Resource Groups

Resource groups are formed around a shared identity or common goal to build community and to foster inclusion and a sense of belonging at Augusta University. 

The Office of Institutional Access, Success, & Belonging is committed to fostering supporting environments for our workforce as a guiding principle. A key way to do this is by supporting the creation of resource groups on campus with the support of the Office of the Provost.

Augusta University currently supports a wide range of groups including:

• The Black Faculty & Staff Association (BFSA) of Augusta University
  Tomeka Few: Co-Chair
• LGBTQIA Faculty & Staff Association (LGBTQIAFSA)
  Kelli Gonzalez-Brooks: Chair
• First-Generation Faculty & Staff Association (FGFSA)
  Camille Lyons: Chair (PAC)
• International Faculty & Staff Association (IFSA) 
  Mykola Mamenko: Chair 

Why establish an Resource Group?

Resource groups play an important role in fostering a welcoming campus environment, contributing to efforts to:

• Create community through a support network of mentors, allies, and peers.
• Educate the broader campus community on the group’s perspectives and concerns.
• Recruit and retain members of groups and their support system.

Each resource group determines its own scope and priorities. To receive support and recognition from the Institutional Access, Success, & Belonging, a group should:

• Be as open as possible to all Augusta University employees (faculty, staff, and administrators) around the resource topic or identity.
• Have a clear sense of purpose, including a mission statement that contributes to the larger university’s mission and core values.
• Have a public presence, such as a social media account.
• Meetings should be open. 

Resource groups are not part of the formal governance structure (i.e., not a committee), but rather are sites of community engagement and formation.

How to create an Resource Group

Here are the necessary steps needed to create an resource group on campus.

1. Identify the focus of the resource group. For example:
   
   • AU has a Black Faculty & Staff Association and a newly established First Generation Faculty & Staff Association.
   • Are you interested in creating a resource group focused on supporting New Employees, Athletics, Military-Affiliated, Disability, Latinx, and/or Others?
2. Identify key officers and other individuals interested in serving on the executive board of the resource group.
   • Key officers may include Co-chairs, Secretary, Treasurer
3. Develop the purpose of the group beyond the identity focus.
4. Craft bylaws (and charter) for the resource group.
5. Submit requested materials via the form on the ASB website.