| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 52.51 |
| Liaison | Josh Nease |
| Submission Date | May 10, 2022 |
Radford University
PA-6: Assessing Diversity and Equity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.62 / 1.00 |
Has the institution engaged in a structured assessment process during the previous three years to improve diversity, equity and inclusion on campus?:
A brief description of the assessment process and the framework, scorecard(s) and/or tool(s) used:
o NSSE PROCESS: The NSSE is administered annually to first year and senior bachelor’s degree seeking students late February/early March through May in cooperation with NSSE staff.
o NSSE FRAMEWORK: The NSSE is a national benchmarking survey “rooted in research on college students and how their college experiences affect their learning and development. It includes both the extent to which students participate in educationally effective activities as well as their perceptions of facets of the institutional environment that support their learning and development.” https://nsse.indiana.edu/nsse/about-nsse/conceptual-framework/index.html There are ten engagement indicators in four broad themes:
• Theme 1. Academic Challenge
o Higher-Order Learning
o Reflective & Integrative Learning
o Learning Strategies
o Quantitative Reasoning
• Theme 2. Learning with Peers
o Collaborative Learning
o Discussions with Diverse Others
• Theme 3. Experiences with Faculty
o Student-Faculty Interaction
o Effective Teaching Practices
• Theme 4. Campus Environment
o Quality of Interactions
o Supportive Environment
o HERI PROCESS: The Diverse Learning Environments survey (DLE) was administered Oct. 2018 to April 2019 to sophomore and junior students. It was a web survey.
o HERI FRAMEWORK: The DLE “captures student perceptions regarding the institutional climate, campus practices as experienced with faculty, staff, and peers, and student learning outcomes. Diverse student populations are at the center of the survey, and the instrument is based on studies of diverse student bodies and the complexity of issues that range from student mobility to intergroup relations.” https://heri.ucla.edu/diverse-learning-environments-survey/ The survey includes items such as institutional commitment to diversity, sense of belonging, academic self-confidence, general interpersonal validation, and academic validation.
Does the assessment process address campus climate by engaging stakeholders to assess the attitudes, perceptions and behaviors of employees and students, including the experiences of underrepresented groups?:
Does the assessment process address student outcomes related to diversity, equity and success?:
Does the assessment process address employee outcomes related to diversity and equity?:
A brief description of the most recent assessment findings and how the results are used in shaping policy, programs, and initiatives:
o Radford administers the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) every year. The NSSE includes some questions related to diversity and inclusion. In 2021, questions about belonging were added to the instrument. NSSE data along with institutional data on student demographics, retention and graduation rates are being analyzed in developing Radford’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). The last 6 years of data from the NSSE is currently being analyzed, so findings are unavailable now. That data will assist in deciding on a DEI-focused program for student success. The QEP is part of Radford’s SACSCOC re-accreditation process. The process of developing the QEP began in Spring of 2021 with the choosing of the topic, and it will continue until the SACSCOC on-site review visit in March 2023. The plan will be implemented for five years beginning in Fall 2023.
o In Spring 2019, Radford contracted with the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at UCLA to administer their Diverse Learning Environments survey. In Fall 2019, the survey results were analyzed in house. Radford University’s Diversity Equity Action Committee (DEAC) used the results of that survey (in addition to other data and research) to develop a DEI Action Plan that focused on Communications and Accountability, Recruitment and Retention of Diverse Faculty and Staff, and Training and Development for Faculty and Staff. In Spring 2021, the DEI Action Plan was brought to each of the four internal governance bodies at Radford (Student Government Association, Teaching and Research Faculty Senate, Administrative and Professional Faculty Senate, and Staff Senate) which all voted to support the adoption of the plan. In summer 2021, the DEAC’s DEI Action Plan became the university’s OneVirginia DEI strategic plan, which as of July 1, 2021 is required of state agencies by Virginia law.
Are the results of the most recent structured diversity and equity assessment shared with the campus community?:
A brief description of how the assessment results are shared with the campus community:
It is made available to those who ask for it, such as the QEP Development Committee and the DEAC, but it is not widely shared.
Are the results (or a summary of the results) of the most recent structured diversity and equity assessment publicly posted?:
The diversity and equity assessment report or summary (upload):
Website URL where the diversity and equity assessment report or summary is publicly posted:
Website URL where information about the institution’s diversity and equity assessment efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.