February, 2006
To: President Russell K. Osgood and Campus Community

From: Frank Thomas, Senior Counselor

Re: Diversity Reports

Listed below are the Numerical Diversity Reports issued on behalf of the Diversity Steering Committee. The Report captures Fall Enrollment for all students effective October, 2005. Also attached is a charting of Grinnell College employees, including faculty, as of November 1, 2005. Included are the four years previous to November 1, 2005 to provide a historical record and multiple year comparisons. The data prior to November 1, 2001, is, I believe, unreliable as the methodology for collecting and reporting data has shifted through the past several years prior to Fall, 2001.

A committee, gathered to advise in the production of these reports, has recommended that the College adopt data produced for the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) as a consistent source of information to be used in reporting to the campus as well as providing a researchable historical record. Accordingly, I have adopted this recommendation as the basis for preparation and issuance of these periodic reports.

The IPEDS reporting system is a consistent and required reportage that goes through the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to which most colleges belong and report. Data is provided by each member/reporting institution by November 1 of each year. After the data is compiled it is reported back to the sending campus for its use and historical record; thus, the data forms a reliable basis for reporting to the Grinnell Campus. The categories reported are those required for reportage to the IPEDS. Although it is the belief of some faculty that they should not be classed as "employees," the term is one that the federal government and other agencies routinely use for reports. In similar fashion, the ethnic identifications and categories are those contained in the reporting forms the College is required to produce. It is unlikely that in the near future such categories will change as we take note of this information from the IPEDS: "We (meaning IPEDS) have asked OMB (the federal Office of Manageme nt and Budget) to provide more guidance to the federal statistical community in our efforts to achieve agreement across agencies. NCES has advised OMB that implementation of the new reporting categories for aggregate data systems, such as the IPEDS, will require several years. As a result, NCES strongly recommends that institutions do nothing at this time to change their current race and ethnicity reporting systems and formats."

Diversity Report (2001-2005) (PDF format)

Student Diversity Report 2005-2006 (PDF format)