University of Louisville
PAE-8: Support Programs for Underrepresented Groups

C.O.N.E.C.T. (Caring of New students Experiencing College Transition) is a peer mentoring program to assist Black students with the transition from high school to college. C.O.N.E.C.T. mentors host monthly workshops and programs organized and facilitated by the peer mentors. All first year students are assigned a peer mentor during summer orientation sessions at Making the Connection. The program has been so successful with Black students that its programs have been expanded to work beyond the first year through "C.O.N.E.C.T. Remix." They also host a regular discussion group targeting Black females entitled "A Sistah’s Voice" and the African American Recognition Reception to celebrate the academic success of students of color. THe Society of Woodford R. Porter Scholars is a society of scholarship recipients named in honor of Woodford R. Porter, Sr., a leader in Louisville's civic, business and education communities. He was the first African American to serve as President of the Louisville School District Board of Education and as Chairman of the University of Louisville's Board of Trustees. The group was formed in 1986 to provide academic and social support to the Woodford R. Porter Sr. Scholarship recipients with the goal of increasing the retention and graduation rates of Porter Scholars. The organization also promotes interaction, enhances leadership opportunities and personal development as well as encourages professional/graduate education. MAPS (Monitored Academic Preparation for Success) is a program offered for Woodford R. Porter Scholars who have earned fewer than 60 credit hours and who have been identified as having academic difficulty. This program offers structured advising and academic support and is a collaborative effort involving Porter Scholars Advising and Resources for Academic Exchange (REACH). The School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies (SIGS)is committed to providing financial support for UofL departments and programs to assist in the matriculation and graduation of qualified, underrepresented ethnic minority students. Programs include: • Minority Fellowships - Approximately 12-15 ethnic minority fellowships are awarded annually. Both master’s and doctoral students are eligible for consideration. Doctoral students are funded for two years, with a commitment of support for an additional two years from their department. Master’s students are funded for one year, with the same commitment from their department for an additional year. Students must be enrolled full-time for the duration of their funding and the award includes a stipend, tuition, and health insurance. • Visitation Day is an annual program sponsored and conducted by SIGS. The program is a day and a half event in which SIGS hosts prospective graduate students. Visitation Day has targeted minority students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, along with minority students from other regional institutions of higher education. The program is a diversity initiative; however, students of all ethnic backgrounds are eligible to apply. The aim of Visitation Day is to connect academically qualified upper-class undergraduate students who have a strong desire to pursue graduate education with faculty, staff, and current graduate students at UofL as a way of providing an up close and personal campus visit. Participants of the program attend workshops on admissions and scholarships/financial aid. Overnight hotel accommodations and meals are covered for students who are selected to attend. • Graduate Teaching Academy - The Graduate Teaching Academy was created in 2008 and is designed to assist Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) from different disciplines who are assigned some classroom responsibilities as part of their assistantship to develop knowledge, skills, and excellence in classroom teaching. The focus of the academy is on the following topics: critical thinking, development of evaluation rubrics for the classroom, creating a learner-centered syllabus, stimulating active learning, classroom management, test development, and student learning styles and generational differences. Many ethnic minority graduate students participate in the Academy. • Professional development workshops - A new initiative within SIGS is the Professional Development program for graduate students, known as PLAN (P – Professional Development, L – Life Skills, A – Academic Development, N – Networking). PLAN aims to provide a series of professional development workshops, which are interdisciplinary in nature, for current graduate students. Some workshops are designed specifically for ethnic minority fellows and SREB scholars. Each fall, SIGS sponsors a "welcome back social" for all ethnic minority graduate students as a way of connecting them to one another and to provide networking with ethnic minority faculty, who are also invited. Other workshop topics include but are not limited to financial planning, mentoring, critical thinking, and job placement. Student Organizations • American International Relations Club (AIRC) - serves as a platform for unity in diversity for American and International students from around the world. The primary objective is to bring together students from diverse backgrounds, different countries, several languages, and across cultures into one common thread. • Association of Black Students (ABS) - designed to motivate Black students to become involved on campus, coordinate activities to strengthen cultural and political awareness, and provide assistance to the development and utilization of resources. • Black Law Students Association (BLSA), UofL Chapter - NBLSA is a nationwide organization formed to articulate and promote the needs and goals of black law students and effectuates change in the legal community. • Black Biomedical Graduate Student Organization (BBGSO) – dedicated to the enhancement of the graduate experience for African-American and minority students in the sciences. BBGSO provides UofL students with professional, educational, and social support. • commonGround - commonGround is the LGBTQQIA organization on campus. Members include individuals of all sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions to promote equality and diversity on and off campus. • Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB) - purpose is to assist African American males to excel academically, socially, culturally and professionally on campus and in the community. • Student National Dental Association, UofL Chapter - SNDA promotes increase in minority enrollment in dental schools, and encourages a viable academic and social environment conducive to the mental and professional well being. Members of the UofL Chapter work within the community with such programs as the YMCA Black Achievers program, and participate in various annual community programs which entail informing and educating children and adults about the importance of good oral hygiene.

• Affirmative Action Office The mission of the affirmative action/employee relations unit includes: a. Mediating disputes between university employees in conflict in order to facilitate communication of issues/expectations and/or resolve dispute. b. Assisting persons with disabilities with fully participating in university employment and employment opportunities including conducting ADA investigations as requested. c. Listening and advising staff concerning difficulties they are experiencing with respect to work and/or home issues/challenges. d. Conduct construction site visits to ensure compliance with contract provisions relating to nondiscrimination and equal employment opportunity. e. Preparing and presenting employee informational and other seminars to proactively address issues involving respect in the workplace, harassment, employment rights and responsibilities, or other workplace issues which might negatively impact positive employee relations. f. Assisting staff and departments with family and medical leave issues and requests. g. Administering the university commercial driver's license program to ensure we are in compliance with federal law. h. Attend CODRE and Commission on the Status of Women meetings in order to receive and/or convey information. i. Coordinate with the Vice Provost for Diversity and International Affairs on diversity and other initiatives. Faculty/Staff Organizations • Black Faculty/Staff Association - founded in 2002, the purpose of this organization is to address faculty and staff issues and develop a system of advocacy for Black employees of the University of Louisville. (http://louisville.edu/org/bfsa/BFSA) • Commission on Diversity and Racial Equality (CODRE) and the Commission on the Status of Women (COSW) – these commissions support and/or develop diversity programming and other initiatives that help improve campus climate and augment student learning. • Faculty and Staff for Human Rights (LGBT employee resource group) - a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer-identified (LGBTQ) employees and allies dedicated to promoting policies and a campus climate that ensure equality for all. http://louisville.edu/org/humanrights

• Affirmative Action Office The mission of the affirmative action/employee relations unit includes: a. Mediating disputes between university employees in conflict in order to facilitate communication of issues/expectations and/or resolve dispute. b. Assisting persons with disabilities with fully participating in university employment and employment opportunities including conducting ADA investigations as requested. c. Listening and advising staff concerning difficulties they are experiencing with respect to work and/or home issues/challenges. d. Conduct construction site visits to ensure compliance with contract provisions relating to nondiscrimination and equal employment opportunity. e. Preparing and presenting employee informational and other seminars to proactively address issues involving respect in the workplace, harassment, employment rights and responsibilities, or other workplace issues which might negatively impact positive employee relations. f. Assisting staff and departments with family and medical leave issues and requests. g. Administering the university commercial driver's license program to ensure we are in compliance with federal law. h. Attend CODRE and Commission on the Status of Women meetings in order to receive and/or convey information. i. Coordinate with the Vice Provost for Diversity and International Affairs on diversity and other initiatives. Faculty/Staff Organizations • Black Faculty/Staff Association - founded in 2002, the purpose of this organization is to address faculty and staff issues and develop a system of advocacy for Black employees of the University of Louisville. (http://louisville.edu/org/bfsa/BFSA) • Commission on Diversity and Racial Equality (CODRE) and the Commission on the Status of Women (COSW) – these commissions support and/or develop diversity programming and other initiatives that help improve campus climate and augment student learning. • Faculty and Staff for Human Rights (LGBT employee resource group) - a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer-identified (LGBTQ) employees and allies dedicated to promoting policies and a campus climate that ensure equality for all. http://louisville.edu/org/humanrights