Grant Summary
$24,990 over 12 months. Like many liberal arts colleges, Ursinus and Washington & Jefferson Colleges see the integration of students' classroom learning with their everyday lives as a key indicator of a successful liberal education. They wish to assess the extent to which this occurs on their campuses and propose to anchor their study in issues related to diversity because of its relevance to both colleges' missions. The collaborative will begin by gathering this data (for example, about courses taught, diversity surveys completed, and student behavior) and consulting with various on-campus groups. They will meet to share best practices, as well as current strategies and results, to establish a common base from which to plan steps forward. A consultant will help hone focus on those approaches to diversity that the colleges will assess, especially with regard to their effectiveness in affecting student behavior beyond the classroom. A second gathering will convene administrators, faculty, students, and an assessment consultant to help generate ideas for an improved assessment strategy. The remainder of the project will be spent crafting the actual strategy.