From Conceptualization to Implementation: Making the Case for a Chief Diversity Officer

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From Conceptualization to Implementation
Making the Case for a Chief Diversity Officer

• Jeanne Arnold, MSW, Ed.D.
• Grand Valley State University
• Vice President for Inclusion and Equity
• arnoljea_at_gvsu.edu
• [phone]
• Marlene Kowalski-Braun, MS
• Grand Valley State University
• Womens Center Director
• kowalskm_at_gvsu.edu
• [phone]
• A Place Where Doors are Open and All Voices are
  Heard

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CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER (CDO) definition

• A growing trend in higher education to formalize
• diversity/inclusion/equity as institutional
• commitments and to centralize responsibility for
• diversity efforts. This person has direct access
  to
• the president/chancellor or provost.

(Williams Wade-Golden, 2007)
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Why create a CDO position?

• Changing demographics of colleges and
  universities (students, faculty and staff)
• Working to fulfill missions of creating global
  citizens, aware of the world, civic minded
• Workforce demanding cultural competence
• Response to bias incidents and other tensions
  around diversity

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Current research on the CDO
Should report to the president or senior academic
officer of the institution, be involved with all
aspects of affirmative action, and involved in
creating equity and learning models around
diversity. Senior leadership should create a
position where the CDO works with ALL to enhance
diversity from bottom up, top down, and across
the institution. Must provide CDO with both
symbolic and material resources to encourage the
change process. This means that the person needs
a title (to show connected power to president or
provost) and a healthy budget (to partner, start
initiatives and influence change). (Williams
Wade-Golden, 2007)
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Tools

• Telling Your Story
• Models
• Position Paper or Proposal

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Telling Your Story

• What are the institutional mission, vision, and
  values? Do they speak to the need for a CDO?
• How does diversity data make a case?
  Recruitment/retention numbers for
  students/faculty/staff, demographics of the
  campus, climate study?
• Have there been critical incidents that reflect
  the climate of the campus? Bias incidents,
  campus unrest, the creation of new organizations,
  etc.
• What functions are not being served currently or
  being done well? Affirmative action, training,
  ombuds, etc.

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Relationship between CDO and Other Strategic
Diversity Capabilities
(Williams Wade-Golden, 2007)
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Models for building a CDO position

• THREE Archetypes of CDO Vertical Structure
• Collaborative Officer Model
• Unit-Based Model
• Portfolio Divisional Model

(Williams Wade-Golden, 2007)
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Percentage of CDOs Across the three Archeptypes
of Vertical Structures
(Williams Wade-Golden, 2007)
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Position Paper OR Proposal(considerations for
content)

• Introduction (who is the writer or writing team?)
• Mission, vision, values
• Presidential quotes
• AACU Statement of Liberal Learning, 1998
• Operational frameworks (i.e. define diversity)
• Current reality
• Summary of research/diversity data
• Critical incidents of significance/anecdotal
  stories
• How the CDO position improves the campus
• Cite research on the role of the CDO
• CDO position description/examples of work at
  university
• Budget and staffing

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Tools for recruitment

• Convey Depth of Commitment to diversity
• Leadership for the search
• Title
• Marketing the position
• Role of a search firm
• Relationships with Candidates
• Before the interviews
• During the interviews
• Post-hire Considerations
• Relocation logistics
• Acclimation to campus (welcome receptions)
• Introductions to off-campus community
• Office location and support

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Tools for implementation

• The First 100 Days

• Learning about the history of diversity
  initiatives
• Introductions to the campus and larger community
• Quick wins/low-hanging fruit

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GVSU example
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Working Towards a Plan
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Conclusion

• Unanswered questions?
• Resources
• Evaluation
• Thank you