Equity by Design
What is Equity by Design?
Equity by Design is the central and most critical pillar of Equity 2030. It is a methodology to understand and address disparities and move towards meaningful institution-wide multifaceted equity-minded practices. It is different from past structures because it prioritizes: student-centered policies and programs; evidence-based and data-informed practices; coordination and communication; and, leadership development to support equity.
Principles for Enacting Equity by Design
According to the work of Bensimon, Dowd, Witham (2016), and the Center for Urban Education, there are five key principles for building the infrastructure necessary to enact Equity by Design.
- Principle 1: Provide clarity in language, goals, and measures.
- Principle 2: Center the workaround equity-mindedness.
- Principle 3: Ensure practices and policies are designed to account for and accommodate contextual differences in student learning among different groups.
- Principle 4: Disaggregate data, monitor patterns, and enact systems for continual learning. Institutional change requires ongoing commitment and the capacity to learn from failure.
- Principle 5: Institutional commitment to equity work must be embedded as a foundational principle for the college or university.
Learn about Equity by Design Elements
Learn about Equity-Minded Language
