Creating a vision and developing your mission.

Experts with experience in advancing diversity at university campuses offer these suggestions:

Develop your own definition of diversity. Diversity has many faces. No one definition will fit every college and university. Take the time and invest the effort to develop a definition of diversity that fits with your institution’s mission and goals. This may mean meeting with stakeholders around the university, as well as organizations that work in this realm, prior to creating your vision.

Think broadly. Diversity is about reaching out to underserved groups, but the principle of inclusion can also be defined more expansively. Many campuses have found that a broader way of thinking about diversity, beyond underrepresented minorities, can be more productive than a scope that is too narrow. Consider, for example, that factors related to diversity and inclusion intersect in some way with virtually every aspect of university life and culture. 

Be flexible. An approach to diversity that fits one campus goal—say, for a specific program—may not work as well for other purposes. Build enough flexibility into your planning so that you can adjust what you are trying to do in a way that meets specific goals.

Link diversity to the academic mission. Work to make sure that diversity is viewed and treated as an integral part of the university’s academic mission. Find faculty champions and collaborate with them to make diversity a part of the curriculum. Students may be on campus for up to two years—capitalize on their stay to make diversity a regular part of their educational experience, both inside and outside the classroom.

One colleague's perspective:

Educate your peers. Too often, we find colleagues, including faculty members, who think they understand diversity but who in fact may have outdated concepts in mind. It’s up to you to help them improve their understanding. Share your insights with faculty and staff. Help administrators broaden their perspectives. Be proactive in helping your boss support and champion diversity. This can be one of the trickiest parts of your role and these conversations can be difficult. Think very carefully in advance about what strategy will be most effective and use the utmost diplomacy.

Map a mission. As the function of a diversity office becomes more prevalent, more institutions are developing diversity mission statements. That is helpful to clarify the scope of diversity work and provides a way to promote the importance of diversity, while helping people work toward common goals.

Where and how a diversity mission statement is positioned matters. For example, while it may be a longer and more arduous process, rather than write a separate mission, incorporating diversity into the institution’s mission may be, strategically, a more effective way to underscore the institution’s commitment.

>> Next: Designing the Infrastructure