Abstract:

Colleges and universities that have adopted a proactive commitment to student diversity have done so because they understand how their central mission is and must be linked with the future of the diversity of the world. They are aware of the fact that most new work will require some college education and possibly a college degree, and those students that have studied within institutions that provided a diverse learning and living environment are better preparing their students for the work world.

Although curriculum changes in higher education began over 30 years ago, many institutions have been slow to commit to diversity and make it central to their mission. The best of US institutions have embraced diversity, and linked Academic Excellence, Diversity, and Inclusion to their Mission statements, and created institutional cultures that support these beliefs in multiple ways.

Increasing diverse student populations on campus initially presented colleges and universities with some new challenges, but growth and change are never easy. Again, the best institutions used these challenges to bring about greater changes and improve and enhance student learning and faculty development. Some examples of how student diversity is linked with the teaching and learning mission of higher education include;

1- Through reform in undergraduate teaching of science and mathematics, institutions are developing ways to increase the scientific and quantitative literacy of undergraduates who begin college with broad differences in ability.
2-Recognizing that the key to parity in educational attainment lies at various points in the educational pipeline, higher education institutions are collaborating with K-12 institutions and community-based organizations to develop a comprehensive approach to education.
3-Scholars are engaged in conversation with institutions about developing models for new cognitive outcomes that reflect students' abilities to comprehend multiple perspectives on an issue and ultimately arrive at decisions that are just and equitable.
Other examples will be addressed and discussed in this presentation and paper.

Then the final discussion will address why diversity not only matters to student populations, but the major advantages that students experience and "take away" with them from diverse institutions.

Keywords:

Diversity, Inclusion, Mission.