South Seattle College
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

South Seattle College is a member of the College District VI. South Seattle College is committed to the concept and practice of equal opportunity for all its students, employees, and applicants in education, employment, services and contracts, and does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, color, age, national origin, religion, marital status, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or disabled veteran status, political affiliation or belief, citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States, or presence of any physical, sensory, or mental disability, except where a disability may impede performance at an acceptable level. In addition, reasonable accommodations will be made for known physical or mental limitations for all otherwise qualified persons with disabilities. http://www.southseattle.edu/campus-information/equal-opportunity.aspx

The Bias Incident Response/Support Team (BIRST) addresses campus climate and advocacy for persons affected by bias motivated incidents at South Seattle Community College. BIRST consists of a team of campus employees who are standing members or appointed by campus employees and trained in identifying, addressing, and documenting incidences of bias on campus. In cases where an offender can be identified, there are existing campus procedures to follow (as outlined in this document); however, instances in which the offender is unknown, the BIRST acts as the primary point of contact and advocate. BIRST works closely with other campus departments to ensure the appropriate documentation and reporting of all bias incidences. The Seattle College District recognizes its responsibility, described in Policy 419, for investigation, resolution, implementation of corrective measures, and monitoring the educational environment and workplace to stop, remediate, and prevent all manners of discrimination. To this end, the Seattle College District has enacted Policy and Procedure 419, Discrimination and Harassment, prohibiting discrimination against and/or harassment of any employee, student, applicant or visitor, and legally defined members of a protected class. Any individual found to be in violation of Policy 419 will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the College or from employment. Any employee, student, applicant, or visitor who believes that he or she has been the subject of discrimination or harassment should report the incident or incidents to the College’s, or District’s Title IX / EEO Coordinator identified below. All District employees (faculty, staff, student employees and administrators) are designated as “responsible employees” and must report actual or suspected discrimination or harassment immediately, subject to limited exceptions for employees who are statutorily barred from reporting. All details of the reports they receive must be shared promptly. If the complaint is against that Coordinator, the complainant should report the matter to the president’s, or Chancellor’s office for referral to an alternate designee. http://seattlecolleges.edu/district/policies/policies.aspx?policyID=pro419

POLICY The Seattle Colleges are committed to recruiting faculty, staff and students who reflect the cultural diversity of the Puget Sound Region and who will support its values of teaching, learning, students, diversity, and partnerships. http://seattlecolleges.edu/HR/ FACULTY/STAFF Seattle Colleges posts all positions to HigherEdJobs, and at the request of the search committee, will post to Diversity Jobs, use Search Advocates, other specific sites to help recruit talent we may not find otherwise. Job pools are often recast if a pool is not diverse. STUDENTS 13th Year Promise Scholarship increases access to higher education for our community's students, particularly those from underrepresented groups (e.g. students of color, low-income students, and first-generation college students). The scholarship is open to all graduates from participating high schools, regardless of GPA, income or other factors. All participating students are guaranteed to have one year of in-state tuition covered through a combination of need-based financial aid and scholarship funds. Once enrolled as full-time students, participants can pursue the program that best fits their interests, including academic transfer degrees to prepare for transfer to a four-year college or university, and professional/technical career training for a fast-track into the workforce. The primary purpose of the TRiO programs is to prepare students from disadvantaged backgrounds to successfully enter, persist, and complete a post-secondary education. In general, these programs identify low-income, first-generation, and students with disabilities and provides them the assistance, support, and encouragement necessary to enter and complete a college education.

13th Year Scholars do not just receive a scholarship, but also a host of support services to help them make the transition from high school to college. Known as the Readiness Academy, services include: 1) 13th Year program staff works with high school students to apply for the scholarship, apply for FAFSA/WASFA, and apply to South Seattle College, 2) College 101 sessions are offered for students and their families, covering what to expect when they start college and an overview of program of study options, 3) Placement test workshops and intensive Math/English workshops for those who place below college level in those areas, 4) Taking Care of Business Field Trips to learn more about registration, advising, ID cards, campus tours, etc., 5) Week-long Summer Bridge Program prior to a fall start focused on classroom and personal success, and higher education navigation skills, 6) 13th Year coordinator (staff) acts as a single point of contact for 13th Year Scholars if they have questions during their first year. The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion provide programs to support students, staff, and faculty from underrepresented groups, including leadership training opportunities, multicultural events and programs, Safe Zone, textbooks and diversity books/films. DRUM Book Club: Faculty, staff, and students are welcomed to join this quarterly activity. This book club was initiated to bring campus members together to explore and create dialogue around the many facets of diversity. We live in an increasingly multicultural society where we are constantly learning and evolving our own ideas about the world through other peoples’ experiences. The Bias Incident Response/Support Team (BIRST) responds to any concerns about bias towards underrepresented groups on campus, both for students, faculty, and staff. The Center for Student Clubs promotes students led clubs that offer ethnic-specific support services and clubs. The Cultural Center, Women's Center, and Veterans Center all have student leaders that provide programming and activities for these groups. There are student leaders to represent various ethnic groups as part of the Cultural Center. There is a Safe Zone program for underrepresented groups where students can be trained as a "Safe Person" to disclose issues regarding underrepresented groups to. These students wear special buttons to identify themselves on campus. The Office of Diversity and Retention offers support for students to attend the Student of Color conference and the LEAP conference every year.

South Seattle College actively participates in the University of Washington's Graduate Opportunities and Minority Achievement Project. Administrators and faculty from South Seattle assist with panels and workshops that focus on students from underrepresented groups wanting to learn more about going into a teaching or education administrator role. Specifically, GO-MAP helps SSC create systems to support and prepare future faculty members according to the following 3 areas: 1. Outreach, recruitment, and retention 2. Enhancing scholarship and research 3. Building community, on and off campus "As a unit of the UW Graduate School, the Graduate Opportunities and Minority Achievement Program (GO-MAP) is committed to serving the needs of students of color and students from other underrepresented groups, while simultaneously fostering an educational and social environment in which all students can learn and develop through experiences rich in cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity. The Graduate Opportunities and Minority Achievement Program, or GO-MAP, has been an integral part of the University of Washington for over 40 years, taking very seriously our efforts to establish and maintain campus, local, national, and international networks for students in our program. Members of our staff work closely with faculty, staff, and graduate students currently on campus to enhance academic and funding opportunities and to encourage scholarship and research that explores and supports cultural diversity." https://grad.uw.edu/diversity/go-map/

http://www.southseattle.edu/cultural-center/default.aspx http://www.southseattle.edu/womens-center/default.aspx http://www.southseattle.edu/diversity-and-retention/birst.aspx