Using Accreditation to Promote Diversity Presented October 20, 2006 AAC & U Conference on Inclusive Excellence Ralph A. Wolff, President and Executive.

Using Accreditation to Using Accreditation to Promote DiversityPromote Diversity

Presented October 20, 2006Presented October 20, 2006AAC & U Conference on Inclusive ExcellenceAAC & U Conference on Inclusive Excellence

Ralph A. Wolff, President and Executive DirectorRalph A. Wolff, President and Executive DirectorAccrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities

Western Association of Schools & CollegesWestern Association of Schools & Colleges

AAC & U October 2006AAC & U October 2006 22

What Are Our Core What Are Our Core Attitudes About:Attitudes About:

Diversity?Diversity?Accreditation?Accreditation?


Where is Your Institution?Where is Your Institution?

Burden or Opportunity?Burden or Opportunity?

On a scale of 1- 4, where is your On a scale of 1- 4, where is your institution?institution?– 1= State of denial1= State of denial– 2= Willing only to deal with conflicts as 2= Willing only to deal with conflicts as

they arisethey arise– 3= Some data but little engagement3= Some data but little engagement– 4= Initiates dialogue and generates data 4= Initiates dialogue and generates data

out of deep commitment to serve all with out of deep commitment to serve all with excellenceexcellence


The Biggest Obstacle to The Biggest Obstacle to Achieving Diversity Is The Achieving Diversity Is The

Belief It Already ExistsBelief It Already Exists

John Slaughter, PresidentJohn Slaughter, PresidentOccidental CollegeOccidental College


Institutional ContextInstitutional Context

Proposition 209/legislation/court cases in Proposition 209/legislation/court cases in California, Texas, Washington, MichiganCalifornia, Texas, Washington, Michigan

Frequent lawsuits challenging diversity, Frequent lawsuits challenging diversity, speech codes, codes of conduct, etc.speech codes, codes of conduct, etc.

Horowitz amendmentHorowitz amendment

Surveys portraying how “liberal” professors Surveys portraying how “liberal” professors areare

Unwillingness to declare ethnic statusUnwillingness to declare ethnic status


National Policy ContextNational Policy Context

““Leaky pipeline” – who gets inLeaky pipeline” – who gets in

Graduation rates – who gets outGraduation rates – who gets out

What happens when they are in What happens when they are in college? Are students learning college? Are students learning anything?anything?– NAAL surveyNAAL survey– Survey of college seniorsSurvey of college seniors– PISA studiesPISA studies


Accreditation ReformAccreditation Reform

Revised standards in all regionsRevised standards in all regions

Period of major reformPeriod of major reform

Openness to institutional innovationOpenness to institutional innovation

Ability to use accreditation process to Ability to use accreditation process to focus on key institutional issuesfocus on key institutional issues

Institutional “themes” get sustained Institutional “themes” get sustained attentionattention


Key Areas of ReformKey Areas of Reform

Focus on learning outcomes Focus on learning outcomes

New self-evaluation and visit modelsNew self-evaluation and visit models

Emphasis on a “culture of evidence” Emphasis on a “culture of evidence” and “organizational learning”and “organizational learning”

Shift to a value adding processShift to a value adding process

Accreditation as an agent of changeAccreditation as an agent of change


Accreditation Standards on Accreditation Standards on Diversity – HLC/NCADiversity – HLC/NCA

In its mission documents, the organization recognizes the diversity of its learners, other constituencies, and the greatersociety it serves.

● In its mission documents, the organization addresses diversity within the community values and common purposes it considers fundamental to its mission.

● The mission documents present the organization’s function in a multicultural society.

● The mission documents affirm the organization’s commitment to honor the dignity and worth of individuals.

● The organization’s required codes of belief or expected behavior are congruent with its mission.

● The mission documents provide a basis for the organization’s basic strategies to address diversity.


HLC/NCA HLC/NCA

Core Component - 4c The organization assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society.

Examples of Evidence ● Regular academic program reviews include attention to currency and

relevance of courses and programs.● In keeping with its mission, learning goals and outcomes include

skills and professional competence essential to a diverse workforce.● Learning outcomes document that graduates have gained the skills

and knowledge they need to function in diverse, local, national, and global societies.


MSA - CHEMSA - CHEConsistent with the institution’s mission, administration selection processes should give appropriate consideration to diversity in areas such as age, race, ethnicity, and gender. The administrative staff should work effectively as a team and work cooperatively with other constituencies of the institution.

An institution demonstrates integrity through the manner in which it specifies its goals, selects and retains its faculty, admits students, establishes curricula, determines programs of research, pursues its fields of service, demonstrates sensitivity to equity and diversity issues, allocates its resources, serves the public interest, and provides for the success of its students.


MSA (cont.)MSA (cont.)

Faculty selection processes should give appropriate consideration to the value of faculty diversity, consistent with institutional mission, in areas such as age, race, ethnicity, and gender.

An institution demonstrates integrity through the manner in which it specifies its goals, selects and retains its faculty, admits students, establishes curricula, determines programs of research, pursues its fields of service, demonstrates sensitivity to equity and diversity issues, allocates its resources, serves the public interest, and provides for the success of its students.


New England (NEASC)New England (NEASC)

The institution ensures equal employment opportunity consistent with legal requirements and any other dimensions of its own choosing; compatible with its mission and purposes, it addresses its own goals for the achievement of diversity of race, gender, and ethnicity. In providing services, in accordance with its mission and purposes, the institution adheres to both the spirit and intent of equal opportunity and its own goals for diversity.


WASC – Senior College WASC – Senior College CommissionCommission

Consistent with its purposes and Consistent with its purposes and character, the institution demonstrates character, the institution demonstrates an appropriate response to the an appropriate response to the increasing diversity in society through increasing diversity in society through its policies, its educational and co-its policies, its educational and co-curricular programs, and its curricular programs, and its administrative and organizational administrative and organizational practices.practices.


WASC – Sr.WASC – Sr.

Baccalaureate programs engage students in an Baccalaureate programs engage students in an integrated course of study of sufficient breadth and integrated course of study of sufficient breadth and depth to prepare them for work, citizenship, and a depth to prepare them for work, citizenship, and a fulfilling life. These programs also ensure the fulfilling life. These programs also ensure the development of core learning abilities and development of core learning abilities and competencies including, but not limited to, college-competencies including, but not limited to, college-level written and oral communication; college-level level written and oral communication; college-level quantitative skills; information literacy; and the habit quantitative skills; information literacy; and the habit of critical analysis of data and argument. In addition, of critical analysis of data and argument. In addition, baccalaureate programs actively foster an baccalaureate programs actively foster an understanding of diversity; civic responsibility; the understanding of diversity; civic responsibility; the ability to work with others; and the capability to ability to work with others; and the capability to engage in lifelong learning.engage in lifelong learning.


WASC Statement on DiversityWASC Statement on Diversity

Recognizes the comprehensive and Recognizes the comprehensive and multidimensional character of diversity multidimensional character of diversity issuesissues

Based on key assumption that diversity Based on key assumption that diversity is an integral element of excellenceis an integral element of excellence

Goes beyond representation to address Goes beyond representation to address respect for all students, campus respect for all students, campus climate, and educational programsclimate, and educational programs


Making Diversity a Key Focus of Making Diversity a Key Focus of AccreditationAccreditation

Hooks:Hooks:– MissionMission– Retention/graduation ratesRetention/graduation rates– Educational outcomesEducational outcomes– Assessment activities (including of diversity)Assessment activities (including of diversity)– Faculty recruitment and developmentFaculty recruitment and development– Faculty and staff developmentFaculty and staff development– Campus climateCampus climate– Program reviewProgram review– Resource allocationsResource allocations– Others?Others?


ExamplesExamples

California State University, East BayCalifornia State University, East BaySan Jose State UniversitySan Jose State UniversityUCLAUCLAUniversity of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, BerkeleyChapman UniversityChapman UniversityLoyola Marymount UniversityLoyola Marymount UniversityMount Saint Mary’s CollegeMount Saint Mary’s CollegeBiola UniversityBiola University


Key ConsiderationsKey Considerations

Need to disaggregateNeed to disaggregate

Test assumptionsTest assumptions

Create a comprehensive approachCreate a comprehensive approach

Go for long term over episodicGo for long term over episodic

Find key advocatesFind key advocates

Embed diversity issues within other topicsEmbed diversity issues within other topics


““We are the ones we have We are the ones we have been waiting for.”been waiting for.”

Hopi eldersHopi elders


For Additional Information or For Additional Information or CommentsComments

Please contact Ralph Wolff Please contact Ralph Wolff [email protected]@wascsenior.org

Using Accreditation to Promote Diversity Presented October 20, 2006 AAC & U Conference on Inclusive Excellence Ralph A. Wolff, President and Executive.

Documents

aac u conference

diversity issues

institutional mission

mission documents

diversity hlcnca

excellence slide

achievement of diversity

value of faculty diversity