At the University of Colorado at Boulder, value is placed on a climate of healthy diversity, one in which people value individual and group differences, respect the perspectives of others and communicate openly, according to Ofelia Miramontes, associate vice chancellor for diversity and equity.
Providing a diverse educational experience is essential to the mission of the university, Miramontes said. CU-Boulder actively promotes diversity as an important value of the campus community, enriched and enhanced by the qualities brought from myriad cultures, backgrounds and perspectives.
Excellence also is supported by a diverse community. In our changing and shrinking world, the understanding of the multiple dimensions of diversity has critical social and economic benefits.
The university is working to bring to campus more students, faculty and staff from underrepresented parts of the state, nation and the world, or from nontraditional backgrounds and experiences. Admissions policies of the university are designed, first and foremost, to assure that admitted students are well prepared to handle demanding academic expectations.
In selecting from the group of qualified applicants, consideration is given to a variety of factors, including prospective students from underrepresented groups whose presence will add to the diversity of the community.
Examples of students who receive additional consideration for admission include: applicants from parts of the state of Colorado, the nation and the world not well represented on campus; applicants from ethnic minority backgrounds; applicants from families with little or no experience of higher education; and applicants who have special talents and experiences, such as musicians and athletes.
CU-Boulder is helping to sponsor the "College is Possible" campaign this fall by providing information on student aid, which can be found on the World Wide Web at . Information on CU-Boulder admissions can be found at .
Additional information on how to pay for an education can be found at , or from the U.S. Department of Education's special toll-free number for college information, 1-800-433-3243.
Following are programs which are designed to provide access to underrepresented groups at CU-Boulder:
For Middle and High School Students
* The Pre-Collegiate Development Program helps to prepare educationally and/or economically disadvantaged students to adequately prepare for a professional career, from as early as sixth grade to high school completion and enroll in a post-secondary institution. For more information call (303) 492-8243 or visit the Web at .
* CU Upward Bound provides students in selected high schools serving several major Indian reservations with the opportunity to experience a college atmosphere before graduating from high school in a variety of programs. Students' college success is then tracked up to six years after graduation. For more information call (303) 492-5474 or visit the Web at .
For CU-Boulder Students
* Academic Excellence Student Support Services Program provides programs and services for undergraduate students who are low income, first generation and/or have a disability. Some of the one-on-one services include advising, tutoring, counseling, career/internship exploration, financial advising and mentoring. For information call (303) 492-3842 or visit the Web at .
* Cultural Unity Center offers a wide variety of multicultural services for students including leadership development, mentoring, academic and personal counseling and cultural programming in a supportive, family-like atmosphere. For more information call (303) 492-5666 or visit the Web at .
* Disability Services provides support services necessary for equal access to the academic, social, and cultural life of the university. Services include: advocacy and support in implementing academic adjustments and auxiliary aids; certified interpreters; volunteer readers; testing and classroom accommodations; career services counseling; academic advising; learning disabilities diagnostic testing, and an assistive technology lab. For more information call Voice/TTY (303) 492-8671; Voice (303) 492-5611; Web: .
* Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center provides workshops, programs, events, resources, networking and advocacy for the GLBT community. For more information call (303) 492-1377 or visit the website at .
* The Hughes Initiative, a joint project of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and CU-Boulder, serves as a bridge between K-12 and higher education. The Hughes Initiative offers multiple programs for students and teachers of the biological sciences and seeks to increase the diversity of the scientific community by providing access to higher education and scientific research for individuals of groups currently underrepresented in the sciences. For more information call (303) 492-8230 or visit the Web at .
* McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program prepares selected CU-Boulder undergraduates for graduate study at the doctoral level. Each year scholars participate in both academic year and summer activities. For information call (303) 492-5660 or visit the Web site at .
* Minority Arts and Sciences Program (MASP) promotes "excellence through diversity" by assisting underrepresented scholars of color in an academic excellence program in selected science and mathematics fields. For more information call (303) 492-8229 or visit the Web site at .
* The Multicultural Business Students Association helps business students from varied cultural backgrounds and ethnic groups to support one another in educational endeavors. For more information call (303) 735-4968.
* Office of Diversity and Equity provides support and leadership for campus diversity programs and services and seeks to foster open communication in support of a strong multicultural campus community. For more information call (303) 735-1332 or visit the website at .
* Student Academic Services Center provides comprehensive consultation, content-area tutoring and academic skills training, alternative core-curriculum courses, supplemental instruction in "gateway" courses, and referral services to students with an academic need. For information, call (303) 492-1416 or visit the Web site at .
* Success in Engineering through Excellence and Diversity (S.E.E.D) assists students in underrepresented populations to successfully enroll and graduate with a degree in the fields of mathematics, science and engineering. For more
information call (303) 492-6606 or visit the Web site at .
* Summer Minority Access to Research Training (SMART) provides scientific research opportunities for ethnic undergraduate minority students from universities and colleges nationwide in order to increase the cultural, racial and ethnic diversity in higher education, and to enlarge the pool of diverse undergraduates applying to graduate school at CU-Boulder and nationwide. For more information call (303) 492-5773 or visit the Web site at .
* The Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program is for students who have little or no experience in a research lab, but are strongly motivated to learn more. For more information call (303) 492-8230 or visit the Web site at .
* Women in Engineering Program conducts recruiting, retention, and outreach activities to increase the number of women enrolled in engineering, as well as improve the quality of their engineering educational experience. For more information call (303) 492-0083; Web: .
* Women's Resource Center advocates for women of all backgrounds and provides resources, programs and events in support of men and women in the university community. For more information call (303) 492-5713; Web: .