Supporting People, Supporting People, Programs, and Programs, and Structures for Structures for

DiversityDiversity

EDHE 6730EDHE 6730Organization and Administration of Organization and Administration of

Student Development ServicesStudent Development Services

By Lisa S. Estrada-HambyBy Lisa S. Estrada-Hamby

College and University College and University Common BeliefCommon Belief

• Diversity in their student bodies, Diversity in their student bodies, faculties, and staff is important for faculties, and staff is important for them to fulfill their primary mission:them to fulfill their primary mission:

Providing a Quality Providing a Quality EducationEducation

Ethnic BreakdownEthnic Breakdown• Year 2020Year 2020

– 40 percent of Americans will be members of 40 percent of Americans will be members of the following groupsthe following groups• African AmericanAfrican American• LatinoLatino• Pacific Islanders, orPacific Islanders, or• American IndiansAmerican Indians

• Year 2012Year 2012– Students of color will make up 25 percent of Students of color will make up 25 percent of

the under-eighteen populationthe under-eighteen population

College Enrollment DataCollege Enrollment Data• Since 1979, women have outnumbered men enrolled Since 1979, women have outnumbered men enrolled

on college campuses throughout the country. In on college campuses throughout the country. In 1996 the enrollment of women was nearly 56 percent1996 the enrollment of women was nearly 56 percent

• In 1996:In 1996:– 26 percent of those attending were students of color26 percent of those attending were students of color– RegionallyRegionally

• 40 percent and above in New Mexico and California40 percent and above in New Mexico and California• 30 percent and above in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, 30 percent and above in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida,

Georgia, and New YorkGeorgia, and New York

• Students with special needs have also dramatically Students with special needs have also dramatically increasedincreased– 1978 showed three percent but five years later showed 1978 showed three percent but five years later showed

almost ten percentalmost ten percent

Supporting ProgramsSupporting Programs• 1997 report issued by the Kellogg 1997 report issued by the Kellogg

Commission on the Future of State and Commission on the Future of State and Land Grant Universities called upon public Land Grant Universities called upon public universities to rededicate themselves to universities to rededicate themselves to student learningstudent learning

• The first report, The first report, Returning to Our Roots: Returning to Our Roots: The Student Experience, The Student Experience, declared that declared that anything short of a strong commitment anything short of a strong commitment jeopardizes an institution’s capacity as a jeopardizes an institution’s capacity as a learning communitylearning community

Supporting ProgramsSupporting Programs• Involvement in LearningInvolvement in Learning

– Astin (1996) refers to involvement as the Astin (1996) refers to involvement as the amount of time and energy (physical and/or amount of time and energy (physical and/or psychological) a student invests in learningpsychological) a student invests in learning

– The greater the students’ degree of The greater the students’ degree of involvement, the greater the learning and involvement, the greater the learning and personal developmentpersonal development

Supporting ProgramsSupporting Programs• Socioeconomic background, cultural heritage, Socioeconomic background, cultural heritage,

college preparedness, academic preparation, college preparedness, academic preparation, and campus environment all influence a and campus environment all influence a student’s ability to engage in an institution and student’s ability to engage in an institution and be an active participant in the learning processbe an active participant in the learning process

• Institutional commitment to involve all Institutional commitment to involve all members of the learning community is critical members of the learning community is critical in advancing students’ goals and institutional in advancing students’ goals and institutional objectivesobjectives

Astin’s Research (1993)Astin’s Research (1993)• Indicates that institutional and faculty Indicates that institutional and faculty

diversity emphases have a positive impact diversity emphases have a positive impact on cultural awareness and commitment to on cultural awareness and commitment to providing racial understanding among providing racial understanding among studentsstudents

• Identifies students’ personal commitment Identifies students’ personal commitment to promoting racial understanding as well to promoting racial understanding as well as their overall satisfaction with college as their overall satisfaction with college and student life when these opportunities and student life when these opportunities occuroccur

Pope’s Research (1995)Pope’s Research (1995)

• Indicates the need for new and better Indicates the need for new and better strategies to involve students in a strategies to involve students in a multicultural campus: “creating a multicultural campus: “creating a multicultural campus requires more than multicultural campus requires more than … increasing diversity. Instead, new … increasing diversity. Instead, new strategies that alter goals, expectations, strategies that alter goals, expectations, perceptions, and practices are needed to perceptions, and practices are needed to transform and create multicultural transform and create multicultural campuses.”campuses.”

MulticulturalMulticultural• A term to define a campus that recognizes the A term to define a campus that recognizes the

broad array of cultural characteristics of racial and broad array of cultural characteristics of racial and ethnic minorities, women, or others who may feel ethnic minorities, women, or others who may feel disempowered by policies or practices of college disempowered by policies or practices of college campusescampuses

• All students benefit from structured, positive All students benefit from structured, positive interactions with peersinteractions with peers

• A healthy and productive learning community A healthy and productive learning community requires an opportunity for autonomous requires an opportunity for autonomous involvement in cultural, racial, ethnic, or special involvement in cultural, racial, ethnic, or special interests within the broader communityinterests within the broader community

Institutional Strategies Institutional Strategies Which FailWhich Fail

• Assuming that diverse students must changeAssuming that diverse students must change

• Making multicultural student, faculty, staff, and Making multicultural student, faculty, staff, and administrators responsible for socializing new multicultural administrators responsible for socializing new multicultural studentsstudents

• Encouraging multicultural students to adapt to the dominant Encouraging multicultural students to adapt to the dominant cultureculture

• Helping only ‘identifiable’ multicultural studentsHelping only ‘identifiable’ multicultural students

• Failing to provide equitable educational opportunities to all Failing to provide equitable educational opportunities to all students, and students, and

• Failing to educate those of the dominant culture about their Failing to educate those of the dominant culture about their multicultural colleaguesmulticultural colleagues

Banning and Bartels Banning and Bartels (1997)(1997)

• How powerfully the physical artifacts of a How powerfully the physical artifacts of a campus communicate non-verbal campus communicate non-verbal messages to students about the values of messages to students about the values of a campus.a campus.

• Taxonomy through which campus Taxonomy through which campus artifacts may be assessed; they encourage artifacts may be assessed; they encourage campuses to utilize this system as a campuses to utilize this system as a vehicle for multicultural education.vehicle for multicultural education.

Stage and Manning Stage and Manning (1992)(1992)

• A model that encourages participation from A model that encourages participation from the entire campus community as a means of the entire campus community as a means of removing barriers to involvement.removing barriers to involvement.

• A multicultural campus is an inclusive A multicultural campus is an inclusive campus, responsive to all persons regardless campus, responsive to all persons regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, gender and of race, ethnicity, culture, gender and background.background.

• The model’s components of learning to think The model’s components of learning to think constructively, spanning boundaries, ensuring constructively, spanning boundaries, ensuring optimal performance, and taking actionoptimal performance, and taking action

Intentional Strategies for Intentional Strategies for ChangeChange

• Acknowledge IndividualsAcknowledge Individuals– Acknowledging each student as an individual learner can Acknowledging each student as an individual learner can

become the student’s invitation to become a contributing become the student’s invitation to become a contributing member of the learning communitymember of the learning community

• Affirm GroupsAffirm Groups– As the multicultural campus evolves in its diversity and As the multicultural campus evolves in its diversity and

its richness, so should it flourish and multiply in its its richness, so should it flourish and multiply in its groups and organizationsgroups and organizations

• Invest In OthersInvest In Others– Inherent in ideals of shared governance, full Inherent in ideals of shared governance, full

representation, and a commitment to the public good, is representation, and a commitment to the public good, is the concept of interdependency where individual success the concept of interdependency where individual success is made possible through the guidance and help of othersis made possible through the guidance and help of others

A Case for DiversityA Case for Diversity• Examining professional association membership Examining professional association membership

provides insight into the diversity of the provides insight into the diversity of the professionprofession

• The presence of female professionals and The presence of female professionals and administrator has become more prevalentadministrator has become more prevalent

• Mentors appear to make a key differenceMentors appear to make a key difference

• A critical number of diverse staff must be in place A critical number of diverse staff must be in place so that individuals who are in the minority are not so that individuals who are in the minority are not isolatedisolated

A Case for DiversityA Case for Diversity• ““Oneness” as a concept occurs when the person Oneness” as a concept occurs when the person

of a specific background, ethnicity, gender, of a specific background, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or other distinguishing sexual orientation, or other distinguishing characteristic is the only one in a peer groupcharacteristic is the only one in a peer group

• These individuals become a torchbearerThese individuals become a torchbearer

• In an environment that offers little affirmation, In an environment that offers little affirmation, doubts may linger about one’s performance and doubts may linger about one’s performance and abilityability

A Case for DiversityA Case for Diversity• OverperformerOverperformer

– Take on multiple assignments that extend Take on multiple assignments that extend beyond primary duties which includebeyond primary duties which include• Service, committee work, and stewardship within the Service, committee work, and stewardship within the

university communityuniversity community• Externally to participate in community activities and Externally to participate in community activities and

represent the university at largerepresent the university at large

– The better the performance in each roles, the The better the performance in each roles, the greater the burdengreater the burden

– Compromise and destructive cycle may result Compromise and destructive cycle may result as the additional assignments may jeopardize as the additional assignments may jeopardize one’s success in the primary professional roleone’s success in the primary professional role

Minority Group Minority Group IdentificationIdentification

• Are minority staff perceived as credible Are minority staff perceived as credible within their ethnic or gender group?within their ethnic or gender group?

• How much time, effort, and commitment How much time, effort, and commitment is required by the group – demands not is required by the group – demands not made of majority group individuals?made of majority group individuals?

• How comfortable are the individuals in How comfortable are the individuals in identifying with the group?identifying with the group?

Successful vs. FailureSuccessful vs. Failure• If an individual succeeds then others of the same If an individual succeeds then others of the same

race, gender or ethnic group they have a much race, gender or ethnic group they have a much better chance of being considered for a future better chance of being considered for a future appointmentappointment

• If an individual fails then the chances of others of If an individual fails then the chances of others of a similar background will be much more difficulta similar background will be much more difficult

• Minority individuals often feel that they must Minority individuals often feel that they must prove that they are worthy of the position from prove that they are worthy of the position from day oneday one

Strategies for Hiring a Strategies for Hiring a Diverse StaffDiverse Staff

• Administrators should take the time to Administrators should take the time to consider the organization and the skills consider the organization and the skills and competencies needed to advance itand competencies needed to advance it

• Job qualifications should be reviewed to Job qualifications should be reviewed to ensure that requirements are relevant to ensure that requirements are relevant to the current duties and not unduly the current duties and not unduly restrictive or narrowrestrictive or narrow

• The hiring process should also be The hiring process should also be examined, with great consideration given examined, with great consideration given to recruitment strategies for the positionto recruitment strategies for the position

Promoting from WithinPromoting from Within• Minority administrators are often in entry or Minority administrators are often in entry or

middle management positionsmiddle management positions

• Minority administrators are also located frequently Minority administrators are also located frequently in specialized functions that target other minoritiesin specialized functions that target other minorities

• Minority administrators are involved with Minority administrators are involved with programs that are funded by grants or are in staff programs that are funded by grants or are in staff (versus line) capacities(versus line) capacities

• People should be promoted for their competencies People should be promoted for their competencies and promise, not exclusively on seniorityand promise, not exclusively on seniority

Hiring from OutsideHiring from Outside• Strategies Strategies

– Broadening the applicant pool Broadening the applicant pool

• Personally contacting known individuals who may be Personally contacting known individuals who may be strong candidates strong candidates

• Identifying individuals through networksIdentifying individuals through networks

• Advertising in multiple sources including minority-Advertising in multiple sources including minority-forced newspapers and journals, as well as forced newspapers and journals, as well as announcing the opening through rapidly developing announcing the opening through rapidly developing Web sitesWeb sites

Retaining and Retaining and DevelopingDeveloping

• Strategies to support minority staff for access and advancement Strategies to support minority staff for access and advancement within the professionwithin the profession

– Opportunities to direct or coordinate student affairs initiativesOpportunities to direct or coordinate student affairs initiatives

– Summer institutes and academicsSummer institutes and academics

– Summer management internships for currently employed individuals Summer management internships for currently employed individuals who are underrepresented in the fieldwho are underrepresented in the field

– Involvement in professional organizationsInvolvement in professional organizations

– Graduate program preparationGraduate program preparation

• Staff development programs are also critical and can be Staff development programs are also critical and can be implemented with few resources when necessaryimplemented with few resources when necessary

Graduate Preparation Graduate Preparation ProgramsPrograms

• Graduate programs should address their commitment Graduate programs should address their commitment to diversity and ensure that the information to diversity and ensure that the information disseminated underscores this commitmentdisseminated underscores this commitment

• To address the inclusion of the topics into the To address the inclusion of the topics into the curriculum, faculty must assess both the knowledge curriculum, faculty must assess both the knowledge base of their students as well as the mission and goals base of their students as well as the mission and goals of the departmentof the department

• To establish a more comprehensive curriculum that To establish a more comprehensive curriculum that integrates a multicultural focus, the faculty should integrates a multicultural focus, the faculty should review the existing program as a whole and then review the existing program as a whole and then discuss how diversity can be incorporated in each of discuss how diversity can be incorporated in each of these areas these areas

Graduate Students NeedGraduate Students Need• To be assured that the actual practices of To be assured that the actual practices of

their respective faculty match the rhetoric in their respective faculty match the rhetoric in the classroomthe classroom

• The composition of the faculty needs to The composition of the faculty needs to reflect the diversity they espousereflect the diversity they espouse

• To see that the faculty support events To see that the faculty support events highlighting diversity and that they sponsor highlighting diversity and that they sponsor students of diverse backgroundsstudents of diverse backgrounds

Supporting Organizational Supporting Organizational StructuresStructures

• Structures should be reviewed periodically to Structures should be reviewed periodically to determine their effectivenessdetermine their effectiveness

• Some SA organizations have chosen to combine Some SA organizations have chosen to combine departments while the majority are more traditional departments while the majority are more traditional

• Each approach has the potential to limit or promote Each approach has the potential to limit or promote minority individualsminority individuals

• The elimination of entire departments may mean The elimination of entire departments may mean downsizing staff which affects the loss of minorities downsizing staff which affects the loss of minorities and womenand women

Supporting Organizational Supporting Organizational StructuresStructures

• Decentralized OrganizationDecentralized Organization

– Potential for specialization early in one’s careerPotential for specialization early in one’s career

– More evident on larger campusesMore evident on larger campuses

– Tendency is for supervisors to believe that Tendency is for supervisors to believe that certain skills or competencies are not as easily certain skills or competencies are not as easily transferable when, in reality, the opposite is truetransferable when, in reality, the opposite is true

Summary and Future Summary and Future ImplicationsImplications

• Diversity has traditionally been focused on Diversity has traditionally been focused on underrepresented ethnic groups and womenunderrepresented ethnic groups and women

• In the future, the application of diversity In the future, the application of diversity principles will become broader to include principles will become broader to include both gay/lesbian/bisexual students and both gay/lesbian/bisexual students and students with disabilities students with disabilities

• These individuals still have a great amount These individuals still have a great amount of fear of their acceptance as students or of fear of their acceptance as students or their job security as professionalstheir job security as professionals

Summary and Future Summary and Future ImplicationsImplications

• Attitudinal barriers and those that Attitudinal barriers and those that result from prior and/or continuing result from prior and/or continuing policies and procedures that inhibit policies and procedures that inhibit participation are much more defeating participation are much more defeating and demoralizing and demoralizing

• A number of strategies need to be put in A number of strategies need to be put in place that are strategic and institutional place that are strategic and institutional to encourage more open settings that to encourage more open settings that are supportive of all types of diversityare supportive of all types of diversity

Summary and Future Summary and Future ImplicationsImplications

• Definite progress has been made in Definite progress has been made in diversifying the college environmentdiversifying the college environment

• Programs and services will need to evolve Programs and services will need to evolve from ones of exclusively ethnic focus to ones from ones of exclusively ethnic focus to ones that help students not only identify with their that help students not only identify with their particular race or culture, but clearly assist particular race or culture, but clearly assist them with the multicultural aspects of their them with the multicultural aspects of their environmentenvironment

• People who serve as role models will need to People who serve as role models will need to reflect the dramatically changing demography reflect the dramatically changing demography of the studentsof the students

ReferenceReference• Barr, M. J., Desler, M. K., and Barr, M. J., Desler, M. K., and

Associates. (2000). The handbook of Associates. (2000). The handbook of student affairs administration. student affairs administration. Jossey-Bass Publishers.Jossey-Bass Publishers.