The Pack Promise program is a formal extension of NC State’s mission, reaffirming the university’s historical commitment to access, affordability and student success. The Pack Promise Program provides funding and academic support for dependent first-time freshmen who are North Carolina residents and whose parental income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty level as defined by the US Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines. Students who are identified as eligible for funding under Pack Promise have 100% of their financial need met through a combination of scholarships, grants, Federal Work Study employment, and a maximum need-based loan of $3,500 per year for up to nine semesters of coursework at NC State. The program accepts a maximum of 200 students per year. The Pack Promise program is more than just a financial aid program; it represents a set of principles designed to minimize the loan burden for low-income students, encourage first generation college student attendance, promote access and academic success for students from low-income families, and connect faculty and staff with low-income students to enhance the students’ overall academic experience.

Below are many of NC State’s programs that support underrepresented groups within the faculty: Assistant Professors’ Learning Community: This is a reading and discussion group led by current faculty with special emphasis on issues of importance to assistant professors. African American Faculty – Staff Organization, Multicultural Faculty Group, Association of Women Faculty, GLBT Center, Council on the Status of Women BRIDGES Academic Leadership for Women: an intensive professional development program for women in higher education who seek to gain or strengthen their academic leadership capabilities. It is designed to help women identify, understand, and move into leadership roles in the academy. ADVANCE NC State, Developing Diverse Departments project offers two workshop series (http://oied.ncsu.edu/advance/): • Leadership development workshops for women and faculty of color. The leadership development workshop series consists of three panel discussion interleaved with three concurrent discussion sessions designed to motivate tenured women and faculty of color to enter into line leadership roles • Climate Workshops for department heads focusing on cultivating a supportive and inclusive department climate for diverse faculty.

Below are many of NC State’s programs that support underrepresented groups within the staff: BRIDGES Academic Leadership for Women: an intensive professional development program for women in higher education who seek to gain or strengthen their academic leadership capabilities. It is designed to help women identify, understand, and move into leadership roles in the academy. Committees and organizations : Council on the Status of Women, African American Faculty – Staff Organization, GLBT Center, Women’s Center, Staff Senate Diversity Committee, Task force on Staff Diversity implementation committee

Information found on website. No one was contacted directly from the diversity center.