Across UCR and within CHASS, advisors and staff members are forging connections that enhance the student experience and promote a sense of belonging. To foster a more inclusive and supportive campus environment at UC Riverside, CHASS is embracing a collaborative approach by collaborating with Ethnic and Gender Programs (E&G).

As part of Student Affairs, the Ethnic and Gender Programs promote diversity, equity, and inclusion at UCR. According to the Ethnic and Gender Center’s website, E&G Programs aim to foster a sense of belonging, support, relaxed learning, and diverse leadership skills, preparing students for success in a multicultural world. E&G Programs at UCR include the African Student Programs (ASP), Chicano Student Programs (CSP), and the LGBT Resource Center (LGBTRC), among others.

CHASS advisors and the E&G Programs are collaborating to provide extra registration, counseling, and guidance to students who utilize programs such as ASP, CSP, or the LGBTRC services, aiming to support, retain, and graduate those who have historically encountered distinctive challenges.

“We focus on creating an inclusive campus climate, addressing non-academic influences such as access to resources, and fostering a sense of community,” said Suzy A. Sharweed, Ed.D., an Academic Advisor Supervisor within CHASS. “Through these efforts, we aim to ensure the well-being and success of our students.”

Sharweed also serves as the chair of the CHASS Student Success and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (CHASS SS&DEI). As the chair, both Sharweed and the committee work closely with E&G Programs across campus. 

This academic year, the CHASS SS&DEI committee launched an on-site advising model based on data analysis of student advising experiences, benefiting over 70 students across majors during peak registration times. Collaborative efforts with the E&G programs facilitated this approach, resulting in subsequent advisor engagement through appointments and email, campus resource guidance, and further continued support.

In commitment to working with E&G groups, the CHASS SS&DEI committee collaborated with Dr. Jamal J. Myrick, Director of ASP on the advising model to facilitate the accessibility of advising resources.

“The mission of African Student Programs is to transform the lives of undergraduate and graduate Black scholars from the Pan African Diaspora (including Black American, Caribbean, Afro-Latinx, and African continent) and cultivate a safe, inclusive community where their Black identity is affirmed,” Myrick said. “Our Black scholars will be able to develop academically, culturally, and holistically on their journey at UCR and beyond.”

ASP provides various opportunities and resources at UCR, spanning research support, networking, assisting students in job searches, and student leadership development opportunities, alongside working with advisors and the committee.

“The CHASS SS&DEI committee advocates for initiatives and opportunities for campus-wide advising conversations on how we can ensure that the unique needs and experiences of our diverse student populations are recognized,” Sharweed said.

Advisors and the committee are focused on areas where students are in identified safe spaces to assist outside of normal appointment times. Based on feedback from both CSP and ASP, the group prioritized making advising services available and accessible to students.

To do so, Sharweed and advisors are present at the offices of the E&G programs at least two to three weeks out of every quarter to provide academic advising and registration help during the most important times of course enrollment each quarter. 

“We’re helping them get registered early and we’re building relationships with them,” she said. “Instead of managing their academic journeys on their own, they now have someone that they have connected with and will be more willing to utilize those resources again.”

Sharweed and the CHASS SS&DEI committee are also participating in workshops and presentations to discuss advising services and train peer mentors from programs such as CSP. Advisors offer training to peer mentors during their orientation at the E&G programs to work with first-year students and acclimate and connect them with academic advising services, according to Sharweed. 

“We foster a sense of community in a variety of different ways,” Myrick said.

Looking ahead, Myrick aims to achieve significant goals for ASP outside of collaboration with advisors. These include a 2% increase in enrolled Black students and a 5% rise in graduating Black scholars. According to UCR’s Institutional Research, Black students account for 3.3% of UCR’s enrolled student population, a slight increase from fall 2022’s rate of 3.02%. Black students also accounted for approximately 5.48% of the total number of undergraduate degrees awarded at UCR in 2022-2023, according to the University of California’s website.

Sharweed and the CHASS SS&DEI committee plan on increasing the number of engagements, such as check-ins between advisors and students, providing and connecting students to multiple resources on campus, and continuing to build training for members of E&G groups.

“We understand it is essential to engage with students from Ethnic and Gender Programs to provide them with tailored resources and guidance and work with them in their safe spaces and communities of practice,” Sharweed said.

To learn more about the Ethnic and Gender Programs at UCR, please visit inclusion.ucr.edu/

To learn more about CHASS advising and advising resources please visit chassstudentaffairs.ucr.edu/

FEATURED PHOTO. Advisors at E&G Programs - Credits to Matt Mejia, photographer.