First Year Program Annual Report 2004

I. Presentation of Task Force Project

C. Hallmark #3: Diversity

  1. Ensures that all first-year students encounter diverse ideas, viewpoints, and people. Whatever the institution's demographic composition, first-year students have opportunities and are encouraged to interact with people different from themselves, to confront opinions and values different from those they currently hold, and to explore a variety of world views and human experiences.
  2. Suggested Revision:
    All first-year students should encounter diverse ideas, viewpoints, and people on campus and in surrounding community. Whatever the institution's demographic composition, first-year students will have opportunities and are encouraged to interact with people different from themselves, to confront opinions and values different from those they currently hold, and to explore a variety of world views and human experiences.
  3. Suggested Areas for Review
    1. Curriculum and course content (e.g., general education requirements, but also across disciplines)
    2. Faculty and staff profiles
    3. Policies and strategies for recruiting students, faculty, and staff
    4. Academic opportunities (e.g., first-year seminars, community service, internships, undergraduate research projects, study abroad, student and faculty exchanges)
    5. Residence hall programming and special halls (e.g., Living-Learning Centers)
    6. Academic and student affairs programming (e.g., speakers, festivals, symposia)
  4. Sources and Forms of Evidence
    • Policies and Strategies for Recruiting Students, Faculty, and Staff
      • Campus view books, fact books, catalogs
      • Alumni materials
      • Admissions information
      • Faculty Handbook
      • Student Handbook
    • Office of Multicultural Affairs
      • Activities
      • Support for instructional development
    • Academic opportunities (e.g., first-year seminars, community service, internships, undergraduate research projects, study abroad, student and faculty exchange programs)
      • Course offerings
        • General Studies Committee-Cultural Diversity requirements
        • Department, college or university degree requirements for multicultural courses
      • Faculty Research
        • Survey titles (or abstracts) of projects proposed for institutional, regional, national or international funding
        • Survey titles (or abstracts) submitted to campus research and writing journals.
        • Survey titles (or abstracts) of articles, essays and poems that have been published or presented at professional conferences by faculty with students
        • University website
      • Undergraduate Research
        • Survey titles (or abstracts) of papers and research projects being submitted to National Conference on Undergraduate Research
        • Survey titles (or abstracts) submitted to campus research and writing journals.
        • Survey titles (or abstracts) of articles, essays and poems that have been published or presented at professional conferences by undergrads alone or undergrads with faculty members.
      • Study Abroad Opportunities
        • Student Exchange Programs Special Student Learning trips
        • Office of International Education materials
        • Potential Questions: Determine the number and types of exchanges taking place...From where? Are there differences across departments in the countries in which these exchanges are taking place?
    • Community Service and Volunteer Work
      • Office of International Education materials
      • Office for Service Learning
      • Potential Questions: What is the possibility of expanding international community service programs to other countries in the world? How many programs are operating in any given year? How many students? What are there demographics? What types of programs do you administer? Diversity component?
    • Residence Hall programming and special Learning/Living communities
      • Director and Dean of Students who administers Residential and Greek
      • Mentoring Programs
      • Student Activities
      • Student Group and Organization policies and/or commitment to diversity
      • Potential Questions: What is the composition of the RA staff? Do they reflect a diverse background of students? What is the nature of residential programming? Do groups make a concerted effort to attract a variety of students? Do they interact with other student groups on campus that promote diversity? Do the intramural sport offerings reflect a diverse student population and interest? If not, how can the diversity of students on campus be better served? (e.g., sports that might appeal to international students or adaptive sports for students with disabilities)
    • Interaction with community
      • Internships
      • Specific career mentoring
      • Volunteerism/service organizations
      • Professional and civil organizations
      • Alumni Organizations
      • Potential Questions: How do UNK interact with professionals in the Kearney community? Does the pool of community professionals with whom students associate reflect a diverse group? If so, how? If not, how might this be accomplished? If not established, examine possibility of assembling a diverse mentoring pool of community area professionals. How might this group of mentors work with students in aspects of career and community mentoring.
    • Academic and Student Affairs programming (e.g., speakers, festivals, symposia)
      • Interview and discuss programming and speakers with Multi-cultural affairs office
      • Contact the Student Union and Student Activities Council about programming
      • Potential Questions: Is diversity a consideration for planned activities of special weeks like Homecoming?
    • Policies and strategies for retaining students, faculty, and staff
      • Office of the Registrar
      • Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs
      • Office of Student Support Services
      • Offices of Academic and Student Affairs
      • International Education Office