Business schools tend to rely on hard metrics to measure success. That’s sometimes difficult when it comes to diversity. Numbers tell only part of the story in diversity, as many initiatives are somewhat impossible to quantify. Meeting deliverables in a marketing campaign for diversity, for example, also tells just part of the story of success.

In part, measuring success in advancing diversity means taking a long-term, big picture view and thinking about what outcomes you can track over time.

• Are applications from diverse candidates up over the last few years? Has enrollment also grown? Is retention strong?
• Has your institution started to receive more diversity-related contributions?
• Has there been a steady increase in the introduction of diversity-related elements in the curriculum, and/or in clubs/extracurricular activities?
• Are more recruiters coming to campus specifically because you are graduating more diverse students?
• Are your students finding careers in companies that value diversity—or are graduates pioneering diversity?
• Do your alumni report back that their experience in your school prepared them well for work and life in a diverse society?

One colleague's perspective:

Within each of these areas—and others you might identify—you can set and measure objectives that fit within the scope of your institution’s goals for diversity. Use surveys and interviews, as well as numbers, to track your growth. Find compelling ways to document your progress as a narrative, however, the final measure should include both quantitative and qualitative data.

One colleague's perspective:

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