Assessment of University Websites | Diversity Initiatives
University of Colorado Denver
By Chris Ferguson
December 5, 2012
I began my assessment by conducting Google searches for particular institutions. Some institutions offered enhanced Google searches (example seen below). This functionality allows users the ability to search a particular university’s website on Google’s search page, greatly improving search results. While this functionality may have more to do with Google, it greatly improved search results.
When this feature was unavailable, searching became more problematic. Many institutions’ search results were convoluted, providing hundreds of results, which was often a hindrance. Some site searches provided dozens or even hundreds of results, leaving users to hunt for the information for which they are seeking.
In searching these institutions’ websites, I envisioned myself as a prospective undergraduate or prospective graduate (or Ph.D.) student. I was also mindful that current students might be searching for services or offices of diversity and inclusion. I began all initial searches with the term “diversity.” In hindsight (and in future searches) I would consider entering other search terms to see what results came back, given that students might not use such a formal term, choosing to use terms like “disability,” “veteran,”
Another focus was whether university websites laid breadcrumbs to any disability initiatives or accessibility resources, including maps of campuses and restroom facilities. I also looked to see whether the institution promoted gender-neutral and so-called “family” bathrooms.
I assessed each university on whether it offered the aforementioned criteria in basic web pages, dedicated sites, or interactive or cutting-edge websites. My intention in doing so was grounded in Dr. Allen’s mission to provide a fully functional, user-centered, interactive/cutting-edge website for the constituencies of the University of Colorado Denver and Anschutz Medical campuses.
Rubric:
· Institution Name
· URL
· Page Name
· Type of Page/Site: Whether the institution provides basic pages or complete websites.
· (Basic – Interactive)
· User-centered: Did the institution proved a welcoming, intuitive, and thought-out page or site?
· Types of Disability Initiatives or Accessibility Resources
· Maps of Campuses and Restroom Facilities? Did the institution provide maps for gender-neutral restrooms?
· Type of Contact Information
· Current News
· Calendar of Diversity Events
· Departments
· Scholarships: Did the institution highlight opportunities for prospective or current students?
· Accomplishments: Did the institution highlight its achievements with inclusion?
· Welcome Page: Did the site welcome visitors with prose, images, or multimedia?
· List of Student Groups
· Student Life Information: Did the school provide students and staff with a picture of campus life and its offerings?
· Faculty and Staff: Whether the institution highlighted its diversity and inclusion employees
· Mission, Vision, Values
· Committees, Data, and Statistics
· Policies
· Research: Whether the institution highlight their own diversity and inclusion research
· Multi-lingual tools: whether the site offered language translation
· My Assessment
My assessment shows there are some exceptional websites, offering vast resources. Nevertheless, none can be classified as “perfect” when judged against this rubric. While my endeavor was not to find a “perfect” exemplar, it is nevertheless a fruitful assessment showing that there are best (and worst) practices. Some universities are clearly leading the way in the services they offer their students and staff. Yet, while others may have diverse student and faculty populations, they fail to communicate that spirit.
Institution Name / University of Colorado BoulderURL / http://www.colorado.edu/diversity/
Page Name / “Diversity”
Type of Page/Site
(Basic – Interactive) / Basic page with links and small photo
User-centered / No
Types of Disability Initiatives or Accessibility Resources / Links to the following:
· The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement
· Center for Multicultural Affairs
· CU-LEAD Alliance and Scholarship Program
· Department of Equal Opportunity
· Disability Services
· Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered (GLBT) Resource Center
· Office of Discrimination and Harassment
· Precollegiate Development Program
· Diversity Statistics
· Women’s Resource Center
College and School Diversity Resources
· Leeds School of Business
· School of Education
· College of Engineering and Applied Science
· School of Journalism and Mass Communication
· School of Law
· College of Architecture Planning
· College of Arts Sciences
· College of Music
· University Libraries
Maps of Campuses and Restroom Facilities? / None found
Type of Contact Information / Basic
Current News / Link to a list
Calendar of Diversity Events / Link to a list
Departments / Link to a list
Scholarships / None found
Accomplishments / None found
Welcome Page / Yes; Basic
List of Student Groups / Link to a list
Student Life Information / None found
Faculty and Staff / None found
Mission, Vision, Values / Overall University Mission; Poor
Committees, Data, and Statistics / Link to a list
Policies / Link to a list
Research / None found
Multi-lingual tools / None found
My Assessment / Severely lacking; at least one broken link
Institution Name / Indiana University
URL / http://diversity.iupui.edu/
Page Name / Office of Diversity, Equity Inclusion
Type of Page/Site
(Basic – Interactive) / Advanced, but not quite interactive, YouTube video produced by the office
User-centered / Yes
Types of Disability Initiatives or Accessibility Resources / • Diversity’s Importance
• Student Groups
• Opportunities
• Support Services
• Culture Diversity
• Student Life @ IUPUI
• Purdue School of Science Women in Science House
• SPECTRUM Diverse Student Artists Organization
• University Library Diversity Undergraduate Scholar program
• IUPUI Admissions: Diversity Guide
• IUPUI diversity/minority scholarships for prospective freshmen
• IUPUI diversity/minority scholarships for transfer students
• Research Program
Maps of Campuses and Restroom Facilities? / None found
Type of Contact Information / Full contact information with images of key staff and a full directory
Current News / Yes; including congratulations pages
Calendar of Diversity Events / Yes; Appears on the front page
Departments / Yes
Scholarships / Yes
Accomplishments / Yes; Listed PDF files
Welcome Page / Yes
List of Student Groups / Yes
Student Life Information / Yes
Faculty and Staff / Full profiles
Mission, Vision, Values / Yes; Vision, Mission and Goals of the University;
Committees, Data, and Statistics / Yes
Policies / Yes
Research / No
Multi-lingual tools / None found
My Assessment / Exemplary; This website is among the standard bearers; Gorgeous layout
Institution Name / Harvard Medical School
URL / http://www.hms.harvard.edu/dcp/
Page Name / Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership
Type of Page/Site
(Basic – Interactive) / Interactive; Full site with current audio and video
User-centered / Yes
Types of Disability Initiatives or Accessibility Resources / Resources are broken down for the following:
Pre-College
College Student
Medical Graduate
Post Doctorate Fellowship
Junior Faculty
Research and Evaluation
Our Community
Maps of Campuses and Restroom Facilities? / None found
Type of Contact Information / Full directory
Current News / Yes, with PDFs
Calendar of Diversity Events / Yes, on front page, including PDF with full-year calendar; Current and past events
Departments / Yes, broken down by education level
Scholarships / None found
Accomplishments / Yes
Welcome Page / Yes with narrative
List of Student Groups / Yes, Affinity Groups
o Harvard University Association of Asian and Asian American Faculty and Administrators
o Harvard University Association of Harvard Latino Faculty and Staff
o Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations
o Harvard University Association of Black Faculty, Administrators, and Fellows
o HMS/HSDM Joint Committee on the Status of Women
o HMS Kinsey Two-Sixers
o Harvard University LGBT Faculty and Staff Committee
o Harvard University Native American Program
o The Longwood Medical Area Romanian Biomedical Scientists Group
Student Life Information / None found
Faculty and Staff / Yes, page dedicated to faculty
Mission, Vision, Values / None found
Committees, Data, and Statistics / None found
Policies / None found
Research / Unsure, looks to be none
Multi-lingual tools
My Assessment / A strong website with numerous resources; some shortcomings.
Provides a page for visitors to give;
Site provides a list of diversity publications, including Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership (DCP), Minority Faculty Development Program (MFDP), MFDP Educational Outreach Programs, Harvard Catalyst | The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center Program for Faculty Development and Diversity, Biomedical Sciences Careers Program (BSCP), Other Publications;
Site includes jobs and fellowship page;
However, there are some shortcomings.
Institution Name / Princeton University
URL / http://www.princeton.edu/diversity/
Page Name / Institutional Equity Diversity at Princeton
Type of Page/Site
(Basic – Interactive) / Full website with linked pages and small photos; nice graphics
User-centered / Mostly, intuitive
Types of Disability Initiatives or Accessibility Resources / · Overview
· Core Values
· Presidential Perspectives
· News Events
· Campus Community
· Diversity Council
· Equal Opportunity
· Policies Regulations
· Resolving Issues
· Reporting Concerns
· Resources Training
· Contact Us
Maps of Campuses and Restroom Facilities? / None found
Type of Contact Information / Small contact page
Current News / Yes, on the Events page
Calendar of Diversity Events / Yes, full calendar of events with graphics
Departments / Yes, no explicit list though
Scholarships / None found
Accomplishments / None found
Welcome Page / Yes, simple page with narrative and links
List of Student Groups / Yes
Student Life Information / Yes, including Centers and Offices; Employee Resources; Student and Alumni Organizations; Public Programs
Faculty and Staff / Yes, small list on Contact page
Mission, Vision, Values / Yes, a page dedicated to core values. The page includes a full statement on Diversity and Community in “Rights, Rules, Responsibilities.”
Committees, Data, and Statistics / Yes, found on the Campus Community page; Includes a Publications and reports section.
Policies / Yes, although it is hidden on the Mission page.
Research / None found
Multi-lingual tools / None found
My Assessment / Nice, clean site.
One page was dedicated to addressing issues and concerns related discrimination and harassment. The page offers step-by-step options and a form to report discrimination and harassment.
The page also includes a (somewhat redundant) “Resolving Issues” page that provided helpful information.
Another strength is a “Resources Training” page for faculty that provides training.
Institution Name / University of California
URL / http://diversity.universityofcalifornia.edu/
Page Name / Diversity
Type of Page/Site
(Basic – Interactive) / Full website, lacking interactive features
User-centered / Somewhat; Clearly organized with a plethora of information for all stakeholders
Types of Disability Initiatives or Accessibility Resources / Information is broken down by/for: News; Students; Faculty; and Staff
Maps of Campuses and Restroom Facilities? / None found
Type of Contact Information / Poorly constructed/Difficult to find
Current News / Yes, with archive broken down by institutional location
Calendar of Diversity Events / Somewhat; Headlines from UC Campuses and Locations
Departments / Somewhat; Broken down by institution, however, it is not intuitive
Scholarships / None found
Accomplishments / None found
Welcome Page / Small statement from the university president (who is Caucasian); There is a Diversity Statement page
List of Student Groups / Somewhat; UC Systemwide Programs; not intuitive
Student Life Information / None found
Faculty and Staff / Yes, full information and resources for faculty and staff
Mission, Vision, Values / Yes, but poorly constructed; Merely the University’s Diversity Statement
Committees, Data, and Statistics / Yes, a page of links with PDFs
Policies / Yes, full listing of systemwide policies
Research / Systemwide Diversity Publications
Multi-lingual tools / None found
My Assessment / The site is the second result in Google when searching “diversity university”;
The site links to all diversity sites/pages within the university system. The site provides an impressive amount of information, but is not as intuitive as others examined here.
This site also provides “Other Resources,” including the following:
• Diversity in Education
• Government Agencies
• Diversity Organizations
Links can be found here: http://diversity.universityofcalifornia.edu/resources.html
Institution Name / Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey--Newark
URL / http://www.newark.rutgers.edu/diversity
Page Name / Diversity
Type of Page/Site
(Basic – Interactive) / Full site with large images of the school’s diverse student body;
User-centered / Yes; Dynamic, active, engaging, colorful, fun, open, welcoming;
Types of Disability Initiatives or Accessibility Resources / Full linked list, which is not intuitive;
Maps of Campuses and Restroom Facilities? / None found
Type of Contact Information / None found
Current News / Yes, on the front page and includes at least one small photo
Calendar of Diversity Events / Yes, on the front page and includes at least one small photo
Departments / Yes, but not fully intuitive
Scholarships / None fond
Accomplishments / None found
Welcome Page / Yes, with a large photo of a diverse student group and a caption about “Diversity: It really does matter”; The welcome page includes a well written and compelling narrative to this effect;
Furthermore, the welcome page includes Photos and links for “A Tradition of Diversity,” “A Way of Life,” “Diversity Resources,” “Why Diversity Matters,” “Community/Campus Connections,” “LGBT Student and Allies,” and “Resources for Student Veterans”;
List of Student Groups
Student Life Information / Yes, by default because “Campus Life” is part of the site’s native infrastructure;
Faculty and Staff / Yes, but in a list of links, which is not intuitive
Mission, Vision, Values / Somewhat, but no explicit resources found
Committees, Data, and Statistics / Yes, on the front page, but not thorough
Policies / None found
Research / None found
Multi-lingual tools / None found
My Assessment / This institution is listed as U.S. News World Report’s top “Campus Ethnic Diversity” school;
This is an exceptional site and is a standard bearer;
This site also includes resources for student veterans, which was almost absent from the sites examined here;
This site also provides ways to connect with the diversity initiatives through social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube;
The site has on the front page a list of “Quick Facts” and institutional diversity numbers;
This site also provides “General Resources” from the Web, which might be useful for users; o