Saint Mary's College of California
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

In compliance with applicable law and its own policy, Saint Mary’s College of California is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse student and employee population and does not discriminate in its admission of students, hiring of employees, or in the provision of its employment benefits to its employees and its educational programs, activities, benefits and services to its students, including but not limited to scholarship and loan programs, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability.

https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/human-resources/nondiscrimination-policy

Saint Marys Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) strives to promote a safe, hate-free environment where all people can live, work, and learn. BIRT’s primary roles are to recommend preventative education as well as report and respond to bias incidents and hate crimes.

In addition, Campus Assault Resources and Empowerment (formerly Sexual Assault Crisis Response Team) provides a 24 hour, confidential hotline, and work with victims and liaison to public safety and Moraga police department.

Actions of the past three years include:
BIRT - online, anonymous hotline. Team meets within 24 hours to develop plan and strategy, email to community, facilitate floor meeting with adviser, post laminated letters explaining events that have taken place to increase awareness. (review past reports)

The Team operates on the basis of the Lasallian Core Principles to promote understanding, respect, civility, and education. The team operates towards the following objectives

1. Assist students who report bias incidents and support students who report bias incidents.

2. Keep annual statistical records of bias incidents on campus. At the end of each year compile a statistical summary of the reports received during the year.

3. Promote conversation about diversity issues and meet with student groups to engage in or moderate discussions about diversity on our campus.

To recruit students from historically underrepresented communities, Saint Mary has developed strong relationships with high schools and communities in those regions. Additionally, several resources and programs are offered to first-generation and historically underrepresented groups, including a one-on-one mentorship from faculty and staff, increased financial aid packages, peer mentoring, support networks, their own first year advising cohort, etc. These programs have increased the number of prospective students from underrepresented groups. Success can be seen in our becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in 2018.

To recruit faculty from historically underrepresented populations with the goal of getting a diverse pool of applicants, we actively connecting with, continue our strong relationships with minority-serving institutions with hopes of drawing in graduate students, post-docs and early career faculty into our hiring pool.

Saint Mary's High Potential Program and TRIO Student Support Services Program, supports students from minority backgrounds in a variety of different ways. Each "high potential" student has their own mentor and advisor, separate from their academic advisor, to ensure they are supported emotionally as well as make sure their material needs are met. These programs aim to motivate and prepare our underrepresented students on our campus for academic success and graduation. This program is structured to help low-income and first generation students build on their personal assets and strengths and use them to succeed academically.

Transgender students are accommodated through dialogue with the housing office and selection for housing option selected by student based on gender preference for living arrangement.

Because SMC requires that all first year students live on campus, the institution has a policy that requires housing consideration be given to students who are either transgender or transitioning. In the succeeding years, a transgender student can request the same consideration if they are successful in the housing draw.