2024 Collaborative Network for Engineering & Computing Diversity (CoNECD)

In 2021, the Engineering Deans of the Big Ten+ requested that ABET incorporate principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into the General Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs. ABET responded by including draft statements relating to DEI in the criteria for faculty and the curriculum, which were open to public comment in 2022. After slight revisions to the criteria, ABET implemented an optional pilot of the criteria for universities who are up for accreditation in the 2023-24 cycle. Criterion 5, relating to the curriculum, states the following: “The curriculum must include…content that ensures awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion for professional practice consistent with the institution’s mission.” Criterion 6, relating to faculty, states the following: “The program faculty must also demonstrate knowledge of applicable institutional policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion and demonstrate awareness appropriate to providing an equitable and inclusive environment for its students that respects the institution’s mission.”

To prepare for the upcoming changes to ABET, the Big Ten++ Summit was held Penn State in October of 2022. A total of 71 participants from 20 institutions attended the meeting. The focus of the Summit was to participate in a set of activities that would provide a foundation for programs to respond to the changing criteria. These activities included an institutional audit of DEI-related activities, identifying activities that can ensure students obtain awareness of DEI for professional success (to prepare for the changes to Criterion 5), and identifying activities that can ensure faculty obtain knowledge of applicable institutional policies on DEI (to prepare for the changes to Criterion 6. Evaluation of the Summit was overwhelmingly positive, with participants emphasizing their perceptions that the event had high value. The focus of this presentation will be to 1) provide an overview of the overall Summit, 2) provide attendees with access to the activities that they can potentially utilize at their own institutions, and 3) provide information on the future direction of the Big Ten++ DEI Summit. The second Big Ten++ DEI Summit will be taking place in October of 2023 at Georgia Tech. Additional findings from the second Summit will be included in the presentation. Overall, the presentation will be helpful for other schools who will also need to prepare for the changing ABET criteria, with specific activities and actions that can guide their approach.