Equity 2030
In 2019, Minnesota State established Equity 2030 with the goal of increasing access to and success in higher education by the year 2030 to support the Minnesota workforce and local communities. At Ridgewater, equity work is done within each department and college-wide in a variety of ways. Two specific initiatives that drive this work are Equity by Design and Guided Learning Pathways. A workgroup consisting of faculty, staff, and administrators facilitates the work being done within the initiatives on both the Hutchinson & Willmar campuses.
Equity by Design & Guided Learning Pathways
Equity by Design and Guided Learning Pathways are two system-wide initiatives meant to lead to the goals of Equity 2030 on a local level. Equity by Design is a data-informed approach to equity and student success informing educational practices on the campus-level, while Guided Learning Pathways reforms the college experience and practices.
What is Equity by Design?
Equity by Design is an approach to understand and address disparities and move towards meaningful equity-minded practices. Equity by Design:
- Utilizes data-informed practices designed to accommodate differences in student learning among different groups.
- Influences organizational development by centering work around equity-mindedness
- Informs change management strategy by disaggregating data, monitoring patterns, and enacting systems for continual learning
- Prepares institutions to be student-ready through an institutional commitment to equity work
- Prioritizes equity in academic outcomes by providing clarity in language, goals, and measures
What is Guided Learning Pathways?
Guided Pathways is a reform philosophy centered on demystifying the college experience through robust student support and clear routes to career-focused credentialing. Reforms have been in place for several years at colleges across the United States. Minnesota State adopted Guided Learning Pathways intending to have reforms in place by December 2023. Guided Learning Pathways supports:
- Accessible onboarding of students
- Robust and holistic student support
- Streamlined and simplified student pathways
- Using data to support decision making and change
