CFD Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Higher Education 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which framework categorizes privilege and oppression along multiple intersecting axes such as race, gender, class, and sexuality?
- Bloom's Taxonomy
- Intersectionality (Correct answer)
- Andragogy
- Maslow's Hierarchy
Correct answer: Intersectionality
Intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, describes how overlapping social identities create unique, compounded experiences of privilege or oppression that cannot be understood in isolation.
Question 2: When a faculty developer conducts an 'equity audit' of a course, what is the PRIMARY goal?
- Verifying that the course meets minimum contact hour requirements
- Identifying and removing systemic barriers that disadvantage certain student populations (Correct answer)
- Ensuring the course earns high student satisfaction scores
- Confirming that the course is aligned with accreditation standards
Correct answer: Identifying and removing systemic barriers that disadvantage certain student populations
An equity audit systematically examines course design, assessments, and outcomes data to identify disparities and structural barriers that may prevent equitable access and success for all students.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of an 'inclusive syllabus' practice?
- Including only peer-reviewed articles from top-tier journals
- Adding a statement welcoming students of all backgrounds and specifying disability accommodation processes (Correct answer)
- Requiring in-person attendance for all class sessions
- Setting a single fixed deadline for all assignments
Correct answer: Adding a statement welcoming students of all backgrounds and specifying disability accommodation processes
An inclusive syllabus explicitly communicates a welcoming stance toward diverse students, outlines accessibility resources, and uses language that respects varying identities and needs.
Question 4: What is the purpose of 'brave space' as opposed to 'safe space' in DEI-focused classroom discussions?
- To eliminate all conflict from classroom dialogue
- To encourage honest, challenging dialogue while acknowledging that discomfort is part of growth (Correct answer)
- To ensure students never encounter opposing viewpoints
- To restrict discussion topics to only non-controversial subjects
Correct answer: To encourage honest, challenging dialogue while acknowledging that discomfort is part of growth
A 'brave space' acknowledges that meaningful learning about diversity requires the courage to engage with difficult topics, accepting that some discomfort is productive and necessary for growth.
Question 5: A student who is a first-generation college student is MOST likely to benefit from which faculty practice?
- Relying solely on written syllabi for course navigation
- Demystifying hidden academic 'norms' such as how to email a professor or visit office hours (Correct answer)
- Assigning more independent research without scaffolding
- Reducing feedback on written assignments to encourage independence
Correct answer: Demystifying hidden academic 'norms' such as how to email a professor or visit office hours
First-generation students often lack family models for navigating higher education's unwritten norms, so explicitly teaching these conventions reduces inequities tied to cultural capital.
Question 6: Which institutional strategy is most effective for creating systemic change toward equity in faculty hiring?
- Relying on existing faculty networks to recruit candidates
- Implementing structured, criteria-based hiring rubrics developed before reviewing applications (Correct answer)
- Allowing search committee members to rank candidates based on personal impressions
- Limiting the candidate pool to alumni of the institution
Correct answer: Implementing structured, criteria-based hiring rubrics developed before reviewing applications
Structured rubrics created before seeing applications reduce the influence of affinity bias and ensure all candidates are evaluated against the same job-relevant criteria.
Question 7: Which of the following BEST describes 'code-switching' as experienced by students from marginalized groups in academic settings?
- Switching between programming languages in a computer science class
- Adapting one's language, behavior, or appearance to conform to dominant cultural norms in academic environments (Correct answer)
- Translating course materials from one language to another
- Changing majors to a different academic discipline
Correct answer: Adapting one's language, behavior, or appearance to conform to dominant cultural norms in academic environments
Code-switching requires students to suppress aspects of their cultural identity to fit into predominantly white, middle-class academic norms, which can be cognitively and emotionally taxing.
CFD Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Higher Education 2
Which framework categorizes privilege and oppression along multiple intersecting axes such as race, gender, class, and sexuality?