Purpose

This policy is designed to inform Creighton University School of Dentistry’s Scholarship and Financial Aid Committee on the School’s diversity in education goals and standards for purposes of awarding diversity-based aid to current and prospective students.

Policy

Creighton University’s Mission Statement states that “ethnic and cultural diversity are core values of Creighton.” The School of Dentistry echoes that value in its long history of striving towards diversity in its student body and the service programs sponsored by the School. The School’s Bulletin states that it admits qualified students without regard to race, color, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, sex, marital status or religion.

Historically, the School has awarded scholarships to prospective and current students who have AAMC-defined and COE-defined under-represented minority status. In order to award aid to promote Creighton’s and the School’s mission goal of ethnic and cultural diversity while complying with non-discrimination laws, the School’s policy is to award aid based on a holistic approach to achieving diversity.

Scope

This policy applies to Creighton University School of Dentistry Scholarship and Financial Aid Committee awards made on and after July 1, 2006.

Procedures

A. Factors in Award Decisions

The School’s Scholarship and Financial Aid Committee will award aid to accepted applicants and current students to achieve diversity based on the following factors:

1. Socio-educational Status. The Committee shall consider any socio-educational factors about an individual applicant or student, including but not limited to:
   1. First generation to attend college;
   2. Family history;
   3. Non-traditional student status;
   4. Other life experiences that resulted in hardship for the student and could be deemed to interfere with or adversely impact learning and achievement of professional goals.
   5. Academic performance indicating the applicant’s or student’s potential for success in the School; and
   6. Other information an applicant or student chooses to share with the Committee which might fall outside the factors listed above, but which might nonetheless broaden the socio-educational diversity of the School.
2. Socio-economic Status. The Committee shall consider an applicant or student’s socio-economic status, including but not limited to:
   1. Financial need, based on Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) standards currently in effect;
   2. need, based on student’s current debt load (if available);
   3. Such other financial data as may be available to the Committee; and
   4. Other information an applicant or student chooses to share with the Committee which might fall outside the factors listed above, but which might nonetheless broaden the socio-educational diversity of the School.
3. Service History. The Committee shall consider how an applicant or student helps the School meet its goal of achieving ethnic and cultural diversity through service to the underserved. Types of service that may be considered include, but are not limited to:
   1. The individual’s efforts at recruiting to the School a diverse student body;
   2. Tutoring or mentoring students (within the School or other educational settings) from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds;
   3. Community dental service directed toward disadvantaged populations;
   4. Community social service directed toward disadvantaged populations; and
   5. Such other service as may be deemed to contribute to ethnic and cultural diversity.

B. Weighing of Factors

The Committee shall consider, in a holistic manner, all factors listed above when awarding aid. A Committee member may ask his or her fellow Committee members to reconsider an applicant for aid who may not meet all the criteria listed above, but whom the Committee member believes could nonetheless further the diversity efforts of the School.

Administration and Interpretations

Questions regarding this policy may be addressed to the School’s Dean or the Assistant/Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Amendments or Termination of this Policy

This policy may be amended or terminated by the School at any time.