In May 2003, the Diversity in the Curriculum Task Force was appointed by David Conn, Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Undergraduate Education, to investigate the question, "have we prepared (and are we preparing) our students in their disciplines in order to be successful professionals, civic leaders, and informed citizens in a diverse national and global society?"  Dr. Conn requested a report by the end of Fall Quarter 2003.

In order to have a definition of diversity that is consistent with our past campus efforts and to provide a common understanding for our work, the Task Force members adopted the following diversity definition from the "Cal Poly Statement on Diversity" (AS-506-98/DTF):  "Diversity is specifically inclusive of, but not limited to, an individual's race/ethnicity, sex/gender, socioeconomic status, cultural heritage, disability and sexual orientation." 

Diversity in the Curriculum Task Force Actions and Recommendations       

1.   Models of Diversity in the Curriculum     

The Task Force identified the current Cal Poly diversity requirements:  one course in U. S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP) and one course in GE Area D3 Comparative Social Institutions.  In addition, the Task Force reviewed models of diversity in the curriculum at peer institutions (Appendix 1) (Word doc), the AACU August 2000 Survey of Diversity Requirements (Appendix 2), and readings at diversityweb.org.  All of the peer institutions have at least one diversity course requirement (a few require three courses), while 62% of the AACU institutions surveyed currently have a diversity requirement or are in the process of developing one.  The requirements generally fall into one of two categories: U.S. cultural diversity or Global cultural diversity.  Of the AACU survey institutions with a diversity requirement, 83% address U. S. cultural diversity and 65% address diversity outside of the United States. 

One of the readings from Diversity Digest, "The Impact of Diversity Courses: Research from Pennsylvania State University," by Betsy Palmer, (Appendix 3) is a summary of a survey designed to examine changes in students' attitudes and content knowledge after they were enrolled in a diversity course.  A primary conclusion of the survey is that, "Previous enrollment in diversity courses led to more positive attitudes at the end of the semester, suggesting that multiple courses have a cumulative positive effect on students' levels of tolerance."     

Conclusion: Cal Poly's two-course requirement is consistent with our review of peer institutions and the nationwide AACU survey.  While studies indicate that it would be beneficial to increase the number of diversity courses, the Task Force realizes that this would be difficult to accomplish in Cal Poly's highly-impacted curricula.     

Recommendation: Diversity should be infused throughout the student's curriculum (General Education, USCP and Major).

Back to top

2.   U. S. Cultural Pluralism Requirement

The Task Force identified Cal Poly's current U. S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP) requirement and reviewed the USCP criteria and objectives (Appendix 4).  The Task Force also reviewed the enrollment of USCP course offerings and the number of student USCP petitions for substitutions to determine if the USCP requirement is causing a roadblock to student progress toward degree.  There are 55 USCP courses currently being offered, and of these, 34 courses also satisfy a GE requirement and 13 satisfy a major requirement (Appendix 5).  During the period of September 2002 through May 2003, there were 29 USCP petitions for substitution submitted to Academic Programs; of these petitions, 21 were approved (Appendix 6).             

Conclusion: the Diversity in the Curriculum Task Force endorses current USCP criteria and objectives. The USCP requirement is not causing a roadblock to student progress toward degree completion.  The USCP objectives and criteria address the question, "have we prepared (and are we preparing) our students in their disciplines in order to be successful professionals, civic leaders, and informed citizens in a diverse national and global society?"  The Task Force didn't utilize an assessment method to determine if, in fact, USCP is successfully meeting the purpose of the posed question.           

Recommendations:                  

1. Maintain the current USCP graduation requirement
2. Instruct the U. S. Cultural Pluralism Committee to undergo a program review to discern if courses are meeting the USCP criteria and objectives, as well as reflect the intent of the diversity learning objectives (see item 4 below)
3. Survey students in USCP courses to see if they believe that USCP and diversity learning objectives are being met.

Back to top

3.   General Education Area D3 Comparative Social Institutions

The Diversity in the Curriculum Task Force reviewed the GE Area D3 criteria and objectives and course enrollments (Appendix 7).            

Conclusion: The Task Force endorses continuation of the comparative social institutions criteria of the Area D3 requirement. The GE Area D3 objectives and criteria address the question, "Have we prepared (and are we preparing) our students in their disciplines in order to be successful professionals, civic leaders, and informed citizens in a diverse national and global society?"  The Task Force didn't utilize an assessment tool to determine if, in fact, GE Area D3 is successfully meeting the purpose of the posed question.           

Recommendation: The Diversity Learning Objectives should be included in a review of General Education and infused throughout the GE program.

4.   Diversity Learning Objectives and Content Areas

The Task Force reviewed existing Cal Poly documents to draft diversity-related learning objectives.  Documents reviewed include: "Strategic Plan," "Visionary Pragmatism," and USCP and GE objectives and criteria.  Informed by its review, the Task Force developed a preliminary set of diversity learning objectives for the purpose of the Diversity Course Inventory (see item 5 below).

In addition, the Task Force revised the diversity learning objectives after feedback from the University Diversity Enhancement Council (UDEC) and from results of the course inventory (for the sake of clarity over redundancy, diversity must be explicitly defined in each learning objective).  The Task Force identified the following Diversity Content Areas based upon the definition of diversity found in "Cal Poly Statement on Diversity" (AS-506-98/DTF): race and ethnicity in the United States; cross-cultural, global perspectives; sex/gender; socioeconomic status; cultural heritage; disability; and sexual orientation. 

Diversity Learning Objectives   

As a result of including the perspectives of diverse individuals and groups in Cal Poly's overall curriculum most students will be better able to do all of the following:

1. Demonstrate an awareness of and a greater willingness to consider a wide range of ideas, attitudes, and behaviors different from their own regarding social, ethnic/racial, and gender/sexual diversity.
2. Explore ideas that will help them understand and function in an integrated national and international environment that is increasingly diverse.
3. Acquire and foster a greater understanding of the relationship between diversity, inequality, and power both in the US and globally.
4. Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of contributions made by diverse individuals and marginalized groups.
5. Demonstrate an awareness or understanding of the ways in which the absence of input or influence of marginalized groups limits cultural economic, social, political and scientific development of theoretical frameworks, societal institutions, etc.
6. Apply diversity-related knowledge and communication strategies to develop self-awareness of what it means, in terms of status and history, to be a member of the student's own gender, race, class, ethnicity, age, and religion in our culture as well as an understanding of how these categories affect those who are different from one's self.
7. Apply critical thinking to theories about diversity in order to develop an understanding of competing approaches, and further develop independent thought.
8. Acquire the understanding that diversity broadens and enhances the intellectual culture that is essential to higher education.

Conclusion: a set of learning objectives has been developed, which we believe (a) can help define and shape a university-wide diversity curriculum, and (b) can help faculty infuse diversity-related knowledge into the curriculum, whether they aim at one of the learning objectives or several.

Recommendation:  obtain university-wide endorsement of the above-mentioned diversity learning objectives.

Back to top

5.  Diversity Course Inventory

The Task Force designed a diversity course inventory to determine the degree to which diversity learning objectives and diversity content areas are infused throughout the major.  A matrix was prepared by staff in Academic Programs for each major and included all required major courses offered by the department. Required courses offered by departments other than the major were not included.

The inventories were distributed by David Conn to every Cal Poly department chair/head with undergraduate major(s) and the Multiple Subject Credential program. The inventories were sent via email on October 6 with a response due date of November 7.

Members of the Task Force reviewed and summarized the responses. A "Diversity Inclusion Metric" was devised as a numerical average based on the degree to which the diversity learning outcomes and diversity content areas were self-reported by the major department.  Academic Programs staff calculated each department's metric. Additional information is available upon request.

* The Diversity Inclusion Metric for one major was 7.68.  This observation was considered an outlier and was subsequently excluded from the summary.            

Conclusions:  Not surprisingly, the results showed that the Diversity Inclusion Metric scores of all major programs in engineering, mathematics, life and physical sciences fell into Column A.  Columns C & D revealed medium-high and high metric scores for the majors Nutrition, Recreation Administration, Agribusiness, and Kinesiology, in addition to majors in English, Modern Languages and Literatures, History, and Social Sciences and the Multiple Subject Credential.

In addition to the current U.S. Cultural Pluralism and GE Area D3 requirements, diversity can and should be taught across the curriculum, and in a wider range of courses than is commonly assumed.

Recommendation:  Make the Diversity Learning Objects and Content Areas easily accessible for faculty, including posting to the "Catalog & Curriculum Development" web site.  Encourage further infusion of diversity throughout the curriculum.

Back to top

6.   Faculty Development

Met with the Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) to share ideas and plans. The CTL would like to help create a learning community that would address diversity in the faculty development area. CTL admits to needing assistance and recommendations. Time did not allow for the Task Force to pursue further discussions with the Director of CTL.

Conclusion: Faculty development is a key element if diversity learning objectives and content areas are to be infused throughout the curriculum. As determined by the results of the Diversity Course Inventory, there are many disciplines that traditionally have not included diversity learning objectives, and faculty would benefit from having diversity learning/teaching resources available to them.

Recommendations: Cal Poly, possibly through the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), needs to provide faculty development opportunities to:

1. Increase diversity awareness
2. Include diversity learning outcomes and content in the curriculum
3. Obtain grants and other resources to develop courses
4. Initiate a visiting scholar program that would invite recognized scholars who have expertise in fields of study that relate to diversity issues to teach courses and give public lectures at Cal Poly.

The Task Force would like to acknowledge that increasing the number of faculty from diverse backgrounds would help fulfill this objective and other recommendations contained in this document.

Back to top

7.   Universitywide Coordination and Assessment

Time did not allow for the Task Force to pursue assessment efforts of the diversity components of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) and National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) surveys.

Recommendations: Coordinate with University Diversity Enhancement Council (UDEC) regarding the CIRP and NSSE surveys and the FIPSE Grant activities to determine the extent to which the diversity learning objectives are addressed during students' Cal Poly experience.

8.   Student Input

Time did not allow for the Task Force to pursue collaborative efforts with the Multicultural Center to receive crucial input from our students.

Recommendation: Plan and attend a student focus group in collaboration with the Multicultural Center.

9.   Overall Recommendation

The Task Force believes that it is crucial to follow through with recommendations that you and other campus members feel are vital to further "prepare our students in their disciplines in order to be successful professionals, civic leaders, and informed citizens in a diverse national and global society."  Either an existing campus committee or a new Diversity in the Curriculum Advisory Board should continue efforts to increase diversity content and learning objects throughout the curriculum.   For more details on actions taken by the Task Force, please refer to the document, "Diversity in the Curriculum: Implementation Plan for Review and Improvement" (Appendix 8).

Back to top