Diversity and Learning: A Defining Moment

2006 Conference Description, Program, and Resources

AAC&U's 2006 Diversity and Learning Conference took place October 19-21, 2006 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Over 550 attendees from more than 250 colleges and universities participated in the conference conversations on the status and future of the diversity reform movement on campuses.

The James Irvine Foundation and Academic Search Consultation Service contributed to the conference as sponsors. American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, Association for Asian American Studies, Campus Compact, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) –
Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, and New England Resource Center for Higher Education, were Academic Partners for the conference. 

The full conference schedule appears below with links to many of the presentations and resources from the conference.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Pre-conference Workshops  

Workshop 1: Generating Institutional Change for Inclusive Excellence
This interactive workshop will address the challenges, victories, and pitfalls that an institution can encounter when it recommits itself to diversity by reexamining its core curricular mission. Curricular commitment to diversity can generate sustainable institutional change toward the broader goal of creating a truly multicultural/intercultural community. Participants will explore the roles of faculty, staff, administrators, and student leaders in the curricular infusion of diversity issues in academic departments; in cross-divisional collaborations; and in the development of inclusive, sustainable processes. Participants will also examine their own positions within their institutions, assess an institution's potential for infusing diversity into the curriculum, and identify some next steps for their own campuses to move toward Inclusive Excellence. Frank discussion of missteps and “stumbling blocks” will be encouraged as we consider institutional plans for action.
Derek Price, Associate Professor of Psychology, Alex Vasquez, Coordinator of Curricular Infusion, and Gordy Weil, Associate Provost and Liaison to the President, Wheaton College (MA)

Workshop 2: Understanding and Addressing Resistance to Social Justice Issues from Students from Privileged Groups
Many educators encounter resistance from students from dominant groups, which is one of the more challenging aspects of educating about diversity (e.g., when educating whites about racism, men about sexism, heterosexuals about heterosexism.) When students become resistant, they reject challenges to the status quo, avoid critical self-reflection, and maintain an acceptance of the dominant ideology that perpetuates oppression. This interactive session will include a presentation, personal reflection exercises, and discussion. Drawing on educational and psychological theory as well as their own experiences, participants will discuss principles and practices that can enhance teaching effectiveness. The workshop will focus on the reasons for resistance and understanding the perspective of the resistant individual. Numerous ways to prevent, reduce, and address resistance will be discussed.
Diane J. Goodman, Trainer, Consultant, and Adjunct Faculty, State University of New York, New Paltz

 Workshop 3: Hiring and Retaining Faculty of Color
Although the importance and benefits of having a racially/ethnically diverse faculty at institutions of higher learning is widely recognized, increasing the number of faculty of color and retaining those hired have proven to be great challenges for many campuses. The workshop facilitators will present demographic data on faculty of color at colleges and universities and the doctoral graduation rate of faculty of color in various disciplines. In light of these numbers, practical strategies for hiring and retaining faculty of color, especially at predominately white institutions, will be provided. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss case studies, as well as share their successful endeavors and ask questions that relate to their own efforts. By the end of the workshop, individuals should have the knowledge to devise and implement initiatives for advancing their institutional diversity goals and objectives, particularly as relate to faculty recruitment and retention.
Janice Walker, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Xavier University (OH); and Kenneth Durgans, Vice Provost for Institute Diversity, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Sponsored by the American Conference of Academic Deans

Workshop 4: Employing Non-cognitive Variables in Diversity Programs Before and After Admissions
Participants will learn about a system of non-cognitive variables for use in a wide variety of higher education functions. Use of the variables in admissions provides a more equitable way of selecting students than traditional measures and results in higher correlations with student success. Use of the variables can increase student diversity and retention and contribute to coordinating admissions with student development programs. The variables are also useful in financial aid, student services, advising, and teaching functions. Participants will receive case studies as a basis for discussion and be encouraged to share their own experiences as well. The system of non-cognitive variables is available at no cost to all types of institutions.
William E. Sedlacek, Professor of Education, Assistant Director of the Counseling Center, and Adjunct Professor of Pharmacy, University of Maryland

Workshop 5: Expanding the Pool of Leaders for the New Academy: Leadership Development for People of Color
Designed for faculty and mid-level administrators of color who are interested in moving into dean and vice presidential administrative positions, this workshop will demystify the process of moving into leadership positions with increasing levels of authority and responsibilities. It will also pinpoint the particular kinds of leadership necessary for the New Academy to raise the level of achievement of all students and integrate diversity as an educational asset. The workshop will examine basic professional development questions and explore leadership qualities that the academy needs to support the vision, structures, and policies that will enhance the level and quality of learning for all students. By the end of the workshop, participants will have clear personal plans to expand their career possibilities. They will also have a deeper sense of the kind of leader.
Mildred Garcia, President, Berkeley College; L. Lee Knefelkamp, Professor of Psychology and Education, Teachers College of Columbia University and Senior Scholar, AAC&U; Tobie van der Vorm, Consultant, Academic Search Consultation Service
Sponsored by the Academic Search Consultation Services

Workshop 6: Using Evaluation for Organizational Learning and Institutional Accountability: Lessons from the Campus Diversity Initiative (CDI) Evaluation Project
From 2000 to 2005, the James Irvine Foundation Campus Diversity Initiative (CDI) helped 28 independent colleges and universities in California strategically address issues of diversity and equity on their campuses. The CDI included a strong evaluation component to assist each institution with monitoring progress on diversity and tracking larger institutional goals for change. Staff from the CDI Evaluation Project will engage participants in discussion of the role of evaluation in institutional change; how to build capacity for evaluating diversity efforts; conditions that lead to successful evaluation at the institutional level; and the elusive definitions and outcomes of equity and diversity that well designed evaluations can illuminate. Participants will also undertake capacity-building exercises to help deepen their understanding of the process needed to develop and implement evaluation plans that will guide institutional change around diversity.
Daryl G. Smith, Professor of Education, and Sharon Parker, Senior Research Associate, Claremont Graduate University; Alma Clayton-Pedersen, Vice President, Office of Education and Institutional Renewal and Co-director, Network for Academic Renewal; José F. Moreno, Assistant Professor, Department of Chicano and Latino Studies, California State University Long Beach; and Daniel Hiroyuki Teraguchi, Dean for Diversity and Academic Advancement, Wesleyan University
Sponsored by the James Irvine Foundation

7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Welcome and Keynote Address

Defining Moments: A Historical Perspective on Higher Education's Engagement with Diversity
Podcast Recording
One of the nation’s most distinguished historians will set the context for the challenges of this defining moment by locating it in the sweep of changes that have occurred in higher education during his lifetime. John Hope Franklin will reflect on the factors that have contributed to achieving greater democratic inclusion, the habits of mind and practice that have prevented the academy from fully cultivating the educational benefits of diversity, and the unfinished work that remains.
John Hope Franklin, James B. Duke Professor Emeritus of History, Duke University

8:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Poster Session and Reception

The Fulbright Scholar Program: Increasing Diversity in American Education
Through their study abroad experiences and interactions with colleagues and students upon return, Fulbright Scholars help to educate the world about American diversity, and educate Americans about the world. This session will highlight Scholars’ stories about Fulbright projects on diversity issues, and Scholars’ contributions to internationalizing their campuses as a result of their global studies and travels.
Anne Clift Boris, Senior Program Officer for Recruitment, Council for International Exchange of Scholars

Intersecting Lives in American and World Cultures
Miami University’s Center for American and World Cultures is an interdisciplinary center that promotes the exploration, discussion, and study of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, religion, and abilities in the United States and abroad. The center’s curricular and co-curricular programs, courses, and projects use interdisciplinary and comparative perspectives for the study and interpretation of the cultural and social factors that have profoundly shaped history and created the complexity of the contemporary world. This poster will demonstrate the ways in which this work is helping to expand the boundaries of knowledge and prepare students, faculty, and staff to be informed, progressive, and inclusive “global citizens”.
Mary Jane Berman, Director of the Center for American and World Cultures, Miami University

Embedding Diversity in First-year Programming
A new program model for the first-year general education curriculum at Millersville University of Pennsylvania addresses diversity learning through thematic seminars with service-learning opportunities embedded in a living-learning community. This initiative lays the cornerstone of a plan to revamp Millersville’s general education program. In addition to a service-learning requirement, the program includes special student affairs programming, the use of peer mentors, and, in some cases, problem-based learning. This poster will focus on selected seminars that most explicitly target diversity concerns through the study of homelessness, multilingualism, and questions about why we hate. The presenters will summarize successful strategies and potential pitfalls in getting students to engage these issues of diversity.
Frederick S. Foster-Clark, Associate Professor and Coordinator of General Education, Daniel F. O’Neill, Assistant Professor, John R. Ward, Assistant Professor, and Linda L. McDowell, Associate Professor and Coordinator of the First-Year Experience Pilot Program, Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Student Perspectives on Defining Diversity
There are calls for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to become more intentional in their efforts to implement effective diversity initiatives. Before planning such initiatives, a campus must determine its own meaning of diversity. This poster will present the concept of diversity as defined by students at an urban HBCU and describe the state of the diversity at the institution using the definition developed by students.
Alexei G. Matveev, Associate Director, Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment, and Nuria M. Cuevas, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Norfolk State University

Popular Culture as an Alternative System of Intellectual Inclusion
African Americans now and historically have sought to learn about, speak about, and process their experiences in accepting and supportive environments. Thus, the entrée of hip hop. With a roughly twenty year history of involving often poorly educated black communities in the entertainment and arts arena, hip hop has served as a system of inclusion for black intellectual thought and growth. This session will look at the structures within the system of hip hop culture that are meaningful from a pedagogical perspective in educating communities of color at large and African American communities in particular.
Clayton L. Walton, Assistant Dean of Student Life and Leadership, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, Newark Campus; and Toby S. Jenkins, Director Paul Robeson Cultural Center, Penn State University

Atheism on Campus and the Growing Focus on Spirituality: Seeking a Framework for Inclusivity
By using a spirituality framework as the primary means to address students’ development of meaning and purpose, we run the risk of leaving out significant portions of the student population. This poster presentation will include reflective questions; literature highlights; negative implications of the current spirituality framework; and suggestions for moving beyond a spirituality framework to help all students explore meaning-making and purpose. Suggested frameworks include holistic student development, liberal education curriculum, and student affairs and academic affairs collaborations.
Handouts: Reflection Exercise, Draft Article, Bibliography
Kathleen M. Goodman, Research Assistant and Graduate Student, University of Iowa

Friday, October 20, 2006

8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast and Roundtable Discussions

The EMERGE Program: Preparing our Next Generation of Transformative Scholars
In this session, participants will examine critical consciousness in the context of cultural and scholar identity development and the concomitant responsibilities as emerging scholars preparing the next generation of transformative scholars. By synthesizing perspectives and experiences, these future professionals in higher education will explore and make meaning of their responsibilities for the students, the institution, and the community.
Kris M. Ewing, Assistant Clinical Professor and Coordinator, Master of Education in Higher and Postsecondary Education Program, and Chad Nash, Irene Vega, and Tim Kniseley, Graduate Students, Master of Education in Higher and Postsecondary Education, Arizona State University

Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Faculty
This discussion will address diversity-focused faculty recruitment and retention. Participants will examine definitions of "minority faculty," as well as the myths, misperceptions, and best practices in recruiting and retention. The facilitators will encourage the sharing of success stories, questions, issues, job ads and descriptions, sample itineraries for campus visits and ad-placement lists. Participants will use these examples to consider effective tools and discuss ways to create future pools of diverse candidates.
Recommended Readings: The Complete Academic Search Manual, Diversifying the Faculty
Martha J. LaBare, Associate Professor of English, Bloomfield College; and Paula Krebs, Professor of English, Wheaton College

Social Justice and Racial Diversity: A Model for Interactive Learning
This discussion will begin with a brief overview of the Social Justice Learning Community at Columbia College and invite participants to add their own programs or structures where teaching for diversity and social justice integrate multi disciplines. Together, the facilitators and participants will explore strategies for providing time and space for students and faculty to dialogue in small groups to identify injustices and approaches to change.
Susan Rivell McClam, Director of Social Justice Learning Community and Senior Lecturer of Spanish, and James C. Lane, Associate Professor of Education, Columbia College

Teaching Perspective-Taking in a Homogeneous, Academic Environment
The discussion will begin with a presentation of the results of a departmental assessment of a perspective-taking unit in an introductory communication course and a newly-developed model of perspective-taking will be introduced. Facilitators and participants will generate ideas for diversity-learning experiences based on this model, and teaching with the goal of long-term change. Group discussion will address the challenges of teaching diversity in a homogeneous environment.
Isolde K. Anderson, Assistant Professor of Communication, Deirdre Johnston, Associate Professor of Communication, Teresa Heinz Housel, Assistant Professor of Communication, and Rebecca DeVries, Instructor, Hope College

Encouraging Students’ Appreciation of and Value for Diversity
Community based learning projects have the potential to develop students’ appreciation of the importance and value of diversity. This discussion will center on ways to create opportunities for predominantly white, middle class suburban students to learn from residents of color in their local urban communities. It will focus on building partnerships for effective collaboration, methods of integrating projects into course content, and evaluation/assessment tools.
Margaret O. Finucane, Associate Professor of Communication and Theatre Arts, and Lauren L. Bowen, Associate Professor of Political Science, John Carroll University; and Margaret E. Algren, Assistant Professor of Public Relations, Towson University

Transitioning On Campus: Creating a Welcoming Climate for Transgender People
Transgender people face a difficult environment on most college campuses.  Ignorance and prejudice can exacerbate the difficulties associated with their physical and emotional transformation.  This discussion will orient and prepare campus leaders for the inevitable experience of having a student, faculty or other member of the campus community transition. Using Miami University’s proposed guidelines for transgender transition as a point of departure, participants will be encouraged to share their experiences, concerns, questions, and best practices.
Michael R. Stevenson, Assistant to the President for Institutional Diversity and Associate Provost, Miami University; and Holling Smith-Borne, Associate Professor, Instructional and Information Librarian, DePauw University

Social Justice in a Liberal Arts Education
Participants will investigate faculty development and innovative pedagogies for teaching social justice. Based on shared experiences with a Mellon Cluster Grant, the facilitators will elaborate on their respective efforts, successes, and challenges at their institutions. Together, participants will explore future options for enhancing social justice teaching.
Roman Graf, Dean for Institutional Diversity, Kathy Skubikowski, Assistant Dean for Instruction, and Catharine Wright, Lecturer and Tutor in Writing, Middlebury College

Defining and Assessing Campus Climate for Underrepresented and Underserved Populations
The ways students experience our campuses affect their educational outcomes.  This is especially true for students from traditionally underrepresented or underserved populations, as they are more likely to experience a negative campus climate.  This discussion will emphasize a multi-modal approach to climate assessment, including practical suggestions for both implementation and accountability processes related to recommended actions and/or initiatives.
Susan Rankin, Senior Diversity Planning Analyst, Pennsylvania State University

Entre Artistas y Escritores: Among Artists and Writers
Entre Artistas y Escritores: Among Artists and Writers is a service-learning, interdisciplinary course designed to foster exploration of differences in culture, language, and social class. Education and Fine Arts faculty, college students, and children from the nearby Latino community write, illustrate, and present their original stories at a culminating event. In this discussion, participants will receive a course outline, view photos of instructional strategies, discuss their own projects, and envision possibilities for transformational teaching and learning about diversity.
Joan R. Armon, Assistant Professor of Education, and Tony Ortega, Assistant Professor of Fine Arts, Regis University

 Partnership for Engaged Diversity
This discussion will feature a partnership involving five liberal arts colleges (3 Historically Black Colleges and Universities and 2 Predominantly White Institutions). The partnership is designed to create a culture of engaged diversity on each campus through joint programs, shared resources, and the meaningful interactions of students and faculty.
Ronald L. Swain, Senior Advisor to the President, Southwestern University

Curriculum Transformation: Alternative Approaches To Change
This discussion will begin with a brief description of two different models of curriculum transformation. The first model comes from Oregon State University’s Difference, Power and Discrimination (DPD) Program and the second is an adaptation of the DPD model adopted by a consortium of small colleges in western New York. Discussion will focus on addressing the question: What model of curriculum transformation is right for your institution?
Robert P. Amico, Professor of Philosophy, St. Bonaventure University; Susan M. Shaw, Director, Women's Studies, and Donna A. Champeau, Associate Professor of Public Health, Oregon State University

Carnegie Scholars’ Talk About Diversity, Pedagogy, and Learning
Drawing on their own research, Carnegie Scholars will discuss lessons learned and best practices about pedagogical approaches for and learning about diversity across disciplinary contexts.
Rona T. Halualani, Associate Professor of Communication Studies, San Jose State University; Karen L. Hornsby, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, North Carolina A&T State University; Crima Pogge, Associate Professor of Biology, City College of San Francisco; and Charline J. Barnes, Professor of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum, Andrews University

Using Inclusive Excellence to Develop a Campus Diversity Plan
This discussion will offer a case study about a university’s experience developing a diversity plan and helping its constituents meet the challenges of diversity. More importantly, the discussion will provide participants with a forum to discuss challenges to implementing a diversity framework at institutions with no recent history of an explicit institutional plan for diversity. Participants will increase their understanding of linkages between diversity, inclusion, and excellence in higher education.
Linda M. Subich, Professor of Psychology, John Queener, Associate Professor of Counseling, and Arthur L. Palacas, Professor of English, University of Akron

Collaborating To Promote Graduate School-Going Awareness in Minority Students and Their Families
Building on a partnership between the University of La Verne’s Learning Enhancement Center, Mosaic Cultural Institute, and the Office of the President, the Graduate School Project (GSP) was developed to inspire successful transitions for minority students from college to graduate school. This discussion will appeal to those with an interest in inter-departmental collaborations, academic interventions, and minority student mentoring.
Anthony Hernandez, Assessment and Evaluation Director, Mosaic Cultural Institute, Bailey Smith, Director of Learning Enhancement Center, and Maria Grandone-Llorente, Executive Director, Mosaic Cultural Institute, University of La Verne

Engaging Science and Engineering Faculty in Diversity Discussions: Resistance or Vocabulary?
It is possible for science and engineering faculty and diversity scholars or program specialists to engage in discussions of student and faculty diversity in STEM disciplines? Participants will engage in activities that will 1) identify communication barriers, such as unfamiliar language and disparate argumentation traditions, and 2) strategize ways to initiate and maintain collaborations that combine diversity specialists’ knowledge and expertise with STEM faculty classroom experiences and problem-solving skills.
Angela R. Linse, Director, Teaching and Learning Center, Temple University

Preparing the Next Generation of Scientists
Participants will have the opportunity to learn about UCLA’s Program for Excellence in Education and Research in the Sciences (PEERS) and discuss issues related to engaging and retaining underrepresented students in the sciences. In addition to discussing programmatic aspects and outcomes of entities such as PEERS, the discussion will address assessment and the ways in which a strong assessment plan can improve program performance and student outcomes.
Linda T. DeAngelo, Research Analyst, and Marc Levis-Fitzgerald, Director, Undergraduate Evaluation and Research, University of California-Los Angeles

 Teaching our Teachers: Implementing Reflective Practice and Teaching for Social Justice
In this session, instructors of a cross-departmental teacher education course on “Reflective Practice and Teaching for Social Justice” will provide an overview of their primary curricular and pedagogical techniques, share challenging case studies, and engage participants in discussion of how to effectively prepare pre-service educators to teach for social justice. Participants with experience in primary and secondary teacher education, K-12 teaching and administration, and university-based Social Justice Education are especially encouraged to attend.
Alison J. George, Lecturer, Social Justice in Schools Project, Bailey W. Jackson, Chair, Social Justice Education Program, and La Wanza Lett-Brewington, Lecturer, Social Justice in Schools Project, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

 Difficult Dialogue Project
The University of Michigan is one of the recipients of a grant from the Ford Foundation to advance Difficult Dialogues. The facilitators will share their experiences with the project on Religious Diversity in the Public Research University. Participants from private and public, secular and religious institutions are invited to discuss issues of academic freedom and religious pluralism.
A.T. Miller, Coordinator of Multicultural Teaching and Learning, University of Michigan

Facilitating Intergroup Dialogues
Peer facilitators of intergroup dialogue communicate a deep understanding of social justice issues and gain new skills as campus leaders. This discussion will provide a description of a social justice education model that situates both intergroup dialogue and training for intergroup dialogue facilitation on a developmental continuum of social justice understanding. The facilitators will also give a detailed account of a 2-course sequence for training undergraduates to facilitate intergroup dialogues.
Kelly E. Maxwell, Associate Director, The Program on Intergroup Relations, and Monita C. Thompson, Co-Director, The Program on Intergroup Relations, University of Michigan

Successful Strategies for Facilitating a Campus-wide Diversity Curriculum Infusion
How can faculty, irrespective of discipline, be empowered to infuse diversity and social justice perspectives into their courses? In this session, presenters will share strategies and processes that have successfully empowered three cohorts of faculty to infuse diversity into their courses. Presenters will share experiences of the transformation journey and examples of infused courses. This session benefits attendees who are grappling with ways to help faculty to infuse diversity into their courses.
Omiunota N. Ukpokodu, Associate Professor, Bibie Chronwall, Vice Provost, and Pamela Shane-Dillard, Coordinator, Equity and Diversity Office, University of Missouri, Kansas City

Cultivating a Holistic Approach to Living-Learning Communities Focused on Social Justice and Multiculturalism
Living-learning communities (LLCs) should expand beyond the walls of classrooms and residence halls to foster truly seamless learning. At the University of San Francisco (USF), LLC coordinators apply innovative approaches, cultivate collaborative relationships, and develop institutional commitment to advance a program focused on social justice and multiculturalism. This discussion will provide participants with ideas and reflections on the partnerships, pedagogy, and praxis used in developing and implementing comprehensive LLCs focused on social justice and multiculturalism by examining USF’s Esther Madriz Scholars Community.
Mary Grace A. Almandrez, Assistant Dean for Multicultural Student Services, Stephanie Sears, Assistant Professor of Sociology, and Lorrie Ranck, Director of Living-Learning Communities, University of San Francisco

Increasing Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Graduate Programs
This roundtable discussion will center on factors that contribute to black and Hispanic undergraduate students' likelihood of applying to and enrolling in graduate programs. In particular, participants will discuss situational factors that can contribute to a climate that promotes diversity, academic success, and social integration, including organizational culture, retention programs, culturally competent advising, and successful undergraduate research programs.
Joan B. Holmes, Assistant Dean, Diverse Student Success, Graduate School, University of South Florida

Envisioning the Next Generation of Diversity Work: Core Agreements and Correspondences
Podcast Recording
This plenary will engage the audience in thinking through how to seize this moment to chart new directions in diversity work. What dominant institutional values have trapped the academy in patterns of exclusion and in practices that reward only certain kinds of thinking, scholarship, and teaching? What renegotiated core agreements promise structural changes, new approaches to academic work, and greater commitment to addressing local and global needs? This session will also explore the underdeveloped correspondences between scholarship, curricular and co-curricular programs, and civic engagement in real world issues that could be used to guide the next generation of diversity work, particularly in the next decade.
Caryn McTighe Musil, Senior Vice President, and Vice President, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Global Initiatives, AAC&U; and Laura I. Rendón, Professor and Chair of the Department of Education Leadership and Policy Studies, Iowa State University

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Featured Session

Diversity Within: The Development of the Multicultural Self
Podcast Recording
How do we understand identity issues at this juncture in the diversity movement? What has changed in our framing of identity issues? Using cumulative research from the past ten years, this session will explore how students reason through complex and often conflicting identities (such as racial and ethnic identity, religious and spiritual identity, socio-economic class, sexual orientation, generational, and national identities). The session will also explore how students’ sense of identity and intellectual development affects the way they interact with the content of their courses and with their peers in the classroom.
L. Lee Knefelkamp, Professor of Psychology and Education, Teachers College of Columbia University and Senior Scholar, AAC&U

Concurrent Sessions

Searching for Faculty of Color and Sustaining their Presence on Campus
Two recent studies document how institutional contexts affect searches for faculty of color and the socialization processes by which these faculty members negotiate their own cultural backgrounds with newly forged identities within the academy. The session will: 1) discuss emerging practices at institutions that successfully recruit and sustain faculty of color; 2) recommend strategies for institutions to increase the presence of faculty of color; and 3) present the socialization experiences of faculty of color through a discussion of Spanish narratives and linguistic-minority women faculty. Participants will explore implications for creating a “multicontextual” culture that validates the importance of different ways of thinking and learning and share their own institutional experiences and learning.
Inés Maturana Sendoya, Director, Office of AHANA Student Programs, Boston College; Helena Santos, Associate Director, Academic Achievement Center, Bridgewater State College; and Glenn Gabbard, Associate Director, New England Resource Center for Higher Education.
Sponsored by the New England Resource Center for Higher Education

From Rhetoric to Accountability: Rethinking Institutional Responses to Racism and Racial Negligence
While institutions continually espouse commitments to multiculturalism and diversity, many racial/ethnic minority students still express dissatisfaction with culturally irresponsive campus environments, the overwhelming representation of Whiteness in curricula and campus activities, and racist encounters inside and outside of the classroom. Moreover, few students (especially White undergraduates) report little engagement with peers from different racial/ethnic backgrounds. Inequitable educational outcomes across racial/ethnic groups can be quantified but are often overlooked on most campuses. Perhaps most alarming is the apparent absence of accountability for institutional change. Based on findings from campus racial climate audits conducted at various universities across the country, these and other themes from interviews with over 280 students will be presented and discussed in this session. The facilitator will offer an accountability matrix and strategies for engaging various stakeholders in a paradigmatic shift from rhetoric to institutional change.
Shaun R. Harper, Assistant Professor and Research Associate, Center for the Study of Higher Education, The Pennsylvania State University
Sponsored by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators

Faculty Development and Renewal to Enhance Diversity and Inclusion
A holistic plan to promote diversity and inclusive teaching and curriculum anchored to Academic Affairs has been developed at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. A panel of faculty and academic administrators will discuss aspects of the action plan concerned with faculty development and renewal, including recruitment and retention of a more diverse faculty, development of a model of mutual mentoring, mobilization of administrative and faculty leadership and support, and data useful for assessing administrative changes.
Andrew Effrat, Associate Provost for Faculty Recruitment and Retention, Charlena M. Seymour, Provost, and Mary Deane Sorcinelli, Associate Provost for Faculty Development, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

The Academic Role of Chief Diversity Officers: Toward a Changing Institutional Agenda for Diversity
The presence of chief diversity officers (CDOs) on campuses across the nation is changing the landscape of higher education.  Many of the hitherto fragmented and incoherent diversity activities are now being centralized or coordinated for greater effectiveness by a senior-level administrator. Yet as they are called upon to fulfill academic and curriculum responsibilities, the role of the CDO may change. A panel of chief diversity officers will discuss their academic role, the challenges they face in fulfilling this role, and conclude with relevant recommendations.
Steve O. Michael, Vice Provost and Professor, Kent State University; Rusty Barceló, First Vice President for Access, Equity and Multicultural Affairs, University of Minnesota; Michael Stevenson, Assistant to the President for Institutional Diversity, Miami University; Abbie Robinson-Armstrong, Assistant to the President for Intercultural Affairs, Loyola Marymount University; and Myra Gordon, Associate Provost for Diversity and Dual Career Development, Kansas State University

Community College Perspectives on Diversity and Success
Community colleges have some of the most diverse campus environments in higher education and share a commitment to meeting diverse student needs and documenting success. In this session, the academic officers of three community colleges will discuss the external and internal challenges to fostering an institutional commitment to diversity and student success and opportunities for institutional transformation. Cases and college data will illustrate how to define issues and create solutions.
Judith L. Gay, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Community College of Philadelphia; Virginia Carter, Provost, Delaware County Community College; and John C. Flynn, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Montgomery County Community College

Diversity Performance Indicators: A Process and Product to Demonstrate Commitment, Impact, and Progress
Participants in this session will learn how to measure progress toward building a diverse campus community through evaluation of eight diversity performance indicators. Each of the indicators is supported by evidence from demographic data, student self-reports, and faculty/staff surveys and evaluated by the Chancellor’s Diversity Cabinet. This session will provide an opportunity to discuss how to communicate and use evaluation findings to enhance campus diversity.
Karen M. Whitney, Vice Chancellor for Student Life and Diversity, and Frank E. Ross, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Life and Diversity, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

12:00 – 1:15 p.m.
Luncheon

Defining the Future: Mobilizing Women’s Leadership for Inclusive Excellence
Campus Women Lead, housed at AAC&U, has launched a new campus-based workshop series, Women’s Leadership for Inclusive Excellence. These workshops seek to promote women’s leadership as an everyday, everywhere practice that functions at its best when it builds on multicultural alliances at the individual, sector, and institutional levels. Focused on leadership rather than career-ship, these workshops help participants analyze their individual location within larger systems and understand cultural identities and resources as integral to effective leadership. Participants learn how to use their sphere of influence to build the kind of institutions needed in a diverse, interdependent, but stratified world. Join us for lunch where you can learn more about the workshop series, get a taste for the kind of interactive exercises included in them, and consider whether such a workshop might enhance educational transformation at your institution.
Facilitators: Pat Lowrie, Chair of Campus Women Lead and Director of the Women’s Resource Center, Michigan State University; Caryn McTighe Musil, Senior Vice President, and Vice President, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Global Initiatives, AAC&U; and Kathleen Wong (Lau), Executive Director and founder of the Women of Color Research Collective, and Assistant Professor, School of Communications, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo

 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.       
Concurrent Sessions

The World According to Asian America
Since the late 1960s, the field of Asian American Studies has transformed itself from an alliance of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino/a, and Korean Americans to a grouping that also includes Indian, Vietnamese, Pakistani, Cambodian, Sri Lankan, Hmong, Indonesian, and Malaysian Americans. The forces of globalization and imperial expansion are making it impossible to ignore locations in Asia as equally valid regions of study. The strength of the field comes from its responsiveness to changing geopolitical circumstances and the ability of its practitioners to illuminate the complex interplay between the local and the global. The presenters will critically engage ideas of citizenship in immigrant-receiving societies, including the United States and Canada. They will focus on the symbiotic relationship between Asian American studies and ideas of national and global citizenship, and interplays between the field and critiques of liberal pluralism and liberal democratic citizenship.
Crystal Parikh, Assistant Professor, Department of Social and Cultural Analysis and Department of English New York University; Greg Robinson, Professor, Department of History, L’Université du Québec à Montréal; and Robyn Magalit Rodriguez, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Rutgers University
Sponsored by the Association for Asian American Studies

Improving Persistence and Retention Outcomes for Underprepared, Minority, and Low-Income Students
As universities address the challenge of retaining underprepared, low-income, and minority students, most have focused on structural changes such as the creation of remedial courses, and improved financial aid. Improving student persistence and retention also requires an examination of the circumstances in which under-prepared, low-income, and minority students succeed. This presentation will discuss the success of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering Vanguard program across 12 campuses and suggest programmatic interventions that contribute to the development of non-cognitive abilities conducive to student success.
Suzanne E. Rocheleau, Associate Dean for Civic Engagement, and Antoinette Torres, Executive Director for Retention and Student Affairs, Drexel University

Proactively Addressing Intergroup Relations on Campus
University of Denver’s (DU’s) Campus Climate Council is a campus-wide, proactive initiative for addressing the climate for diversity and promoting positive intergroup relations. This session will introduce participants to the work of DU’s Campus Climate Council and the theoretical/ philosophical frameworks which guide the activities of the group. The presenters will demonstrate some of the proactive initiatives used by members of the Council to address intergroup conflict. Participants will learn about the conceptual model, receive information to start a similar initiative on their campus, and understand better the dynamics of addressing intergroup conflict on college campuses. In addition, participants will learn about approaches to capitalize on diversity for achieving multiple educational outcomes.
M. Mia Schutte, Program Coordinator for Intergroup Relations, Jesús Treviño, Associate Provost for Multicultural Excellence, and Susan Lee, Director of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, University of Denver

It Takes an Institution to Liberally Educate
This panel will explore the evolution of a First Year Multiculturalism Experience for students from a single, stand-alone course to fully integrated learning communities.  Specifically, panelists will identify key components related to creating meaningful learning experiences for students—including a National Issues Forum on International Policy, co-curricular activities ranging from theatre to Nuyorican poety, and dialogues about self, community, and global perspectives.  Participants will gain a better understanding of how to leverage non-teaching institutional and community resources to create a powerful learning environment that is a win-win experience for students, faculty, the institution, and community.  Resources for adopting this approach will be provided.
Christine Helfrich, Associate Vice President, Center for Teaching and Learning, Susan Trost, Professor, and Jeanni Winston-Muir, Director of Student Life, Frederick Community College

 Meeting Literacy Needs of the Mexico Border Community
Service-learning, writing practicum and internships are opportunities that allow students to apply what they have learned in the classroom. Students at the University of Texas at El Paso, a Hispanic-serving institution, practice their literacy skills in bilingual writing courses while serving their community through service-learning projects. Join this session to learn about these experiences, and ways to advance student learning and social responsibility through civic engagement.
Isabel Baca, Assistant Professor of English, The University of Texas at El Paso

Transnational Beats: Hip Hop Pedagogy in the 21st Century Classroom
This interactive session looks at the relationship between Hip Hop, cultural values held by the majority about subordinate groups, and the globalization of contemporary American society into world markets. It will include several innovative exercises that encourage students to examine notions about transnational Hip Hop culture. Participants will apply a “Listening with the Third Ear” process to rap samples and analyze three significant components: interpretation of experience, constructing community, and engineering social action.
Simona J. Hill, Associate Professor of Sociology, and Dave Ramsaran, Associate Professor of Sociology, Susquehanna University

The New Religious Pluralism in Higher Education
Religious diversity typically gets short shrift in diversity discussions. The intensity, politics, and range of religious communities that are now a distinguishing feature of the U.S., have also become a part of many college campuses. How does earlier diversity work provide approaches that illuminate points of connection and disconnection between religious groups? How does the new religious pluralism suggest additional approaches to diversity that can expand understandings of religious pluralism in diverse democracies? This session will look at some innovative religious pluralism campus initiatives, from dialogue groups to curricular designs to engagement with local communities.
William C. Gipson, Chaplain, University of Pennsylvania

Creating Institutional Change: Promoting Equity in Educational Outcomes
This session will focus on the implementation and use of an Institutional Equity Scorecard (IES) to create structural and attitudinal changes that promote equity in educational outcomes across racial/ethnic groups. Participants will use an Organizational Self-reflection Tool to identify factors related to an institution’s history, politics, and internal and external resources that support both the development and implementation of an IES specifically and the achievement of equitable educational outcomes generally.  This session will benefit university administrators involved in leading institutional change, especially related to the academic success of students of color.
 Abbie Robinson-Armstrong, Assistant to the President for Intercultural Affairs, David Killoran, Chair and Professor, English, and Noelle Griffin, Director of Assessment, Loyola Marymount University

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions

Diversity from a Latino Perspective
Demographic changes regarding the Latino/a population have colleges and universities moving quickly to meet the educational goals and needs of this population. This session will outline how effective responses can be dependent on the type and mission of the college and university and its status as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) or non-HSI. Participants will examine how responses may vary according to student numbers, ethnic diversity, campus commitment and resources, and institutional structures and discussion implications for their own campus initiatives.
Jaime Chahin, Dean of the College of Applied Arts, Texas State University – San Marcos; and Virginia Gonzalez, Professor, Counseling, Northampton Community College
Sponsored by the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education

What’s Race Got to Do With It? A Film on Inter-group Dialogue
What’s Race…? is a documentary that goes beyond identity politics, celebratory history and personal prejudices to articulate the many myths and misconceptions that obstruct our thinking about race in today’s post-Civil Rights world. The film follows a diverse group of college students as they awkwardly but honestly probe each other’s beliefs and assumptions about race. Participants will view the film and discuss how it can be used to spark productive dialogue and help improve campus climate.
Facilitator's Guide
Jean Cheng, Producer, Educational Programs, and Rahdi Taylor, Director of Education, California Newsreel

Modeling Diverse Democracy: Exploring Intentional Practice in Learning Communities
The Michigan Community Scholars Program (University of Michigan) and New Century College (George Mason University) represent two nationally recognized learning communities that intentionally and actively seek to model diverse democratic ideals. Panelists from each learning community will present an overview of their program and explore the successes, challenges, and opportunities that their model offers. Participants will be invited to share their own best practices and explore common challenges.
David Schoem, Faculty Director, and Wendy Woods, Associate Director, Michigan Community Scholars Program, University of Michigan; and Kim Eby, Associate Professor of Integrative and Interdisciplinary Studies, and Suzanne Scott, Assistant Professor of Integrative and Interdisciplinary Studies, New Century College, George Mason University

Inside-Out Learning: The Power of an Educational Exchange Behind the Walls
The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program takes college students behind prison walls to attend class alongside incarcerated students. Now in its 22nd semester and a national model, Inside-Out allows “outside” students to apply their learning in a very real setting, while “inside” students reconsider their real-life experiences within a wider framework. The learning is transformative, a result of the reciprocal exchange that ensues. This session will examine its implications for student learning and development including its potential for social change.
Lori Pompa, Director, The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, Temple University

Advancing Academic Excellence for Students with Disabilities
Participants in this session will learn about a disability-friendly campus that is both inclusive and academically demanding.  Session facilitators will share a campus perspective of what services are available, how these services fit into the framework of the university, and most importantly, how all disability services are integrated across the academic and student affairs divisions.  The session will conclude with a perspective on future directions in the disability movement and a question and answer segment.
Pearl Bartelt, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Gerald Kiel, Vice President for Student Affairs and Student Success, and Robert McConnell, Director, Office for Students with Disabilities, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Sponsored by the American Conference of Academic Deans

Federal Law and Diversity Goals: What Federal Standards Mean for Institutional Research
This session will provide participants with an operational overview of federal legal standards and principles associated with campus efforts to achieve the educational benefits of diversity. Building on the University of Michigan admissions cases, as well as cases decided since those decisions, the session will focus on the key legal and policy questions of evidence and research addressed by the federal courts as well as “second generation” questions that may surface in future cases. Participants will obtain important information regarding the kinds of research issues that should be considered as their institutions work to achieve the educational benefits of diversity.
Art Coleman, Partner, and Elizabeth Sara Sanghavi, Associate, Holland and Knight, LLP

Creating a Comprehensive Support Program for Faculty of Color
The session will describe an integrated and comprehensive support program for faculty of color that promotes the professional and scholarly development of newly hired faculty and their integration into the culture of the university. Through collaboration with student affairs educators, the program has produced high levels of faculty retention and positive tenure decisions. Important characteristics of the program include peer mentoring and scholarly support activities within the context of support from administration and more experienced faculty.
Gerardo Marin, Associate Provost, Pamela Balls Organista, Professor of Psychology, Kevin Chun, Associate Professor of Psychology, and Stephanie Sears, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of San Francisco

Using Accreditation to Promote Diversity
Accreditation standards as well as the self-study review process undertaken by all institutions for regional and specialized accreditation provide powerful ways to address the multiple dimensions of diversity. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) has promoted diversity through its Standards for more than 15 years. Based on this experience, the session will discuss how institutions have found ways to use all of the accreditation standards, not just the ones on diversity, to promote inclusive excellence for all students. The lessons learned are applicable to institutions in all accrediting regions.
Ralph Wolff, Executive Director, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities, Western Association of Schools and College

4:15 – 5:15 p.m.
Plenary

Students Perceptions, Experiences, and Insights about the Next Generation of Diversity Work
Podcast Recording
Understanding that any attempt at defining this moment in diversity work would be incomplete without including student perspectives, this plenary will present student voices and perspectives. In what new directions are students already taking this work and where else do they think it should go? The student panelists will draw on their own knowledge and experiences from their campuses and communities as they offer their advice about the future. They will explore topics such as the connections between diversity and civic/community engagement, the relationship between diversity and learning as they experience it in their daily lives, and the new tensions and evolving directions in diversity work.
Jessica Mason, recent graduate, Arcadia University; Jessily Ramirez, Bonner Scholar, Stetson University; Ismail Firat Altay, University of Pennsylvania & Haccetepe University (Turkey), Wayne Ma, New York University, Aleksander Mehrle, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University

5:45 – 7:30 p.m.
Tribute Dinner

What’s Next? Honoring the Life and Legacy of Edgar F. Beckham
Please join in a special dinner to celebrate the vision and legacies of the late Edgar F. Beckham: national leader for diversity and learning, wise counselor, consummate educator, and ebullient raconteur. His life’s work has transformed how hundreds of colleges and universities conceptualize and attend to diversity. As a program officer at the Ford Foundation, he fostered innovative practices and policies that addressed diversity as an educational asset and an essential part of college learning. As Dean of the College at Wesleyan University, he nurtured students’ leadership while they created inclusive institutions. At AAC&U, he pressed the higher education community to engage horizon questions about diversity. Gather with colleagues for dinner and dialogue about Edgar’s signature query: What’s Next?

8:00 – 9:30 p.m.
Multicultural Dance Performance

Sva kranti: The Revolution Within
In this intensely personal performance, Mallika Sarabhai uses multimedia, theatre, music, and dance to trace the journey of women who are seekers of truth and contextualize them in today’s world. In an imagined conversation with Mahatma Gandhi, Sarabhai traverses the lives of women who have struggled non-violently with truth through the ages, exploring the relevance of this path today. Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh & Company will open the performance with a modern dance piece that looks at the “isms” in society through an abstract framework.
Famous for many years in India as a classical dancer, Mallika Sarabhai gained world-wide attention as a stage actor in the 1980s with her highly acclaimed performance of Draupadi in Peter Brooks’ The Mahabharata. Sarabhai has continued to reach audiences around the world through her performances and her work as a director and choreographer. At the same time, she has addressed a range of contemporary issues through her art – from the role of women in Indian society to problems of racism and violence. In recognition of her efforts to promote social justice through the arts, Sarabhai was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1,000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize 2005 campaign (now the 1,000 Peacewomen Across the Globe).

 Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh & Company is an emerging dance company that presents Indian forms, such as Bharata Natyam, and Modern dance, mirroring the multiple identities of second generation South Asians. The company combines the arts with social justice issues and works closely with local community centers and schools. Daniel Phoenix Singh holds a Master in Fine Arts in Dance and a Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies from the University of Maryland. Mr. Singh is Director of Information Systems at AAC&U.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

9:00 – 10:15 a.m.
Featured Session

After Katrina: Diversity and Learning in the New New Orleans
Podcast Recording
Katrina magnified and exposed racial and class divisions that have long characterized New Orleans and influenced the relationship between institutions of higher education and their communities. The anger, frustration, and despair displayed in the national media after New Orleans flooded represents in microcosm the consequences of allowing entrenched poverty, structural racism, and official incompetence to persist unchecked. Arguing it is not their responsibility, many universities have neglected to play a significant role in redressing such problems. To what extent has the aftermath of Katrina altered the terms of the debate about the role of higher education in New Orleans, and in the rest of the country? Using this local context as a starting point, panelists will engage the audience in a discussion of the lessons about diversity, community, and the mission of higher education emerging in the aftermath of Katrina.
Kyshun Webster, Special Assistant to the President for Community Programs, Xavier University of Louisiana; Pat T. Evans, Director, International Project for Nonprofit Leadership, University of New Orleans; Hamilton Simons-Jones, New Orleans Site Director, City Year Louisiana; and Carolyn Barber-Pierre, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, and Amy Koritz, Associate Professor of English, Tulane University

Concurrent Sessions

Competing Narratives: Jews, Whiteness and Anti-racism Education
The session will examine ways in which Jewish undergraduates in anti-racism education often contest the models diversity educators use. It will highlight the nature of anti-Semitism and Jewish identification in collegiate settings. The facilitator will present a more nuanced and deeper understanding of the unique positionality of Jews in the United States, including the ways in which Jewish college students see themselves in educational settings related to diversity.
Christopher MacDonald-Dennis, Assistant Dean of the Undergraduate College/Director of Intercultural Affairs, Bryn Mawr College

From Isolation to Institutional Transformation: Diversity at the Center of the Academy
In this session, presenters will describe efforts made at the University of Washington to institutionalize diversity beyond student recruitment and retention. Motivated by the Michigan Supreme Court case and a state-wide anti-affirmative action initiative, the university has worked to be more explicit about the educational benefits of diversity and articulate how diversity fits into institutional goals and mission. It is currently developing indicators to assess progress on diversity goals. Participants will consider recommendations for applying the lessons learned through these efforts to their own campus initiatives.
Rusty Barceló, First Vice President for Access, Equity and Multicultural Affairs and Vice Provost, University of Minnesota, and Sheila Edwards Lange, Special Assistant to the Vice President and Vice Provost, Minority Affairs and Diversity, University of Washington

Multicultural Organizational Development in an Honors College
Since 2001, Commonwealth College, the honors college at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, has gone through a four-stage process seeking to become a multicultural organization valuing community, diversity, and social justice (CDSJ). This process included intensive staff development, changes in policies and procedures, linkage with initiatives on the larger campus, and organizing work so that CDSJ is everyone’s job. This panel will invite participants to compare this process, with its challenges and strategies, to diversity work on their own campuses.
John Reiff, Director, Office of Community Service Learning, Cory Pols, Director, Advising and Academic Policy, and Katja Hahn d'Errico, Lecturer, Commonwealth College; and Alexandrina Deschamps, Associate Professor in Women’s Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Pluralism in the United States: Exploring Identity and Diversity through Performance
Session facilitators will discuss the theoretical and practical importance of using performance as a tool for students to understand issues of identity and diversity. Students will present a short performance and reflect on the role of performance in their learning. Participants will analyze and discuss ways in which performance based learning might be adapted for use in their own classrooms.
Lisa Holderman, Assistant Professor of Communications, Aisha Amin, Counselor, Act 101 Program, and Ana María García, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice, Arcadia University

A Pedagogy for Dialogue and Action on Multicultural Issues
The Program for Awareness and Cultural Education (PACE) is a collaboration between the Graduate School of Education and the Greenfield Intercultural Center at the University of Pennsylvania. PACE pedagogically creates space for sustained engagement around multicultural issues. Session participants will learn how textual knowledge is interwoven with lived experiences as students explore difference and work to identify and apply strategies for engaging in social change.
Valerie DeCruz, Director of Greenfield Intercultural Center, Ty A. Furman, Director of Student Performing Arts, and Sean Vereen, Associate Director Greenfield Intercultural Center, University of Pennsylvania

10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Featured Session

Making Excellence Inclusive
Podcast Recording
Making Excellence Inclusive is an AAC&U initiative designed help colleges and universities fully integrate their diversity and educational quality efforts and embed them into the core of academic mission and institutional functioning. This session will begin with a conceptualization of Making Excellence Inclusive arising from three years of research, focus groups, and critical analysis of the intersections of and synergies between diversity and academic excellence. The discussion will then explore how institutions can move “theories” of Making Excellence Inclusive to “practice” throughout academic and student life.
Carol Geary Schneider, President, AAC&U; and Damon Williams, Assistant Vice Provost for Multicultural and International Affairs, University of Connecticut

Concurrent Sessions

The Power of Stories for Intercultural Education and Faculty Development
This session will model some of the oldest learning methods–concrete life stories of a person and Peoples–and demonstrate their effectiveness in generating authentic intercultural awareness and understanding. From the Hispanic and Native story-telling cultures of Heritage University on the Yakama Nation reservation, this session will engage participants in experiencing, and exploring several practical examples of classroom strategies that use student stories. These same learning methods can be used in other settings including faculty development workshops.
Peter J. Frederick, Chair of American Cultural Studies, and Co-Facilitator, Center for Intercultural Learning and Teaching, and Apanakhi Buckley, Associate Professor of Education, Heritage University

Cultures and Communities: Diversity, Service-learning and the Core Curriculum
This session will address ways to integrate service-learning and multicultural education into the core curriculum. After brief presentations by faculty and staff, the audience will join in an analysis of obstacles, resources, and best practices for integrating diversity and community engagement across the curriculum.
Gregory Jay, Director, Cultures and Communities Program and Professor of English, Cheryl Ajirotutu, Associate Director, Cultures and Communities Program, and Sharon Adams, Director, Institute for Service Learning, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

Experiences and Challenges of Minority Administrators and Faculty Members
Understanding the professional life and challenges of minority administrators and faculty at different institutional types is important for their success, retention, and overall satisfaction. This session will highlight research findings on the nature of professional life for student affairs administrators and faculty members at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). Implications for policy, practice, and future research will be highlighted to promote institutional understanding and transformation.
Tonya N. Saddler, Doctoral Student, and Kimberly L. LaBoone, Assistant Director, College Transition Programs, Center for Academic Enrichment & Excellence  Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Border Crossings: Immigration, Diversity, and Future Directions for Higher Education
This session will focus on how immigration is influencing the ways in which we think about diversity work and future directions for higher education.  What are the experiences of undocumented students on American college campuses?  How does their presence on college campuses shape student services and the preparation of student affairs professionals?  What new approaches to curricular, co-curricular, and community engagement flow from current immigration patterns?  What value does immigration present to an institution of higher education?  Is higher education challenging the “old way” of thinking on immigration?  Session facilitators will use a “fishbowl” dialogue to create greater understanding about issues related to immigration and the implications for work in diversity and higher education.
Daniel Hiroyuki Teraguchi, Dean for Diversity and Academic Advancement, Wesleyan University

1:00 – 2:00 p.m.     
Concurrent Sessions

Curricular Strategies for Combining the Global and the Local
In this session, faculty members will discuss curricular strategies they use to help students understand the connections between issues of global and domestic diversity. These strategies include pairing courses with study abroad experiences as well as pairing two courses from different disciplines. Participants will share their own work in combining global and local experiences to advance student learning and consider new approaches that might result from these shared ideas.
Jeffrey Shultz, Associate Dean for Internationalization, and Ellen Skilton-Sylvester, Associate Professor of Education, Arcadia University; Susan D. Rose, Professor of Sociology, Dickinson College; and David Iyam, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Whittier College
Sponsored by AAC&U’s Shared Futures: Global Learning and Social Responsibility Initiative

Lessons Learned from the Michigan Student Study
Moving beyond a traditional focus on student-centered diversity outcomes, this session will present a more holistic reflection on the knowledge and experiences that make diversity “work” on college campuses. The facilitators will address the critical importance of committed top leadership, faculty buy-in, campus-wide diversity implementation, and a comprehensive diversity assessment process that aligns the institutional diversity mission with various legal mandates.
John Matlock, Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, and Katrina C. Wade-Golden, Senior Research Specialist, University of Michigan

Increasing Student Access and Success at Minority-Serving Institutions
Building Engagement and Attainment for Minority Students (BEAMS) campus participants and project staff will discuss how colleges and universities are increasing student access and success through data-informed institutional change initiatives. The session will provide an opportunity to examine how to use National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) data to inform plans to create and/or refine structures for increasing student engagement in learning and student retention. Both successes with and challenges to putting these structures in place will be discussed.
Lacey H. Leegwater, Senior Program Manager, Building Engagement and Attainment for Minority Students (BEAMS) Project, The Institute for Higher Education Policy; Alexei G. Matveev, Associate Director, Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment, Norfolk State University; Judith H. Munter, Associate Dean, College of Education, and Josie Tinajero, Dean, College of Education, The University of Texas at El Paso

 Now Is the Time: A Report of the AASCU/NASULGC Task Force on Diversity
This session will examine the development of a national report that addresses processes for engaging in a campus-wide conversation on diversity leading to personal and institutional change. Participants will learn about innovative, self-administered reflective questioning process for identifying strengths, weaknesses, and potential corrective steps in their diversity efforts.
Cathleen T. Love, Associate Vice Provost of Multicultural and International Affairs, University of Connecticut; Alysa Christmas Rollock, Vice President, Human Relations, Purdue University; and Njeri Nuru-Holm, Vice President of Student Affairs and Minority Affairs, Cleveland State University

Connecting Diversity and Civic Engagement Initiatives
This session will present approaches to combining diversity and engagement at a wide range of institutions including community colleges, minority-serving institutions, and comprehensive universities. Participants will consider how the Campus Compact’s Indicators of Engagement can be used to connect these efforts to broader institutional engagement initiatives and the ways in which campus-community partnerships can enrich these initiatives. The session will include examples from institutions and ideas for applying findings to participant’s own academic settings.
Jennifer Meeropol, Project Associate, Integrating Service with Academic Study, Edward Zlotkowski, Senior Faculty Fellow, and Rosalyn Jones, Engaged Scholar, Campus Compact
Sponsored by Campus Compact

The Academic Bill of Rights Movement – A Stealth Attack on Diversity Learning
The widespread Academic Bill of Rights movement seeks to legislate a new definition of diversity – viewpoint diversity – for academe, thereby threatening to politicize the curriculum. The proposed legislation will be reviewed and its legality examined. Session participants will engage in discussion about the movement’s threat to diversity learning and identify practical approaches for responding to those who, emboldened by its underlying philosophy, exert pressure on diversity educators.
Douglas V. Jensen, Director of Legal Studies, Pierce College and April F. Jensen, Executive Vice President, Green River Community College

2:15 – 3:30 p.m.       
Plenary

At the Crossroads of Diversity and Learning
Podcast Recording
This closing plenary will feature intergenerational insights from experienced, thoughtful diversity practitioners, scholars, and students who have engaged in conversations throughout the conference. Panelists will summarize and respond to discussions about the value of past efforts and the emerging directions for new diversity work at colleges and universities. What ought we carry forward? What do we need to redesign? What entirely new configurations are available that promise to invigorate teaching, scholarship, campus life, institutional structures, and modes of engagement in local and global contexts? The forum will provide a collective sense of how we might all  understand the transformative potential of diversity and learning in this defining moment.
Neil Hartmann, Bonner Scholar, The College of New Jersey; Elizabeth Minnich, Senior Fellow, AAC&U; José Moreno, Assistant Professor, Department of Chicano and Latino Studies, California State University, Long Beach; and Kathleen Wong (Lau), Executive Director and founder of the Women of Color Research Collective, and Assistant Professor, School of Communications, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo 
Moderator: Alma R. Clayton-Pedersen, Vice President, Office of Education and Institutional Renewal, AAC&U