Glossary of Diversity Terms

Affirmative Action

UW Madison Office of Equity and Diversity, The Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy Statement
http://www.oed.wisc.edu/aacomp.html#policy "It has been, and will continue to be, the policy of UW-Madison to promote the full realization of equal employment opportunity for minorities, women and persons with disabilities through a comprehensive affirmative action program. Affirmative action efforts for women, racial/ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities will be undertaken to ensure equal opportunity and to overcome the present effects of past discrimination. The equal opportunity/affirmative action policy for women and minorities covers all aspects of the employment relationship including, but not limited to, recruitment, interviewing, hiring, transfer, assignment of duties, promotion, tenure, compensation, benefits, selection for training, retention, layoff, termination, certification and testing. The policy applies to all units and governs employment of all employees of UW-Madison."

Climate

Campus-wide usage
This term refers to the overall environment, academic and social on the UW-Madison campus and in the classroom as experienced by all students, faculty and staff.

Community

Campus-wide usage
This word has two common meanings: 1) a system for the inclusion of diversity as promulgated at the administrative level (such as "Creating Community") and 2) a group of networks, i.e. the Graduate Research Scholar Communities or the Multicultural Graduate Network (MGN).

Cultural Competence

Campus-wide usage
Cultural competence is a set of behaviors, attitudes, and policies among professionals that enables effective communication in cross-cultural situations. 'Culture' refers to integrated patterns of behavior that include language, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values, and institutions of racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups. 'Competence' implies having the capacity to function effectively as an individual and an organization within the context of these cultural beliefs, behaviors, and needs.

Diversity

UW-Madison Plan 2008, http://www.provost.wisc.edu/docs/plan2008.pdf
Diversity broadly includes not only race and gender but the connections between these and other sources of identity such as religion, ethnicity, age, sexual [orientation], class and ability. It encourages forms of learning that deepen and enrich the ways we connect across our differences. The American Association of Colleges and Universities ...challenges higher education to think more deeply about what individuals learn from their experience of campus ethos -and how that learning in turn constrains or enriches the quality and vitality of American communities.... The research shows that when a campus makes-and is viewed by its students as making-a significant commitment to diversity, all students gain educationally. American Commitments: Diversity, Democracy, And Liberal Learning, The American Association of Colleges and Universities, 1998, Page 2.

Economically Disadvantaged

Wis.Stats.146.185 (1)(d)
This term refers to person who is at or below 125% of the federal poverty guideline. (Does not apply to non-U.S. citizens).

Equity

Common Usage
Refers to the fair adjudication of rights; there is no definition of equity in the policies of the Office of Equity and Diversity, but this word appears to refer to fairness in employment.

First-generation College Student

US Department of Education,TRIO guidelines
A person who is of the first generation in their family to attain a baccalaureate degree.

Inclusivity

Campus and OGSDR usage
Inclusive campuses are ones where people of diverse social and cultural groups (e.g., LGBT, gender, race, ethnicity, class, disability) experience uncompromising respect and dignity in an atmosphere of non-judgment and genuine acceptance. Inclusive campuses fully value and actively encourage multiple experiences and perspectives, creating a positive environment in which people feel safe to be themselves and to take risks toward innovation, working, and learning.

LGBTQ

Campus-wide usage, based on self-identification
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer.  UW-Madison LGBT Campus Center, http://www.wisc.edu/lgbt/aboutus.html

Minority

State-wide and Campus-wide usage, Wis.Stats 36.34 (1)(a)1., 2, 3, 4.
Often used interchangeably with "targeted minority." Usually refers to race, sometimes to gender on UW-Madison campus. Far less frequently, "minority" refers to religious, economic or cultural segments of the population.

Multicultural

Common usage
On UW-Madison campus it is often used interchangeably with "minority."

Multicultural/Disadvantaged (M&D or M/D)*

UW System-wide usage
Within the University of Wisconsin System, the term "disadvantaged" refers to students who are low-income first generation students, and students who can provide evidence that they are from a nontraditional or disadvantaged environment (i.e., educational, economic, social or environmental disadvantages). With respect to race/ethnic groups, "multicultural" targeted groups in UW System has referred to students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of African-American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, or Asian-American, particularly South East Asian heritage. 2005-06 MINORITY AND DISADVANTAGED STUDENT ANNUAL REPORT, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, http://www.uwsa.edu/oadd/report/2005-06_M-D.pdf, *All Asian Americans are eligible for service from M/D academic support programs

Partnership (External)

OGSDR usage
Collaborative relationships with faculty to recruit targeted graduate students and enhance graduate education programming.

Partnership (Internal)

OGSDR usage
Collaborative relationships with faculty, administrators and staff to: facilitate external partnerships, recruit from undergraduate targeted student pipeline programs, connect targeted graduate students to campus resources, and provide retention programming.

Race/Ethnicity or Racial/Ethnic

These terms are often used interchangeably. On the UW-Madison campus, these are self-selected demographic categories which are defined by the Office of Management and Budget.

Students/Faculty/People of Color

Common usage
This phrase is in use on campuses throughout the United States.

Targeted Minority (See Minority)

There are two usages that are tied to funding guidelines. The terms apply to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.

1. Campus and OGSDR usage (tied to state of WI statutes and UW System Administration Guidelines)
   
   Black/African American
   Native American/Indian/Alaskan Native
   Hispanic (Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano/as, Puerto Rican, Cuban)
   South East Asian (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Hmong)
   Indigenous Peoples of Hawaii, Alaska or the U.S. Territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Marianas Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands)
   
2. Federal usage (tied to federal guidelines, e.g., NSF, NIH, Dept of Education, etc.)
   Black/African American
   Native American/Indian/Alaskan Native
   Hispanic
   Indigenous Peoples of Hawaii, Alaska or the U.S. Territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Marianas Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands)
   

Targeted Students

The Office of Graduate Student Diversity Resources prefers to use "Targeted Students," for two reasons: 1) to indicate that both economically disadvantaged and targeted minority students are included as "targeted" students; and 2) to encourage inclusivity.

Traditionally Underrepresented Minority

Used interchangeably with targeted minority or minority or multicultural.

TRIO

US Department of Education
A group of federally-funded programs eligible for fee grants from UW-Madison graduate school, including McNair, Student Support Services (SSS), Upward Bound, Talent Search and Educational Opportunity Center (EOC).

Underrepresented Minority

Federal guidelines
This term includes the same population as "targeted minority" with the exception of Asian Americans.

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