UNCG Provost > Resources > Affinity Groups > FAQs

FAQs

What is an Affinity Group?

  • Affinity Groups are formations of faculty and/or staff around a shared identity with goals that include building community, fostering inclusion, and providing support to members who have been historically marginalized in higher education.

What is classified as a shared identity?

  • Shared identity refers to facets of identity like race, ethnicity, gender, LGBTQ+ status, disability status, religion, and other components of diversity.

What is the purpose of Affinity Groups?

  • Affinity groups, an important part of building an inclusive campus climate and creating a sense of belonging, are longstanding at UNCG. They have expanded in recent years but to date have operated without institutional support. The purpose of this initiative is to build a collaborative infrastructure to support current and future affinity groups at UNCG.
  • An Affinity Group is a group of faculty and staff linked by a common purpose, ideology, or interest. Affinity Groups play a vital role in ensuring an inclusive environment where all have their needs supported and are valued, included, and empowered to succeed. Affinity groups provide a voluntary space for employees to gather and work collaboratively toward common goals. Affinity groups improve the campus climate.

What Affinity Groups do we have at UNCG?

What is the Affinity Group Council?

  • The Affinity Group Council is responsible for
    • Reviewing and providing feedback on new Affinity Group proposals
    • Sharing and discussing group and institutional updates and considerations related to affinity communities.
    • Identifying collaborative opportunities across Affinity Groups

Who can join an Affinity Group?

  • Affinity Groups are open to all employees on campus.

How do I form a new Affinity Group?

  • If you have an idea for a new Affinity Group, here is how to get started:
    • To establish an Affinity Group the following aspects are required:
      • Name of Affinity Group
      • A charter, constitution, or bylaws that include a mission statement that is clear and aligns with the university’s mission and vision.
      • Group structure, identify officers and their roles.
        • Each group requires at least 2 individuals willing to be in leadership positions.
    • A completed application that will need to be approved by the Affinity Group Council (AGC)
    • A minimum of 5 members*

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