Richland College - DCCCD
PAE-7: Measuring Campus Diversity Culture

In 2007, Richland administered the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) developed by Bennett and Hammer (1998). The assessment was administered to a sample of employees completing Richland's six-level Intercultural Competence training program, as part of an in-depth study examining the effectiveness of the program. The assessment was also administered prior to beginning the program in 2001 using a pre- and post-test study design. Although participation was voluntary and only included employees who had completed all six levels of the program in 2007, participants were representative of Richland employee groups (faculty, professional support staff, and administrators) as well as demographic composition, particularly gender, ethnicity, and educational attainment. In addition to the IDI, the study also gathered qualitative data using a separate instrument with open-ended questions regarding participants’ perceptions of gains in intercultural competence in themselves and their co-workers.

Results of the study did not indicate significant gains in Intercultural Development as measured by the IDI. However, participants perceived increases in their own and their coworkers’ abilities to work with employees and students from diverse backgrounds. Many indicated that the training levels needed to be more frequent than once a year. To address these results, Richland compressed the program from six to three years, encouraging employees to complete two levels per year during the first three years of employment at the college. Richland also developed and offers ongoing Intercultural Competence training for those that have completed the first six levels as a result of these assessment findings.