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College of Education and Human Development

Diversity Initiatives

CEHD Dialogues on Diversity

A project aimed at reforming institutional structures to support diversity and to reduce barriers to access.

Please contact Dr. Flynn Ross (207-780-5768) with your ideas about
ways that CEHD can reduce institutional barriers and support diversity.

Some recent initiatives include:

Reduce institutional barriers:

CEHD faculty and Multicultural Education Programs are working to build USM’s capacity for international transcript analysis;
CEHD’s Multicultural Education Programs successfully lobbied the Maine Department of Education to revise its requirements for standardized tests for teacher certification to allow a more flexible composite score rather than absolute test-specific scores. See Maine Policy Review
Many CEHD programs have moved to on-line evening, weekend and summer course offerings to openaccess to students who live at a distance and to accommadate family and work schedules.

Support diversity:

CEHD faculty changed CEHD’s graduate admission materials and recommendation forms to screen for cultural sensitivity as one desired student quality;
Teacher Education Department faculty developed an Equity Framework for TED; it guides student admission and program re-accreditation self study.
CEHD faculty developed a Graduate Certificate in Culturally Responsive Practices;
Faculty create and mentor civic-engagement opportunities for CEHD graduate students to work in USM’s host communities with people from diverse backgrounds;
2003-2005 Diversity Scholars (Professors Diane Wood and Desi Larson) facilitated a workshop series on poverty in Maine;
Professor Julie Canniff led a National Network for Education Renewal (NNER) Equity Task Force Self-Study (2006-07) to inventory the College’s Curriculum, Programs, Practices, Policies & Research. Professor Canniff’s findings were presented to the CEHD faculty.
CEHD sponsors an annual event called Equity Day. It is a program of workshops and discussions for initial teacher-certification candidates.