May 1, 2014<\/p>\n
Wisconsin State Journal<\/a><\/p>\n UW-Madison\u2019s curious new diversity plan is finally available more than a year after its scheduled completion. Its title is a mouthful: \u201cForward Together: A Framework for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence: Goals and Recommendations.\u201d<\/p>\n The plan lays out seven goals, 27 recommendations for implementation and indicators of success.<\/p>\n The Forward Together plan is confusing because it uses two radically different definitions of diversity. One is the traditional definition that focuses on racial and ethnic diversity in students, faculty and staff.<\/p>\n The other is a completely new and greatly expanded definition. It defines diversity as: \u201cIndividual differences in personality, learning styles, and life experiences, and group or social differences that may manifest through personality, learning styles, life experiences, and group or social differences. Our definition of diversity also incorporates differences of race and ethnicity; sex; gender; and gender identity or expression; sexual orientation; country of origin; language; physical and intellectual ability; socio-economic status; and affiliations that are based on cultural, political, religious, or other identities\u201d that can be engaged in the service of learning.<\/p>\n Why these particular \u201cdifferences\u201d are included in the definition of diversity is not clearly explained. More surprising is the failure to include important individual differences that do affect learning. I fail to understand why such factors as intelligence, aptitude, motivation, commitment, high school class rank, ACT\/SAT scores, and academic preparation for college are not included.<\/p>\n Perhaps it is because these are perceived as \u201cwhite privilege.\u201d Yet these \u201cdifferences\u201d are associated with what most people view as indicators of \u201cacademic excellence\u201d that are appropriate at an institution priding itself as a \u201cworld-class teaching and research university.\u201d<\/p>\n The Forward Together plan also is puzzling in asserting that \u201cmultiple dimensions of diversity … can be engaged in the service of learning.\u201d The words \u201cengaged in the service of learning\u201d sound elevating. But nowhere does the plan explain how these \u201cmultiple dimensions\u201d can be \u201cengaged in the service of learning.\u201d<\/p>\n How might information on these \u201cdifferences\u201d be obtained? Applicants would probably have to make checkmarks in an array of boxes on their application forms. Identifying \u201cdifferences\u201d such as \u201crace and ethnicity, and sex\u201d is easy. But will applicants know their \u201clearning styles\u201d or how to characterize their \u201cpersonalities\u201d? Will applicants be willing to disclose personal information on their \u201caffiliations based on their cultural, political, religious, or other identities\u201d?<\/p>\n Instructors in classrooms of any size will find themselves confronted by overlapping mixtures of \u201cindividual and group\/social differences.\u201d Based on my experience, I would have no idea how to incorporate these \u201cdifferences\u201d into my economics teaching.<\/p>\n In the interest of transparency, the Forward Together plan should explain more clearly that its largely untested \u201cDiversity and Inclusive Excellence\u201d framework, endorsed earlier by UW System, is the brainchild of a Washington-based educational \u201cthink tank\u201d rather than something developed out of the experience of college and university faculty and staff working to promote greater diversity.<\/p>\n UW-Madison has consistently failed to achieve the goals of its earlier diversity plans. What should lead faculty, students and administrators to believe any substantial progress can be made in promoting the much broader concept of diversity and inclusion that is the centerpiece of Forward Together?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" May 1, 2014 Wisconsin State Journal UW-Madison\u2019s curious new diversity plan is finally available more than a year after its scheduled completion. Its title is a mouthful: \u201cForward Together: A Framework for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence: Goals and Recommendations.\u201d The … Continue reading