Impact of a Diversity and Social Justice Course on a Higher Education Assessment Professional’s Practice

This essay discusses the impact of a diversity and social justice course on the assessment philosophy and practice of an early-career higher education assessment professional. The author, who directs institutional assessment practices at a public 4-year institution in the northeastern United States and is pursuing an online doctorate in higher education, reflects on the impact of this course. The experience of the course prompted significant reflection on the author’s inherited privilege and the need to incorporate equity for social justice into their professional practice. This essay tracks the author's journey through this course from a self-described ally to an aspiring co-conspirator, reinforces the need to incorporate equity for social justice into higher education assessment practices, and argues for the inclusion of a diversity and social justice course as a standard offering in higher education doctoral programs.