Proposal to Faculty Senate

CHARGE 3. (Approved by Faculty Senate 9/15/11): Develop a set of criteria to be used by the Curriculum Committee to review existing Diversity (DV) courses and to approve new Diversity (DV) courses. (November 2011 deadline; DV courses are scheduled to undergo review during the 2012-13 academic year)

Utilizing the American Association of Colleges & Universities’ VALUE (Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education) Rubric (Appendix 1) for Intercultural Knowledge and Competence, new courses seeking the Diversity designation (DV), as well as existing Diversity (DV) courses undergoing periodic review by the Curriculum Committee, must meet the following two (2) requirements:

1. All Diversity (DV) courses must include curriculum content and evidence of student learning in 4 of the 6 key components of intercultural knowledge and competence:

a. Knowledge of one’s own cultural rules & biases (Cultural self-awareness)

b. Knowledge of other cultures and cultural worldview frameworks

c. Skills – Empathy

d. Skills – Verbal and nonverbal communication

e. Attitudes – Curiosity

f. Attitudes – Openness

2. All Diversity (DV) courses must include curriculum content and evidence of student learning at the milestone-2 level on the rubric in 2 of the 4 chosen categories in requirement 1.

The General Education Improvement and Assessment Committee recommends that the Curriculum Committee collect average scores for each DV course using the AAC&U rubric to establish a baseline for the intercultural knowledge and competencies claimed by the renewed cohort of Diversity (DV) courses. These data could be used in the future by the General Education Committee to recommend changes or revisions in the above standards to Faculty Senate.

Approved by the General Education Improvement & Assessment Committee
September 27, 2011