University of Pennsylvania
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

The University has an Equal Opportunity Policy and a Nondiscrimination Statement both of which are available in Almanac, on the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs and Diversity website among other places. The Nondiscrimination Statement reads as follows: “The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds. The University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class status in the administration of its admissions, financial aid, educational or athletic programs, or other University-administered programs or in its employment practices.” The University’s Trustees’ also passed a resolution affirming their commitment to diversity that reads as follows: “Penn rejoices in the rich diversity of persons, groups, views, and academic disciplines and programs that grace the campus of the nation's first university. Tapping our diversity to strengthen ties across all boundaries enriches the intellectual climate and creates a more vibrant community. Fostering and nourishing this diversity, especially among students, faculty, staff, and trustees must remain central to the core missions of the University.”

The Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs is charged with ensuring that the University fulfills its responsibilities as affirmative action and equal opportunity employer and educational institution.

See: http://www.upenn.edu/affirm-action/policies-handbooks.html and http://www.upenn.edu/affirm-action/

The University has a number of processes in places to respond to complaints of bias and discrimination. Issues can be raised anonymously or my making a complaint that is investigated by the appropriate fact-finding body. The Division of the Vice Provost for University Life coordinates a group of campus leaders who convene to respond to issues of bias raised regarding undergraduate or graduate students via a case conference process. The relevant Associate Vice Provost (Access and Equity, Student Life, etc.) convenes those meetings as needed. In addition, for time to time, groups are convened to address issues or needs that impact the community, for example the Task Force on Task Force on Support to Asian and Asian-American Students and Scholars (https://global.upenn.edu/global-initiatives/task-force-support-asian-and-asian-american-students-scholars).

The University has also developed a Bias Reporting Form to allow reports of issues and concerns to be made centrally as a supplement to resources available within Schools and administrative units (https://diversity.upenn.edu/diversity-at-penn/forms). In addition, complaints and concerns have be submitted anonymously regarding alleged sexual misconduct (https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/en/report_information.asp?clientid=22868&locationid=30095319&override=yes&agreement=no&companyname=University%20of%20Pennsylvania&violationtypeid=102385) or general University Policy violations (https://secure.ethicspoint.com/domain/media/en/gui/22868/index.html). The University also has confidential resources, including the Office of the Ombuds, Penn Women’s Center, African-American Resource Center, LGBT Center, and the Employee Assistance Program that can provide support and assistance and aid members of the community in making complaints or having their concerns addressed. In addition, they assist in identifying systemic issues and concerns related to bias and discrimination.

The Office of the Associate Vice President and Title IX Officer educates the community on issues related to sexual misconduct and other aspects of Title IX. The Office also convenes a group of campus colleagues to discuss opportunities to prevent and respond to issues of sexual misconduct and to promote healthy relationships.

The University recognizes the right of members of the community to raise questions and pursue complaints of discrimination and adheres to a strict policy that prohibits retaliation for doing so. Questions, complaints of alleged discrimination, or concerns regarding these policies or their implementation may be directed to the Executive Director, Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs. The Office also convenes a network of staff affirmative action compliance officers who assist in issue identification and problem-solving. http://www.upenn.edu/affirm-action/resolcomplaint.html

Penn’s strategic vision, The Penn Compact 2022 has three pillars inclusion, innovation and impact (https://president.upenn.edu/penn-compact). The Penn Compact 2022’s its first pillar, inclusion, has outlines the University’s aspirations and sets forth a number of specific objectives to improve diversity and equity for all members of the Penn community. In support of the Penn Compact 2022, the University’s Schools and Centers have developed numerous initiatives and programs to promote equity and diversity among students, staff, and faculty.

President Gutmann has been a campus, national, and international champion of the idea that excellence and diversity are inextricably linked. The Dean of Admissions has been charged with working each year to recruit and assemble a more excellent and diverse class than the last. Penn received more than 42,000 applications for admission for the Class admitted for the fall of 2020 and the admit rate was 9%. Of the students who matriculated, 53.9% were female, 51.9% self-identified as minorities — with 19.5% being underrepresented minorities, and 12.2% were international students who represented 67 different countries of origin. The Admissions Office participates in QuestBridge and has a PennKIPP program to aid in its efforts to recruit a diverse student body. Information for prospective students of color, international, first-generation, low-income, DACA and other populations are readily available on the Office’s website (https://admissions.upenn.edu/node/10).

The Officers (rank of vice president and above) Deans are recruited with an express commitment on their part to provide leadership in making Penn ever more diverse and excellent. Four of the 12 Deans are minority and four are female (2 of the 4 are women of color). In the summer of 2020, the University established the role of Vice President for Social Equity and Community, Chaplain Charles Howard, who will among other things oversee Penn Projects for Progress and the Campaign for Community (https://almanac.upenn.edu/volume-66-number-41#charles-l-howard-penns-vice-president-for-social-equity-and-community).

Penn's Action Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence outlines an extensive plan to recruit, retain, and mentor distinguished and diverse faculty. As part of the initiation of the five-year plan in 2011, Penn committed $100 million to support the plan's implementation. Over the five-year plan, the number of minority faculty has increased by 19.4% and the number of underrepresented minority faculty increased by 30%. The total number of women faculty rose to 32.7% of the total faculty population. More information and further details are reported in the inclusion report: https://provost.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/inclusion-report.original.pdf
Penn also has a number of initiatives to help recruit academic staff from underrepresented groups. The Leadership Academy, a new initiative of Women of Color at Penn, is a leadership development program for women of color who wish to understand, navigate, and develop skills essential for a successful career in higher education. Penn also runs the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative to develop local talent. A great example of this is how Penn Medicine hired 50 Laboratory Assistants for COVID-19 Testing Efforts through this initiative. Penn also has an economic inclusion initiative that sets “targets” participation in construction contracts for West Philadelphia residents, women and people of color on procurement and construction projects with an independent monitor organization that monitors (UAC) Penn’s progress. Penn Libraries run a program called Group on Library Diversity (GOLD). GOLD provides training and informational programs, assists with the recruitment process, and serves as a resource for raising awareness about diversity. Mission and Responsibilities: GOLD works with staff, Administrative Council, and the Libraries Human Resources Office to promote and support a diverse workforce within the Libraries.

The Weingarten Center includes the Office of Student Disabilities Services that provides reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. The Center also sponsors an annual conference with attendees from around the region who network and learn together how best to support students, faculty and staff with disabilities: https://wlrc.vpul.upenn.edu/sds/

In 2017, the University launched a program for First Generation and Low Income (FGLI) Students to support these underrepresented groups while at Penn and to recruit FGLI students to Penn. For more information, see: https://www.vpul.upenn.edu/fgli. At Penn, one in seven freshmen is a first-generation college student; in 2006, that number was one in 20.
The Mayor’s Scholars program, which dates back to 1910, supports Penn students who graduate from high school in Philadelphia or one of the surrounding counties and have demonstrated financial need (https://www.sfs.upenn.edu/mayors-scholarship/questions-answers.htm).

The University also has Upward Bound programs that help prepare students for college including a Veterans Upward Bound Program to prepare veterans for college, some of whom articulate at Penn. The University also participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program to provide financial aid and other supports to veterans to assist them with their studies at Penn: https://srfs.upenn.edu/financial-aid/yellow-ribbon

Penn President Amy Gutmann's vision for Penn's future to foster inclusion, innovation and impact is detailed in the Penn Compact 2020 (https://president.upenn.edu/penn-compact). The Penn Compact 2020’s goal of inclusion strives to improve diversity and equity at Penn for all members of the Penn community.

Wellness at Penn (https://wellness.upenn.edu/) is a reimagined and realigned set of resources aimed at meeting the needs of student from different demographic backgrounds, including students of color and students with disabilities and includes a number of support groups aimed to meet the needs of particular populations.

Penn recently created the position, VP for Social Equity and Community, to lead programs and initiatives that promote and support communication, collaboration, research and innovative programming within the Penn community that deepen awareness and help to advance the University’s mission of fostering social equity, diversity, and inclusion. The position focuses on bringing diverse groups of students, faculty and staff together to build out and support the University’s culture of inclusive understanding and social impact while also working to overcome historical and structural barriers: https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/charles-l-howard-named-penns-vice-president-social-equity-and-community

For Students: In 2016, Penn initiated a mandatory online program called Thrive at Penn (TAP) that assists students in their Penn experience, with a dedicated web portal for every class, including transfer students and incoming freshmen. TAP prepares students to make healthy choices during their university experience and provides information about resources available to support student success. Topics covered include thriving at a research university; wellness and health; the risks associated with alcohol and other drugs; healthy relationships and sexual violence prevention; and resources specific to student needs during freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years. See: https://www.nso.upenn.edu/tap

In addition, during New Student Orientation for first-year and transfer students, training in cultural competency is presented through two mandatory sessions: Safe Living at Penn, a student-oriented guide to working and relaxing safely at Penn, and Speak About It, a performance about consent, boundaries, and healthy relationships.

In 2017, the University launched a program for First Generation and Low Income (FGLI) Students to support these underrepresented groups while at Penn and to recruit FGLI students to Penn. For more information, see: https://www.vpul.upenn.edu/fgli. In 2018, as the result of recommendations from an executive planning group led by Provost Wendell Pritchett, Penn First Plus was created to coordinate academic and co-curricular supports for first-generation and low-income students (https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-first-plus-expands-programs-and-support-first-generation-students).

There are seven cultural resource centers at Penn providing support services for underrepresented students, faculty and staff:
- The Greenfield Intercultural Center fosters intercultural understanding at Penn through cross-cultural activism, reflection, and dialogue. This cultural resource also provides resources for First Generation and Low Income (FGLI) Students.
- La Casa Latina, Penn's Center for Hispanic Excellence, promotes awareness of Latino issues, culture, and identity.
-Penn's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Center supports the University's LGBT communities through mentoring, workshops, advocacy, and special events.
- Makuu, the Black Cultural Resource Center, is a nexus of advising, leadership development, and programming for Penn students interested in Black culture and the African Diaspora.
- The Pan-Asian-American Community House is a hub of academic, personal, and professional growth for Penn students interested in Asian-American culture and the Asian American Diaspora.
- The Penn Women's Center addresses the evolving needs of Penn's women through programming, advocacy, and community.
- The LGBT Center provides support for students who are sexual minorities or questioning their identify. It also helps educate straight community members about issues and concerns of the LGBT community and how to be better allies.

In addition, Penn has numerous religious organizations, arts organizations, councils, advisory boards, and student affairs affinity groups available to students from various backgrounds, as well as school-affiliated organizations within Penn's 12 schools. A full listing of these resources, with links to each organization's web page, is available on Penn's diversity website: http://diversity.upenn.edu/resources

Penn's College Achievement Program (PennCAP) works closely with a diverse group of academically-talented students, many from low-income and/or first-generation backgrounds, to support their success at Penn. Staff provide coaching, counseling, academic assistance, and cultural enrichment so that students can more confidently move towards their personal and academic goals. For more information, see: https://www.vpul.upenn.edu/eap/penncap/
In addition, Penn has several fully staffed Cultural Resources Centers, specifically dedicated to support students from under-represented groups. The Cultural Resource Centers provide trainings focused on cultural competencies, diversity, and equity throughout the year, available to all students. Penn’s Cultural Resource Centers include: The Pan-Asian American Community House, the Greenfield Intercultural Center, La Casa Latina, the LGBT Center, Makuu: the Black Cultural Resource Center, and the Penn Women's Center. These Centers, located in the geographic core of campus provide counseling, career advice, crisis intervention services, and other support services. For more information, see: http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/life-at-penn/our-diverse-community/cultural-resource-centers

Penn’s Chaplain’s Office and Spiritual and Religious Life Center also provides similar services for members of any religion, available throughout the year. See: https://chaplain.upenn.edu

The University Council’s Committee on Diversity and Equity aids Penn in fostering and taking full advantage of its diversity as well as in strengthening ties across all boundaries to enrich and enliven the campus community. The Committee reviews and provides advice regarding the University’s equal opportunity and affirmative action programs and policies. The areas in which the Committee reports to the University Council include diversity within educational and work settings, integration of staff and faculty into the larger campus community, and ways to foster a campus environment that is inclusive and supportive of difference. The Committee also advises the administration on specific diversity issues that may arise on campus.

See the Penn Diversity website at: http://www.upenn.edu/life-at-penn/diversity and https://secure.www.upenn.edu/secretary/council/de.html

The Postdoctoral Fellowships for Academic Diversity originally conceived by the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty and expanded in the Action Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence, provide opportunities for post-doctoral fellows to complete their training and encourage them to pursue a career in the academy, ideally at Penn or another college or university (https://research.upenn.edu/postdocs-and-students/postdoctoral-fellowships/).

The Pre-doctoral Fellowships created in the Action Plan for Faculty Diversity have enable a number of promising students of color to complete their dissertation at Penn and to have the opportunity to be mentored by its faculty. Occasionally, one of the predoctoral fellows has been hired by Penn.

The University has both ongoing and special event programs aimed at increasing the diversity of the professoriate and the professions more broadly. The Fountain Fellows (https://gsc.upenn.edu/fontaine/fontaine-fellows) provide financial support for PhD candidates and is named in honor of Penn’s first Black tenured professor. The Fellows also receive advising and sponsorship to help navigate their graduate studies.

The Penn Honors Diversity Symposium seeks to encourage undergraduate students (mainly from the Mid-Atlantic region) to consider graduate studies, up to and including the PhD (https://penn-honors-diversity.www.upenn.edu/).

In 2017, the University launched a program for First Generation and Low Income (FGLI) Students to support these underrepresented groups while at Penn and to recruit FGLI students to Penn. The FGLI Program supports students' academic, personal, and social transition needs while facilitating community-building and a sense of belonging. Through this program, students have access to a number of resources including career & internship assistance as well as academic assistance. For more information, see: https://www.vpul.upenn.edu/fgli

Career & Internship Assistance: students can receive funding for summer internship and/or research opportunities that would otherwise be low or unpaid. In addition, students in the program can also receive graduate school entrance assistance. More information can be found here: https://www.vpul.upenn.edu//FGLI_internship.php

Academic Assistance: students have access to the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program, tutoring, the Office of Learning Resources, and many others. One of note is the PENNCAP (Pennsylvania College Achievement Program) which provides a comprehensive set of services to support success for approximately 500 academically talented students, many from low income, first-generation to college backgrounds, during their entire undergraduate careers at Penn. A professional staff provides counseling, academic support, advocacy, technology resources, financial support, cultural enrichment, and assistance in developing meaningful personal, professional and educational goals.

The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) Program at Penn provides a small cohort of extraordinary Humanities and Social Sciences undergraduates with an array of programming services (https://careerservices.upenn.edu/resources/mellon-mays-undergraduate-fellowship-at-penn/). Students selected as Fellows are matched with a faculty mentor who serves as a role model and research advisor. Under the mentor's guidance, Fellows are encouraged to discover an intellectual identity as they begin the process of becoming scholars and teachers. Fellows receive benefits including paid national and international summer research internships, research support during the academic year, book stipends, access to disciplinary conferences, and other opportunities. The Penn MMUF program has a 100% graduation rate and an 82% graduate program matriculation rate. The Penn MMUF program currently has five undergraduate Fellows. For more information about program history and current news, visit: https://www.curf.upenn.edu/content/mellon-minority-undergraduate-fellowship-mmuf-program

In addition, Penn has several fully staffed Cultural Resources Centers, specifically dedicated to support students from under-represented groups. The Cultural Resource Centers provide trainings focused on cultural competencies, diversity, and equity throughout the year, available to all students. Penn’s Cultural Resource Centers include: The Pan-Asian American Community House, the Greenfield Intercultural Center, La Casa Latina, the LGBT Center, Makuu: the Black Cultural Resource Center, and the Penn Women's Center. These Centers, located in the geographic core of campus provide counseling, career advice, crisis intervention services, and other support services. For more information, see: http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/life-at-penn/our-diverse-community/cultural-resource-centers
- The Greenfield Intercultural Center fosters intercultural understanding at Penn through cross-cultural activism, reflection, and dialogue. This cultural resource also provides resources for First Generation and Low Income (FGLI) Students.
- La Casa Latina, Penn's Center for Hispanic Excellence, promotes awareness of Latino issues, culture, and identity.
- Penn's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Center supports the University's LGBT communities through mentoring, workshops, advocacy, and special events.
- Makuu, the Black Cultural Resource Center, is a nexus of advising, leadership development, and programming for Penn students interested in Black culture and the African Diaspora.
- The Pan-Asian-American Community House is a hub of academic, personal, and professional growth for Penn students interested in Asian-American culture and the Asian American Diaspora.
- The Penn Women's Center addresses the evolving needs of Penn's women through programming, advocacy, and community.
- African-American Resource Center, which is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of faculty, staff, and students at the University of Pennsylvania with a particular focus on those of African descent. Any person associated with the University may use its free and confidential services as needed (http://www.upenn.edu/aarc/).

The Vice Provost for Faculty oversees faculty life and the academic personnel process, including recruitment, retention and retirement; appointments, tenure and promotions; enhancement of faculty diversity and gender and minority equity; and resolution of individual faculty issues, including grievances (https://news.upenn.edu/news/anita-l-allen-appointed-vice-provost-faculty-penn).

Penn also has an Office of the Ombuds (http://www.upenn.edu/ombuds/) and School and Center HR Offices which include services for workplace issues resolution, staff grievances, retaliation, and all related policies and procedures. The Office of the University Ombuds' mission is to ameliorate those conditions that may impede community members finding satisfaction with their lives at Penn.

Penn's Central HR office includes services for workplace issues resolution, staff grievances, retaliation, and all related policies and procedures. See: https://www.hr.upenn.edu

The University of Pennsylvania is a major research institution, with over 3,000 degrees granted annually from twelve professional and academic schools at the Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate levels. Penn is committed to reducing emissions and energy use, as stated in the 2019 "Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0." This submission documents Penn's efforts during the FY20 year and compares them to the FY09 baseline year which corresponds with the University's "Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 3.0." The submission relies on information related to the main, academic, West Philadelphia campus, but to more fully document efforts across the Penn system, information related to the Morris Arboretum and New Bolton Center has also been referenced and noted as outside the boundary in descriptions. The information is used to enrich examples of University efforts and is not intended to be the primary justification for credits. The responses for each of the questions and sub-questions are drawn from University materials, both internal and public documents. Each section notes the website where the information can be found.