FRAMEWORK TO FOSTER DIVERSITY: Key to Penn State's diversity efforts is "The Framework to Foster Diversity at Penn State 1998-2003,"which describes the University's efforts to promote diversity as an essential ingredient for its future. The Framework to Foster Diversity was included as an appendix in the 1999 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Office for Civil Rights Report as an example of a strategic plan for Pennsylvania colleges and universities. For a copy, go to: http://www.lions.psu.edu/diversity/update/Framework.html

ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS: Penn State's Academic Advancement Programs got a huge boost this fall with the competitive awarding of new grants from the U.S. Department of Education of four of its TRIO programs to the tune of more than $5.2 million. Awarded were the College Assistance Migrant Program, the McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program Upward Bound and the Regional Upward Bound Math and Science Center programs. Two other TRIO programs at Penn State, Talent Search for students in grades six through 12 and the Student Support Services program for college students, were awarded grants in 1997. These programs help students overcome cultural, economic and academic barriers to success.

PROGRAMS THAT HELP STUDENTS ADJUST TO COLLEGE LIFE: The "Fast Start" program helps incoming freshmen adjust to the University environment. Freshmen are linked with faculty, staff and administrators throughout the University and with alumni who provides additional mentoring that focuses on career exploration. This linkage offers a worthwhile sounding board for the new students while also sensitizing the faculty and staff to the needs of students. Whe the majority of students served are African American, the program is open to all students. For more information, check the Web at http://www.alumni.psu.edu/faststart/

HOW TO SUCCEED ON A MAJORITY CAMPUS: A Guide for Minority Students," by Penn State professionals working in minority student recruitment and retention, is the first book of its kind and has been described as a must-read for minority students and their parents attending or considering a majority campus. The college experience for a minority student on a majority campus can be frustrating, difficult, and sometimes even painful. But those who persist and graduate, overwhelmingly say that they would make the same decision if they had to do it over again.

MULTICULTURAL RESOURCE CENTER provides professional counseling and educational services for African/Black American, Latino/Hispanic American, Asian & Pacific American, and American Indian/Alaskan Native undergraduate students. Its staff is dedicated to helping students succeed and graduate from Penn State. It helps students with: University policies, procedures and regulations; study skills, time management and test-taking strategies; obtaining free tutorial assistance; interpersonal relationships with peers and family, conflict resolution and other personal matters; careers, internships, graduate and professional school, education abroad and job opportunities; assistance with questions on financial aid, scholarships and money management; and educational programming, including study groups and seminars. For more information, go to http://www.lions.psu.edu/mrc/ on the Web.

PAUL ROBESON CULTURAL CENTER functions as a forum for the cultural, educational and social involvement of all students at Penn State. The Cultural Center provides opportunities for students to develop understanding, skills, attitudes and values essential for success in life. It sponsors films, Kwanzaa celebrations and Black History Month activities as well as a variety of exhibits, displays, speakers and field trips to museums. In its new headquarters in the Hub-Robson Center, students find it a good place to study and meet friends. For more information, go to http://www.sa.psu.edu/prcc/default.html

MINORITY ROUNDTABLE is a recent initiative to address the need to improve support for student initiatives and create a forum for student leader feedback to administrators. Student leaders of umbrella organizations representing African American, Latino, Asian American, Native American and International students meet monthly with the Vice Provost for Educational Equity, the directors of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, the Multicultural Resource Center and other key officials.

CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS: Project Growth is a group of undergraduate students from a kaleidoscope of beliefs and backgrounds who have committed themselves to work for increased campus awareness of diversity. Members seek to educate, advocate, and increase the visibility of cultural issues throughout the Penn State community.

OTHER STUDENT INITIATIVES that contribute to promoting a positive climate for diversity include the Ebony and Ivory Program, co-sponsored annually by a predominantly black and a predominantly white social fraternity and Project Growth. These programs are designed to heighten awareness of diversity issues and to facilitate coalition building.

PENN STATE PROVIDES significant support for student organizations that enhance the co-curricular experiences of minority students such as the Black Caucus and the Minority Roundtable or successor programs.

PREPARING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO REACH FOR COLLEGE: Penn State works cooperatively in partnerships with school districts in the cities of Reading, Pittsburgh, Erie and Philadelphia to help minority middle school children aspire to higher education.

THE PENN STATE EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM -- PEPP -- which reaches out to economically and or educationally disadvantaged middle school students through their city school districts with academic and college preparatory programs. Programs in McKeesport and Erie are especially strong.

PENN STATE HAS community recruitment centers in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. These centers provide a visible presence in locales with large populations of African American students and strengthen recruitment efforts.

COLLABORATION WITH PREDOMINANTLY BLACK COLLEGES: Penn State includes students from Cheyney University in its ite Summer Research Opportunities Program with the intention of increasing the number of Cheyney students participating in future summer programs, and Penn State Colleges participate in Cheyney's annual career fair program. This year we will have direct graduate program linkages with Cheyney in hotel, restaurant and institutional management; computer science; and geographic information systems. In addition, the McNair Scholarship Program includes students from Virginia State University.

VIDEO SERIES PROMOTES SENSITIVITY TO DIVERSITY: A four-part video series that examines racism, sexism, gender issues and sexual orientation on college campuses was created as training tools for faculty and staff to provoke further group discussion and thought. They were produced by the Office of the Vice Provost for Educational Equity, the Affirmative Action Office and WPSX-TV Programs in the series include: "OUTlook;" "Diversity Issues in the Classroom;" "Diversity Issues in Higher Education;" and "Sexual Harassment: A New Look at an Old Problem."

COMMISSION ON RACIAL AND ETHENIC DIVERSITY: This is a committee of faculty and staff that reports directly to the president on efforts to improve the climate for minority students, faculty and staff. Last year, CORED co-sponsored such events as a SALSA evening of dancing with the Puerto Rican Student Association, a HUB late Night event, and worked with the State College Downtown Business Association on the treatment of minority students as they shop in State College Stores. It also promotes and implements the Framework to Foster Diversity programs, combats hate group influences and presented a one-day diversity conference to inspire an open dialogue ­ Fostering Diversity: From the Talk to the Walk -- with more than 400 university employees attending. For more information, go to http://www.psu.edu/dept/cored/ on the Web.

THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PLANNING COMMITTEE is responsible for recommending and overseeing the allocation of special institutional funding to individual units at all Penn State Campuses for new and continuing equal opportunity programs and activities. This summer EOPC help fund 30 programs for minority students including an African American Read In, an orientation program for graduate students in English, and an enrichment program in the College and Mineral Sciences. It also provides seed funding for a number of new academic year programs each year that show promise of having a beneficial impact on the multicultural community. Some of those programs this year include an academic computing fellowship program, a diversity lecture series and Success 101, A Road Map for the Successful Student.

PENN STATE'S MULTICULTURAL UPDATE is online at http://www.lions.psu.edu/diversity/update/ It highlights a number of programs in place to improve the climate and diversity of faculty, staff and students at the University.