New platform allows for higher education dialogue around diversity issues
A key focus of 5X’s strategic vision is creating and sustaining an inclusive environment. Trends in Diversity, a new Kent State initiative, provides a home for dialogue about diversity issues, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, class, economics, gender, and sexual identity and expression.
Trends in Diversity is a new online, open-access journal examining how institutions are improving their diversity across campus, and it is currently looking for submissions from faculty, staff members and students, says Edward Collins, Ph.D., director of diversity assessment and research at Kent State.
“Trends in Diversity is looking for submissions that explore issues of equity, inclusiveness and diversity that investigate American higher education,” Collins says.
The purpose of Trends in Diversity is to expand the capability of having a digital commons, which gives those in higher education the opportunity to upload work they have produced.
Increased investigation in these areas can impact access, matriculation and graduation, says Collins. Universities have been engaged in this work, but the hope behind Trends in Diversity is to provide an additional outlet in which this information can be shared.
“I think generally speaking, there’s not been much research that examines cultural programming and its influence on either recruiting or retaining diverse populations on campus,” Collins says. “This would be a medium or outlet where knowledge or information about diverse populations on campus could be shared.”
Collins says that once manuscripts are submitted, they will go through a blind review process, where scholars and practitioners from across the nation will rate the quality of the papers and recommend for publication.
Trends in Diversity submission instructions are:
- Submission deadline for the fall 2016 issue is June 30.
- Submissions should be submitted via Digital Commons.
- Article length is 4,500-6,500 words.
- Papers must not be under consideration by other journals for publication.
- Visit for additional guidelines.
For more information about Trends in Diversity, visit or email td@kent.edu.
