Northwestern University
PA-5: Assessing Diversity and Equity

Northwestern conducts a senior survey every year. There are several questions on this survey about student satisfaction with the climate for marginalized students, and for diversity in general. We have longitudinal data for at least ten years so we can see trends. Student Affairs conducts an assessment of campus climate every three years through a survey called Profile of the College Student Experience. The last year we conducted it was spring 2012. This survey takes a broader view of diversity and includes questions about socioeconomic status, gender identity, racial/ethnic background, sexual identity, etc. We have longitudinal data for this survey, too, and national benchmarks so we can see how we stack up when compared with other institutions across the country. Last spring Student Affairs conducted a series of focus groups focusing on campus climate. The final report included 10 major themes which have been shared widely on campus.

Northwestern tracks the diversity of incoming freshman cohorts annually and assesses the success of those cohorts across their college careers. In conjunction with federal standards, we look at 6-year graduation rates broken down by gender and racial/ethnic categories, as well as for international students. The most recent processed data for this type of assessment is from 2002-2007. We compare this data to peer institutions in the Consortium on Financing Higher Education to assess our success relative to our peers and use the results to inform decisions on diversity programs, support for underrepresented students, and recruitment efforts. We also release reports annually on university diversity, for which these assessments help us track our progress in becoming a more inclusive and diverse environment for all students.

Northwestern tracks the diversity of our employees and faculty annually. We keep record of minority and women faculty employed at the University to assess our progress in becoming a more diverse, inclusive working environment. The office of Human Resources also compiles affirmative action plans annually, which look at employee diversity breakdowns in comparison to workforce availability data. The most recent affirmative action assessment was completed in April 2015. These figures inform recruitment efforts and hiring initiatives when searching for new employees, and help us track our progress over history.

Northwestern assesses and enhances diversity and equity as a matter of practice through our administrative infrastructure. We recently hired an Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion who is charged with ingraining diversity goals into strategic plans and the general governance and operations of the university. The University Diversity Council also assesses equity across the university and makes recommendations for improvements, in areas including opportunities for underrepresented faculty and creating an equitable campus environment for students and staff. Surveys conducted by Human Resources also track the demographics of all employees at the university, including leaders and administrators.