History of Attending to Diversity

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History of Attending to Diversity

• College of Education, College of Education,
  Health, and Human Services
• Kent State University

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Where We Began. . .

• 1987 A diversity initiative is begun in the
  University and a global initiative begun in the
  College of Education
• 1989 College of Education faculty begins
  discussing ways in which our students are
  prepared to teach in diverse classrooms
• 1991 The first diversity course appears in the
  required curriculum

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• 1994 Faculty begins planning redesign of teacher
  education programcertification to licensure
• 1998 New teacher education program begins
  education for diversity is mainstreamed into
  the curriculum
• 2000 KSU representatives attend a conference at
  Emporia State in which their Multicultural
  Diversity Outcomes Assessment instruments are
  rolled out

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• 2000 KSU becomes part of the Academic Quality
  Improvement Project (AQIP) and establishes a
  university-wide Diversity Committee under the
  Office of Diversity
• 2001 KSU develops a University Diversity
  Implementation Plan for 2001-2005
• 2001 The College of Education is invited to
  participate in the Emporia State Multicultural
  Diversity Assessment Dissemination Project

5

• 2001 College of Education representatives attend
  the first Conference on Multicultural Assessment
  of Diversity Outcomes
• 2002 A new Dean in the College of Education
  charges a planning team to create a college-wide
  diversity initiative

6

• 2003 The planning team proposes a College and
  Graduate School of Education Diversity Plan
• 2003 The College of Education proposal is
  approved by the College of Education College
  Advisory Council and the Dean
• 2003 The College of Education proposal is
  approved by the University Diversity Council.

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• 2004 The Dean selects a 12-member permanent
  College Diversity Committee, representing all
  program areas on the main campus and on 7
  regional campuses
• 2004 The Committee aligns its goals with the
  University Strategic Diversity Indicators and
  commissioned a substantive collection of baseline
  data.

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• 2004 The Report is completed in the fall, and
  presented to the University Diversity Advisory
  Council in November.
• 2005 The Committee considers the details of the
  Report and suggests implementation steps in six
  areas

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Six Areas of Interest

• Participation rates of students of color
• Persistence rates of all students
• Personal well-being in a culture that respects
  and affirms diversity
• Leadership commitment in the College
• Progressive Index of minority students who
  graduate
• Diversity competency level of faculty

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• 2005-6 The new College of Education, Health,
  and Human Services is formed, necessitating a
  reconfiguration of the Diversity Committee to
  represent all departments and schools in the new
  College.
• 2006 The new Diversity Committee is in place, a
  web site is designed, and 23 sample lesson plans
  are adapted for diverse learners.

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How, then, can we evaluate the past 19 years of
activity on behalf of helping our students become
more aware of and able and willing to act on
issues of diversity?
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In Terms of Partnerships and Programs

• There is a Unit-wide commitment to
  accountability and a systematic linking of
  existing initiatives in the University.

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Linking Existing Programs
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University Mission Statement

• Kent State University is committed to becoming
  a national model of institutional diversity at
  its best.

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University Office of Diversity

• Is headed by a Vice Provost
• Defines diversity as connoting the
  encouragement, celebration and support of a
  diverse population on campus, and
• Pledges to provide opportunities for open
  exchange of ideas and experiences among people
  different in race, gender, age, ethnicity,
  language, sexual orientation, disability,
  religion, and veteran status

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Objectives of the University Diversity Advisory
Council

• Exposing students to a variety of cultures and
  international perspectives
• Creating a positive balance between the
  democratic values of civility and the freedoms of
  inquiry, speech, and beliefs
• Infusing academic and extracurricular programs
  with the values of respect for others and social
  responsibility

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Objectives of the University Diversity
Implementation Plan

• Develop a shared and inclusive understanding of
  diversity
• Create a welcoming campus climate
• Recruit, retain, and promote greater numbers of
  women and minorities
• Provide incentives to academic and support units
  to develop diversity initiatives
• Systematically collect data for assessment and
  alignment/realignment purposes

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In Terms of Accreditation and On-going Assessment

• NCATE (National Council for the Accreditation of
  Teacher Education)
• AQIP (Academic Quality Improvement Project)

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NCATE Standard 4

• Curriculum
• Experiences working with diverse faculty
• Experiences working with diverse candidates
• Experiences working with diverse students in
  P-K/12 schools

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KSU Conceptual Framework

• In-Depth Content Knowledge
• Learner-Centered Pedagogy
• Informed Reflective Practice
• Ethical and Culturally-Responsive Practices
• Professional collaboration

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AQIP

• An alternative accreditation process with an
  annual data-gathering and assessment cycle, using
  faculty directly in all academic improvement
  processes
• There are nine criteria that are a part of the
  annual assessments

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Nine AQIP Criteria

• Helping undergraduate and graduate students learn
• Accomplishing scholarly, professional, public
  service, and citizenship objectives
• Understanding students needs
• Valuing faculty
• Leading and communicating
• Student and administrative support services
• Measuring effectiveness
• Planning continuous improvement
• Building collaborative relationships

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All of these criteria should apply to the
Diversity Initiative in EHHS since they come
largely from the old College of Education,
integrating the new Schools remains to be done.
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One Approach to Difference

• In a pluralistic society such as the United
  States, everyone is to some degree multicultural
• There is more difference within groups that
  between them

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College Commitments

• Initiating transformation that reflects a global
  and inclusive curriculum
• Increasing recruitment efforts to bring more
  diverse faculty to our ranks
• Increasing recruitment and retention of
  underrepresented students into teaching
• Encouraging each faculty to include diversity as
  an aspect of their research
• Implementing professional development programs
  for faculty and staff that focus on the full
  scope of diversity issues

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So, Where Are We Now?

• We have both university and college structures in
  place
• We have linkages to both university and college
  mechanisms for data collection
• We have a permanent Diversity Council with status
  somewhere between the College Advisory Council
  and the Undergraduate/Graduate Councils

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What Do We Need?

• Integration of all faculty, students, and program
  areas in EHHS
• Continued discussion around issues of really
  expanding understanding of diversity beyond race
  and ethnicity
• Selection of action plans for 2006-2007

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A Final Note on Assessing Progress

• Alice Would you tell me, please, which way I
  ought to go from here?
• The Cat That depends a good deal on where you
  want to get to.
• -- Lewis Carroll