Northwestern will create new resources for low-income, first-generation and underrepresented groups on campus through the Undergraduate Student Lifecycle Initiative, according to a University release.

The email, signed by Provost Jonathan Holloway and Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Julie Payne-Kirchmeier, identified three priorities in the program’s early work: faculty engagement, university infrastructure and communication methods. The program aims to increase student resources and equip faculty with skills to better aid their students. The Lifecycle Initiative will also introduce a Community Scholars program to better connect students and faculty and enlarge current mentoring services.

The program’s fall plans are a response to Northwestern’s shifting demographics, which are more diverse than years past. Twenty percent of the Class of 2023 is Pell-grant eligible, and 12.5 percent identify as first-generation college students.

“We believe that recognizing the strength in this community’s diversity is a central aspect of our students’ education and our University’s mission,” the release said. “Our top priority is to provide a safe learning and living environment where all students can thrive, especially those who have been historically underrepresented and often marginalized on our campus.”

The University plans on creating a physical space for students as “a hub for opportunities to build community and support.” This follows the Associated Student Government’s call for a community center for first-generation, low-income students last February.

The Lifecycle Committee, consisting of more than 50 faculty members, has been developing recommendations since last winter. The Provost’s office will begin implementing them by mid-October, Holloway wrote in the release.

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