University of Southern California
To develop an equity-minded, law-attentive organizational learning series for higher education institutions seeking to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion
This grant supports an effort by the University of Southern California Center for Enrollment Research, Policy, and Practice (CERPP)—in partnership with the American Association for the Advancement of Science and EducationCounsel—to develop an equity-minded, law-attentive organizational learning series. The series will support institutions of higher education as they continue to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in their respective communities in light of evolving legal and policy environments. Project activities center on three key components. First, the team will create 8-10 educational videos (10-15 minutes in length) that provide digestible summaries of key legal, policy, and research concepts pertaining to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in legally sustainable ways. Second, the team will host a webinar series featuring a robust, interactive curriculum for teams of campus stakeholders to engage in shared learning, facilitated dialogue, and action planning on program design. While this webinar series will be live and interactive, key content will be recorded and made available as on-demand resources. Third, the project will convene 5-7 teams of campus stakeholders, including legal counsel, senior leadership (i.e., provost), and other policymaking and decision-making positions (i.e., deans) to address a specific problem of practice. Participants will be offered additional technical assistance following the convening, including correspondence and consultations with experts who can provide insight on equity-minded, law-attentive practice, managing the change process, and interpreting data/research. The project promises to provide both high-level information and hands-on engagement to help educators effectively navigate the increasingly challenging legal and policy landscape around diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education.