UNM
takes lead in diversity project
By Carolyn
Gonzales
UNM has
been awarded a $400,000 Ford Foundation grant to establish and
lead a consortium of four southwestern universities in a project
aimed at enhancing academic culture through increased campus
diversity, in part by attracting and engaging underrepresented
groups and women in the campus community.
Rather
than proposing a pilot program at one university, UNM proposes
to proactively sponsor a program of institutional change across
a variety of institutions already deeply involved in responding
to demographic challenges, said Dr. Roberto Ibarra, UNM
special assistant to the president for diversity.
In addition
to UNM and New Mexico State Universitytwo of the nations
three Hispanic-serving and research/doctoral-extensive institutionsother
consortium partners include Arizona State University and Northern
Arizona University.
Each
partner has expressed its commitment to diversity, agreed to
evaluate seriously its institutional policies and structures
and demonstrated a willingness to support consortium efforts,
said Ibarra, author of, Beyond Affirmative Action: Reframing
the Context of Higher Education.
Ibarra
says higher education systems used in the United States are
based upon a German model. It [the German model] worked
well in Germany and even in the U.S. until colleges and universities
started admitting and educating individuals who bring with them
learned cultural preferences that influence how they interact
and associate with others, use living spaces, perceive concepts
of time and other values and factors that help shape their world
view. We dont recommend throwing out the old model, but
rather expanding upon it to make it larger and more inclusive,
he said.
He says
that diversity programs at most institutions have been reduced
to a human resources function.
Each of
the four campuses will be encouragedthrough activities
such as faculty development programs, new curriculum models
and peer mentoringto embrace multicontextuality, Ibarra
said, in order to attract and effectively educate learners
of all types.
At UNM,
Ibarra said, efforts are now underway to make a more inclusive
environment by introducing specific ideas within the curriculum
to create an inviting environment for people of various backgrounds
and identities.
New
curricula in University College and the School of Engineering
will reflect principles of multicontextuality and will incorporate
a rigorous assessment component so that they can easily serve
as models for extension into other colleges and schools within
the university.