Developing a Racial Diversity Developing a Racial Diversity Index for California Community Index for California Community

Colleges Colleges

Alice van Ommeren Alice van Ommeren

RP Group Conference – April 2011RP Group Conference – April 2011

BackgroundBackground Increasing attention to reducing the Increasing attention to reducing the

achievement gap (outcomes) achievement gap (outcomes) Policymakers and administrators are Policymakers and administrators are

inquiring about the racial disparitiesinquiring about the racial disparities Researchers are being tasked to Researchers are being tasked to

measure inequities and disparities measure inequities and disparities Importance of capturing the racial Importance of capturing the racial

diversity of the student body diversity of the student body (access)(access)

Statement of the ProblemStatement of the Problem

Aware that we have a diverse system Aware that we have a diverse system and been considerate in reporting and been considerate in reporting

Nature of the CCC’s racial composition Nature of the CCC’s racial composition has been relatively unexaminedhas been relatively unexamined

The relationship between student The relationship between student diversity as a covarariate or predictor diversity as a covarariate or predictor variable has not been exploredvariable has not been explored

Purpose of the StudyPurpose of the Study

Examine the empirical nature of Examine the empirical nature of racial composition and diversity racial composition and diversity of the student population across of the student population across the California community colleges the California community colleges

Study ObjectivesStudy Objectives Discuss types of diversity Discuss types of diversity

measures and relevant studies in measures and relevant studies in higher educationhigher education

Develop racial diversity indices for Develop racial diversity indices for each of the community collegeseach of the community colleges

Describe the indices and potential Describe the indices and potential use as adjustment variablesuse as adjustment variables

Discuss application of the indices Discuss application of the indices for researchers and policymakers for researchers and policymakers

CautionCaution

Racial categories are constructs Racial categories are constructs and do not capture social, cultural, and do not capture social, cultural, economic and political issues economic and political issues surrounding racial diversity surrounding racial diversity

General MethodologyGeneral MethodologyDatasetsDatasets Early Racial Composition MeasuresEarly Racial Composition Measures Diversity Range and VariabilityDiversity Range and Variability Diversity IndicesDiversity Indices

Analysis Analysis Exploratory Data AnalysisExploratory Data Analysis Correlations and ScatterplotsCorrelations and Scatterplots

Specific MethodologySpecific Methodology

Measures and indices for 111 colleges Measures and indices for 111 colleges from Data Mart (Annual 2009-10) from Data Mart (Annual 2009-10)

Removed 3 of the 9 categories Removed 3 of the 9 categories (American Indian, 2 or more, (American Indian, 2 or more, unknown)unknown)

Descriptives, also used histograms Descriptives, also used histograms and boxplots to identify outliers and boxplots to identify outliers

Relationship among the diversity Relationship among the diversity measures & indicesmeasures & indices

Racial Composition MeasuresRacial Composition Measures Percent WhitePercent White

Simplest measure, most common in early studiesSimplest measure, most common in early studies Percent MinorityPercent Minority

Alternative to % white, measure of racial minorityAlternative to % white, measure of racial minority Percent Underrepresented Minority (URM)Percent Underrepresented Minority (URM)

Another alternative, historically underrepresented in Another alternative, historically underrepresented in completing college. completing college.

For this study, defined as Hispanic, Black, Filipino and Pacific For this study, defined as Hispanic, Black, Filipino and Pacific IslanderIslander

Descriptives of Diversity Descriptives of Diversity MeasuresMeasuresOverallOverall

MeanMeanOverallOverall

MedianMedianHighest Highest

CollegeCollegeLowest Lowest

CollegeCollege

% White% White 40%40% 37%37% 83%83% 1%1%

% Minority% Minority 59%59% 62%62% 99%99% 17%17%

% URM% URM 48%48% 48%48% 97%97% 14%14%

% Black% Black 9%9% 5%5% 58%58% 1%1%

% Hispanic% Hispanic 34%34% 32%32% 91%91% 11%11%

% Asian% Asian 11%11% 7%7% 45%45% 1%1%

Racial Composition (CCC) over Racial Composition (CCC) over TimeTime

Percent of White has decreased over Percent of White has decreased over time (55% in 1992 to 38% in 2010)time (55% in 1992 to 38% in 2010)

Percent of Black in CCC has stayed Percent of Black in CCC has stayed at 8% since 1992, Filipino and Pacific at 8% since 1992, Filipino and Pacific Islander has also stayed the sameIslander has also stayed the same

Hispanics increased from 21% to Hispanics increased from 21% to 36% and Asian from 15% to 18%36% and Asian from 15% to 18%

All these patterns are consistent All these patterns are consistent with state population changeswith state population changes

Dimensional Diversity MeasuresDimensional Diversity Measures Diversity RangeDiversity Range

Difference between the lowest and highest Difference between the lowest and highest

Skewness = 100% - (% highest - % lowest)Skewness = 100% - (% highest - % lowest) Diversity VariabilityDiversity Variability

Measures the spread, standard deviationMeasures the spread, standard deviation

SqRt (1 – ((%white-m)SqRt (1 – ((%white-m)22 + (%black-m) + (%black-m)22 + ….)/k) + ….)/k)

Descriptives of Dimensional Descriptives of Dimensional MeasuresMeasures

OverallOverall

MeanMeanOverallOverall

MedianMedianHighest Highest

CollegeCollegeLowest Lowest

CollegeCollege

Div. RangeDiv. Range 49%49% 52%52% 76%76% 9%9%

Div. Div. VariabilityVariability

81%81% 81%81% 91%91% 67%67%

Diversity IndexDiversity Index Sensitive to proportional differences, Sensitive to proportional differences,

takes into account all categoriestakes into account all categories Intended to measure how much Intended to measure how much

“variety” or “spread” a college or “variety” or “spread” a college or district has among its racial groupingsdistrict has among its racial groupings

Measures the probability that any two Measures the probability that any two randomly selected students will be in randomly selected students will be in the same racial groupingthe same racial grouping

Ranges from 0 (no diversity) to 1 Ranges from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (complete diversity)(complete diversity)

The Use of Diversity IndicesThe Use of Diversity Indices

EcologyEcology Measure biodiversity in ecosystems Measure biodiversity in ecosystems

Economists Economists Measure distribution of sectors Measure distribution of sectors

DemographersDemographers US Census BureauUS Census Bureau USA TODAY Diversity IndexUSA TODAY Diversity Index

Diversity Indices in Diversity Indices in EducationEducation

U.S. New & World ReportU.S. New & World Report– Utilized in their ranking Utilized in their ranking

Edsource, Ethnic Diversity Index for Edsource, Ethnic Diversity Index for CDECDE– A characteristic of the school or districtA characteristic of the school or district

CSU Dominguez Hills (2005)CSU Dominguez Hills (2005)– WASC Diversity Sub Committee WASC Diversity Sub Committee

Educational benefits with diversityEducational benefits with diversity– U.S. Supreme Court (UC in 1978), SLO’s U.S. Supreme Court (UC in 1978), SLO’s

Types of Diversity IndicesTypes of Diversity Indices Many different types of indicesMany different types of indices

– Specific to field of study and purposeSpecific to field of study and purpose

Simpson’s Diversity IndexSimpson’s Diversity Index– Origins in EcologyOrigins in Ecology– Sensitive to richness (number of categories) and evenness Sensitive to richness (number of categories) and evenness

(number of students in category)(number of students in category)– More weight to number of categoriesMore weight to number of categories– Ranges between 0 to 1 Ranges between 0 to 1

Simpson’s Diversity IndexSimpson’s Diversity Index

DDSS= 1 - Sum= 1 - Sum11ii [n [nii*(n*(nii-1)]/[N*(N-1)]-1)]/[N*(N-1)]

DDss = 1 - = 1 - 40(39) + 25(24) + 15(14)40(39) + 25(24) + 15(14) 80(79) 80(79)

= 1 - = 1 - 23702370

63206320

= 1 - 0.375= 1 - 0.375

= 0.625= 0.625

Descriptives of Diversity IndicesDescriptives of Diversity IndicesOverallOverall

MeanMeanOverallOverall

MedianMedianHighest Highest

CollegeCollegeLowest Lowest

CollegeCollege

Simpson (6)Simpson (6) .60.60 .62.62 .79.79 .18.18

Simpson Simpson (5U)(5U)

.52.52 .54.54 .72.72 .17.17

*U/UMR – Combining Asian and White *U/UMR – Combining Asian and White

Discussion of DistributionDiscussion of Distribution High Diversity IndicesHigh Diversity Indices

– Colleges with even spread among White, Black and Asian Colleges with even spread among White, Black and Asian (mostly Bay Area colleges)(mostly Bay Area colleges)

– Using UMR, even balance with Black and Hispanic groups Using UMR, even balance with Black and Hispanic groups (outside the Bay Area)(outside the Bay Area)

Low Diversity IndicesLow Diversity Indices– Colleges with both high Hispanics (Imperial) and high White Colleges with both high Hispanics (Imperial) and high White

(Shasta, Redwood, Siskiyous)(Shasta, Redwood, Siskiyous)– This was consistent with UMR index This was consistent with UMR index

The diversity index captures the idea The diversity index captures the idea that the diversity of races matters that the diversity of races matters but that which race is in the but that which race is in the majority and which in the minority majority and which in the minority does not matter at all does not matter at all

Thought from the LiteratureThought from the Literature

Correlations with Outcome Correlations with Outcome MeasuresMeasures

ProgresProgresss

RateRate

30 Units30 Units

RateRateBasic Basic SkillsSkills

TransfeTransferr

RateRate

Simpson (6)Simpson (6) .242*.242* .106.106 .119.119 .221*.221*

Simpson Simpson (5U)(5U)

-.119-.119 -.184-.184 -.079-.079 -.116-.116

Other Measures & IndicesOther Measures & Indices

Segregation MeasuresSegregation Measures Dissimilarity IndexDissimilarity Index

– Segregation between two social groupingsSegregation between two social groupings Exposure IndexExposure Index

– Measures a single groupings average Measures a single groupings average

exposure to all groupingsexposure to all groupings

Index does not single out and give Index does not single out and give more weight to one racial group over more weight to one racial group over anotheranother

Does not incorporate other student Does not incorporate other student characteristics, such as the largest characteristics, such as the largest racial group, percent English racial group, percent English learners, etc. learners, etc.

Research LimitationsResearch Limitations

California community colleges racial California community colleges racial composition is diverse across the systemcomposition is diverse across the system

This study lays the empirical groundwork This study lays the empirical groundwork for explaining diverse student populationsfor explaining diverse student populations

Provides an important characteristic of the Provides an important characteristic of the campus, useful in describing the college campus, useful in describing the college

Relationship with diversity indices and Relationship with diversity indices and SPAR and Transfer Rate, needs exploring SPAR and Transfer Rate, needs exploring

Research ResultsResearch Results

California community colleges racial California community colleges racial composition is diverse across the composition is diverse across the systemsystem

Colleges with high diversity indices Colleges with high diversity indices are in the Bay Area with large Asian are in the Bay Area with large Asian proportionsproportions

Relationship with high diversity Relationship with high diversity indices and SPAR and Transfer Rate indices and SPAR and Transfer Rate

ConclusionsConclusions

Track your college diversity Track your college diversity measures and indices over time measures and indices over time

Compare college diversity index to Compare college diversity index to district, service area or peer group district, service area or peer group

Contrast student diversity index to Contrast student diversity index to faculty diversity indexfaculty diversity index

Create different types of college Create different types of college diversity indices and evaluate diversity indices and evaluate

Further Research for Further Research for CollegesColleges

Explore the effect of the index in a Explore the effect of the index in a multivariate relationship multivariate relationship

Develop service area indices and Develop service area indices and compare with college indicescompare with college indices

Explore other dimension of Explore other dimension of diversity, such as age, gender, diversity, such as age, gender, socioeconomicssocioeconomics

And…. And….

Further Research for Further Research for SystemSystem

Handouts & Contact Handouts & Contact InformationInformation

References and IndicesReferences and Indices Alice van Ommeren at Alice van Ommeren at

916.327.5878916.327.5878

avanommeren@cccco.eduavanommeren@cccco.edu