University of Virginia
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

The University of Virginia (“UVA”) does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information, in its programs and activities as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Governor’s Executive Order Number One (2018), and other applicable statutes and University policies. UVA prohibits sexual and gender-based harassment, including sexual assault, and other forms of interpersonal violence.

Individuals, including UVA students and employees, and participants in UVA’s programs or activities, may be entitled to reasonable accommodations or modifications for a disability. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the American with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, and related statutes and regulations: ADA Coordinator, Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, 2015 Ivy Road, Room 321, Dynamics Building, P.O. Box 400144, Charlottesville, VA 22904, (434) 924-3200, ADACoordinator@virginia.edu. A Deputy ADA Coordinator has also been designated to assist the ADA Coordinator: 2015 Ivy Road, Room 323, Dynamics Building, P.O. Box 400144, Charlottesville, VA 22904, (434) 924-3200, ADACoordinator@virginia.edu.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Associate Vice President, Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, P.O. Box 400219, Washington Hall, (434) 924-3200, UVAEOCR@virginia.edu.

The following person has been designated to serve as the overall coordinator for purposes of Title IX compliance: Assistant Vice President for Title IX Compliance/Title IX Coordinator, O'Neil Hall, Room 037, (434) 297-7988, titleixcoordinator@virginia.edu. A Deputy Title IX Coordinator has also been designated to assist the Title IX Coordinator and conduct investigations: O'Neil Hall, Room 027, (434) 297-7988, titleixcoordinator@virginia.edu.

Complaints of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation may be directed to the UVA Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights at UVAEOCR@virginia.edu. Complaint procedures may be found on the UVA Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights website. Complaints may also be filed with the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Commonwealth of Virginia Division of Human Rights, and the Department of Human Resources Management.

URL: https://eocr.virginia.edu/notice-non-discrimination-and-equal-opportunity

Following incidents, complainants may initiate Formal Procedures by filing a complaint with UVA's Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR), regardless of whether resolution under Informal Procedures has been attempted. EOCR responds to complaints in accordance with the procedures outlined below. However, there may be exceptional circumstances that justify a departure from these procedures, and, should such circumstances arise, EOCR will advise the parties to the complaint as soon as possible. Information about how to file a complaint, the complaint evaluation process, the investigation and timeline, the decision, and notice of outcome to parties is available here: https://eocr.virginia.edu/file-complaint

In addition, the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS) informs students of standards of conduct, university policies related to discrimination and harassment, the Title IX policy, and the Just Report It complaint system. ODOS also monitors student-target bias-related incidents and, to provide transparency, provides data here regarding the nature of the incidents as well as demographic information on the targets: https://odos.virginia.edu/reports-student-target-bias-related-incidents

When incidents are reported through the Just Report It system (https://justreportit.virginia.edu/), a dean on call will contact the complainant within 24 hours and assemble the university's bias response team as needed.

***Resources for students are listed here: https://eocr.virginia.edu/resources-students
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Students are urged to seek emotional support after any incident of Prohibited Conduct. There are a number of confidential sources for crisis and ongoing counseling both on Grounds and in the local community. More information about such confidential counseling and support is set forth in the Resource and Reporting Guide for Students ("Student Resource Guide") and in this Chart of Confidential Resources.
Community counselors and health-care providers are not subject to the University policy and are not required to share information with the University unless the student requests the disclosure and signs a consent or waiver form. While these providers may maintain confidentiality with regard to the University, they may have reporting or other obligations under state law.
The Resource and Reporting Guide for Students also provides information about legal resources that may help students explore and understand their legal rights and options--both criminal and civil--following an incident of Prohibited Conduct.

***Resources for employees: https://eocr.virginia.edu/employees
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The University of Virginia is committed to providing a safe and non-discriminatory learning, living, and working environment for all members of the University community. To this end, the University adopted a Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence (the "Sexual Misconduct Policy"). The Sexual Misconduct Policy prohibits Sexual Harassment as defined by Title IX, which includes Quid Pro Quo Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, and Stalking on the basis of sex in an education program or activity ("Title IX Prohibited Conduct") and other forms of sexual and gender-based misconduct, including Non-Consensual Sexual Contact, Non-Consensual Sexual Intercourse, Sexual Exploitation, Intimate Partner Violence, Stalking, Quid Pro Quo Harassment, Hostile Environment Harassment, Complicity in the commission of any act prohibited by this policy, and Retaliation against a person for the good faith reporting of any of these forms of conduct or participation in any investigation or proceeding under this policy ("Sexual or Gender-Based Prohibited Conduct") (collectively, "Prohibited Conduct"). These forms of conduct (the "Prohibited Conduct") are defined in the policy.
Your health, safety, and well-being are the University's primary concerns. If you or someone you know has been a victim of Prohibited Conduct, you are strongly encouraged to seek immediate assistance. Such assistance is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the following sources:
• Police (University, Charlottesville, and Albemarle) - 911
• Sexual Assault Resource Agency (SARA) - 434-977-7273
• The Shelter for Help in Emergency (SHE) - 434-293-8509
• UVA Medical Center Emergency Department - 434-924-2231
Other assistance is also available at the University and in the local community. A more complete list of available resources, including confidential resources, is contained in the Resource and Reporting Guide for Employees ("Employee Resource Guide") and in the Infographic.
DISCLOSURES OF SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED HARASSMENT AND OTHER FORMS OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE: UNDERSTANDING YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
In order to fulfill its obligations under federal law the Sexual Misconduct Policy, the University has developed a reporting policy (the "Reporting Policy") to clarify the responsibilities of University employees who become aware of an incident of Prohibited Conduct. These responsibilities differ for employees who have been designated as "Confidential Employees" and employees who have been designated as "Responsible Employees."
CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE
A "Confidential Employee" is (1) Any University employee who is a licensed medical, clinical, or mental-health professional (e.g., physicians, nurses, physicians' assistants, psychologists, psychiatrists, professional counselors, and social workers, and those performing services under their supervision) (collectively "Health Care Providers"), when performing the duties of that professional role; (2) any University employee when performing administrative, operational, and/or related support for such health care providers; (3) any University employee who is an Athletic Trainer working under the supervision of a licensesd medical or healthcare professional when performing the duties of that professional role; and (4) the University Ombuds when performing the duties of that professional role. All other University employees are "Responsible Employees," which are explained in detail below. For more information and links to resources for Confidential Employees, see Confidential Employees.
RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYEE
A "Responsible Employee" is any employee of the University who is not a Confidential Employee.
For purposes of a reporter disclosing alleged acts of Prohibited Conduct involving only University employees, Responsible Employees are: (1) any employee of the University who is not a Confidential Employee; and (2) is a supervisor, manager, human resources professional, or any Unversity employee who has authority to institute corrective measures.
For purposes of a reporter disclosing alleged acts of Prohibited COnduct involving a student at the University, Responsible Employees are any employee of the university who is not a Confidential Employee.
Responsible Employees include Teaching Assistants (TAs), Resident Advisors (RAs), and all other student-employees when disclosures are made to any of them when performing the duties of their employment/professional role.
If you are unsure whether you are a Confidential Employee or a Responsible Employee, please contact the Title IX Coordinator at (434) 297-7988 or TitleIXCoordinator@virginia.edu to discuss your role.

The Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion assists and monitors all units of the University in their efforts to recruit and retain faculty, staff and students from historically underrepresented groups and to provide affirmative and supportive environments for work and life at the University of Virginia.

Students: The UVA Office of Undergraduate Admission outreach team hosts on- and off-campus events to recruit minority students, maintains a Hoos Talking Diversity blog, and offers online chat room to help recruit minority students. https://admission.virginia.edu/outreach. In addition, UVA recruits underrepresented students through several scholarships and programs such as: University Achievement Award, Posse Foundation, Clark Scholars, Ridley Scholars, and Blue Ridge Scholars.

Staff: UVA's Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights works closely with hiring officials, search managers, human resources representatives, and the Office of the Provost to ensure that the University's recruitment, hiring, and other selection processes are conducted fairly and consistently. More information is available here: https://eocr.virginia.edu/recruitment-and-hiring. The Apprenticeship Program in Facilities Management is an example of UVA's efforts to recruit staff from underrepresented groups and the local community. Established in 1982, UVA Facilities Management Apprenticeship Program offers highly motivated applicants an opportunity to learn a skilled trade through a combination of on-the-job training, technical education and classroom instruction in a four-year program. The University’s apprenticeship program was the first of its kind to be established by a state agency in Virginia and has been a model for other programs. In addition to the success and longevity of the program, Facilities Management is proud that the majority of graduated apprentices make a career at the University. Apprentices learn trades such as plumbing, electrical, carpentry and more under the tutelage of experienced staff members and while earning a salary with benefits.

Faculty: UVA's Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights works closely with hiring officials, search managers, human resources representatives, and the Office of the Provost to ensure that the University's recruitment, hiring, and other selection processes are conducted fairly and consistently. More information is available here: https://eocr.virginia.edu/recruitment-and-hiring. In addition, the Office of the Provost in collaboration with individual schools and departments has secured funding for post-doctoral positions through programs such as the Mellon Foundation to recruit underrepresented minority candidates to post-doc positions as a pathway to obtaining tenure-track faculty positions. More information about the Mellon grant: https://news.virginia.edu/content/5-million-mellon-grant-backs-new-academic-program-race-place-and-equity. Over the past couple of years the Center for Teaching Excellence has expanded its resources for faculty members, including the addition of an in-house theater program to create opportunities for faculty to engage in diversity, equity, and inclusion topics. More information about CTE and UVA ACTS is available here: https://cte.virginia.edu/programs-grants/uva-acts. The "Leadership in Academic Matters" program (LAM) is geared towards junior faculty who demonstrate leadership characteristics and potential. A faculty development opportunity, LAM is focused on supporting, inspiring, and rewarding those who have demonstrated leadership characteristics and future potential. LAM provides participants with concrete resources, access to expertise and experiential learning opportunities focused on a variety of topics including managing change, building and managing teams, difficult conversations, developing successful networks, and finding life balance in a dynamic and growing career. The University also administers several faculty recruitment programs to promote a diverse faculty and an inclusive climate. The Office of the Provost offers financial and recruitment assistance to support the strategic goals of Schools in building a diverse faculty. In response to surveys of faculty who did not accept University employment offers, the University has identified dual career support as a key factor in recruiting a diverse faculty and has increased capabilities in this area; UVA now has a "Dual Career Program" and staff: https://dualcareer.virginia.edu/.

Support for all underrepresented Staff/Faculty/Students:

• The Diversity Council, chaired by the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion provides support for underrepresented groups at UVA, particularly staff and faculty. The council has two subcommittees with representation from students, faculty, and staff: the LGBTQ Committee and the Disability Advocacy & Action Committee.
• The Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights hosts resources for UVA veterans to encourage successful re-entry into the workforce: http://eocr.virginia.edu/resources-veterans
• The Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion host an extensive Community Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration series.
• UVA’s Staff Senate hosts a resources page with accessibility services and diversity resources on its website: https://staffsenate.virginia.edu/resources
• The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Resource Center at the University of Virginia supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Founded under the Office of the Dean of Students in 2001, with generous financial support from the Serpentine Society, the Resource Center works both to raise awareness and inclusion of sexual and gender minorities and to provide information, referral, support, and programming to the University community.

Support Targeted to Students :
The Office of African-American Affairs was established in 1976 as an integral part of the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Virginia. It is charged with the responsibility of assisting academic and non-academic units in meeting the challenges of service delivery to African-American students. The Office assumes broad responsibility for the creation of a supportive environment which promotes the students' full participation in the University's extracurricular life and enhances the sensitivity of the larger community to the needs, interests, and culture of its students. At the same time, it recognizes the intellectual and social diversity among African-American students and strives to gear its programs and services accordingly.

The Office of Graduate Student Diversity Programs is committed to the identification, retention, mentoring, and graduation of a highly talented and diverse graduate student population. The Office firmly believes that a community of diverse graduate students at the University of Virginia is integral for maintaining our position as a global leader in education, advancing scholarly pursuits and academic quality, and fostering an environment of inclusiveness and support.

The Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS) along with various colleagues and other offices provide support, assistance and advocacy to students through peer education, outreach, mentoring programs and leadership programs. ODOS houses Multicultural Student Services(MSS). MSS aims to promote inclusion and engagement for historically underrepresented students. MSS enhances the undergraduate experience through co-curricular programs and culturally relevant services that are meant to empower students in their identity, build community, and help a diverse group of students find their individual and collective voices. MSS staff work with students to develop programs offered through the Multicultural Student Center (MSC), LGBTQ Center, LatinX Student Center, and Interfaith Student Center, all located in Newcomb Hall. These important centers of student life have been designed to meet the needs of multicultural students to find community and engage in rich dialogue. The Centers offer meeting and program space for student groups, study space with computers, a comfortable lounge area, and conference rooms. These Centers are open to everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, ability, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Student Disability Access Center (SDAC) is the University of Virginia’s designated access agency for students with disabilities. SDAC supports UVA students in the work of creating access to the full University experience. Its primary role is to determine eligibility and to provide reasonable academic accommodations for students with disabilities in line with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended. These federal laws ensure that institutions of higher learning provide equal access to students with disabilities who are "otherwise qualified" to meet the essential demands of the academic program. SDAC provides services to two groups of students: those who have been previously diagnosed with a disability; and those who have never been diagnosed, but find themselves struggling academically, and seek advice and support on their difficulties.

The University of Virginia Women’s Center educates UVA students in how to create change in self, community, and the world by providing programs and services that advocate gender equity. The Women’s Center’s mission is education and its founding vision included fostering leadership, engaged scholarship, safety, and well-being. The Women's Center offers a number of services and opportunities, ranging from academic internships to counseling services.

The Virginia-North Carolina Alliance (VA-NC Alliance) is led by the University of Virginia and includes the following partners: Bennett College, Elizabeth City State University, George Mason University, Johnson C. Smith University, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Old Dominion University, Piedmont Virginia Community College, Saint Augustine's University, Thomas Nelson Community College, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Virginia Tech. Each of the twelve institutions offer individually tailored recruitment, retention, and enhancement activities to support students. The VA-NC Alliance's primary goal is to increase significantly the number of underrepresented students earning STEM (Science, Technology, and Engineering, and Mathematics) baccalaureate degrees. The VA-NC Alliance offers activities to support students during their undergraduate experience including: annual symposia; tutoring, bridge programs, workshops and colloquia; faculty exchanges; common reading experiences; and summer research experiences.

The School of Engineering and Applied Science's Office of Diversity and Engagement manages the Center for Diversity in Engineering. The Center is a student space dedicated to advocating for underrepresented groups in STEM—racial minorities, female, first-generation and low-income, and LGBTQ+ identifying students. The Center advocates for all students by connecting them with people and resources, but also by working to create a positive culture within the university. These efforts include changing the curriculum to support student achievement; working with organizations like UVA Acts to promote empathy, inclusion, and collaboration; recruiting a diverse student body; building academic preparedness through the Clark Scholars and the Summer Bridge programs; and offering both academic and career advising. The Center is a student space dedicated to evidence-based programming, University-wide collaboration, and a variety of personal and professional resources.

The Minority Rights Coalition (MRC) at UVA fosters solidarity among people of marginalized status. The MRC oversees 7 organizations at UVA, each dealing with a specific minority community: the Asian Student Union (ASU), the Black Student Alliance (BSA), the Latinx Student Alliance (LSA), the Middle Eastern Leadership Council (MELC), the Muslim Students Association (MSA), the Native American Student Union (NASU), and the Queer Student Union (QSU). Working with these organizations, the MRC creates various programs and initiatives to further develop each minority community and facilitate greater cooperation between the minority community and non-minority community at the University. For more information see: https://atuva.student.virginia.edu/organization/mrc

Undergraduate Students: UVA emphasizes student leadership and participation in every area of the university. Students participate in pan-university committees such as Diversity Council and serve on the Board of Visitors. Each of these leadership opportunities provides preparation for students who choose to pursue careers as faculty members. In addition, the VA-NC Alliance (described above) is a program funded by the National Science Foundation to support and prepare underrepresented minority students in STEM fields through transition/bridge programs, research and presentation opportunities, mentoring, tutoring and more. There are a number of summer research programs at UVA focused on supporting and recruiting underrepresented students, including the Student Research Internship Program, the Summer Medical Dental Education Program, the VA-NC Alliance Summer Research Program, the First Year Research Experience Program and more. The directors and coordinators of these programs collaborate to provide community-building, social, and professional development opportunities to a broader group of summer researchers. Sessions include panels discussing the graduate school application and funding process, how to give a poster presentation, writing workshops, and more.

Graduate Students: The Office of Graduate Student Diversity Programs is committed to the identification, retention, mentoring, and graduation of a highly talented and diverse graduate student population. We firmly believe that a community of diverse graduate students at the University of Virginia is integral for maintaining our position as a global leader in education, advancing scholarly pursuits and academic quality, and fostering an environment of inclusiveness and support. The Office of Diversity Programs provides support services for graduate students, including: graduate recruitment, academic and personal development, mentorship, community engagement, and outreach. For example, the Mentoring Institute organizes social and professional development activities throughout the school year to foster community among students and faculty mentors, provide opportunities for networking and professional development and acclimate student participants to the rigors of life within and beyond the academy. In addition, the VA-NC Alliance secured a Bridge to the Doctorate grant to support underrepresented graduate students in STEM fields and offers mentoring, individualized development plans, and professional development opportunities. Similarly, the College of Arts & Sciences established a bridge program for doctoral students (STEM and non-STEM).

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia is also accepting applications to join the Fall 2021 cohort of Bridge to the Doctorate Fellows.
As part of a deep commitment to diversifying our graduate programs, the professoriate and the research workforce, the Graduate School seeks to support post-baccalaureate students from groups that are underrepresented in their disciplines and who have not had sufficient training and research experiences to prepare them for admission to doctoral programs.
Our bridge program provides two full years of fellowship support without teaching responsibilities for students to enroll in a combination of courses, guided research opportunities and UVA’s intensive graduate student professional development curriculum known as “PhD Plus.” Each bridge fellow will work individually with faculty to develop a customized academic plan that will identify opportunities for additional disciplinary training, enable them to cultivate writing and research skills specific to their field, and develop a competitive portfolio for applying to doctoral programs.
Bridge fellows will have the opportunity to complete a graduate certificate or master’s degree. Qualified students will be considered for promotion into UVA’s own doctoral programs after the first or second year.
In addition, UVA secured a $5 million dollar grant from the Mellon Foundation to create a “Race, Place, and Equity” program with funding for 30 postdoctoral fellows and three faculty members. This program is intended to expand teaching about racial equity at UVA and provide opportunities for emerging scholars in the fields of racial justice and equity. The Mellon program will support the 30 postdocs and enhance UVA’s recruitment efforts for tenure-track faculty with an emphasis on recruitment of underrepresented postdocs and faculty.