Inclusive Directions: The Role of the Chief Diversity Officer in Community College Leadership

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Description

As community colleges continue to be significant in the national landscape of higher education by providing access to education and job training to diverse constituents, conversations about the support for strategic diversity leadership are paramount. Now more than ever, senior leaders must be intentional in aligning strategy with outcomes and guidance in relation to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Leaders must be diligent in pursuing an inclusive excellence agenda and promoting a strategy to support positive outcomes that impact cross-college collaboration that advances education completion and support. This practitioners guide will provide timely and relevant insight on the ultimate benefits of strategic diversity leadership to promote inclusive excellence at community colleges. This book offers tangible resources and discusses the role of the chief diversity officer.
This book will significantly benefit those interested in learning more about diversity and inclusion at community colleges and will provide insight into strategic diversity leadership. The book provides an in-depth view of the roles and responsibilities of the chief diversity officer, diversity strategic planning, and examines the various roles of diversity leaders at community colleges.

Reviews

As the country continues to become increasingly diverse, educational institutions are reexamining hiring practices and infrastructure to meet the needs of a changing population. With this movement in mind, the authors offer a well-organized discussion on the steps necessary to cultivate strategic diversity leadership. The reader is guided through a purposeful discussion on diversity, moving from concept to operationalization and its significance within the higher education field. Through critical concepts such as genuine regard, the authors offer thoughtful emphasis on the development of professional competence and its benefits in meeting the needs of diverse student populations. Additionally, challenges in establishing a quality role for a chief diversity officer help substantiate this text as a necessary resource in higher education. Though targeted at city/community college leadership, the discussion on the gravity of diversity and its levels of complexity are valuable for professionals at any higher education level (e.g., four-year universities). Finally, the appendixes include valuable resources such as Employee Resources Group Guidance and Tactical Plan for Diversity and Inclusion, which help facilitate reader movement from theoretical to practical, action-based steps.



Summing Up: Recommended. Professionals and practitioners.

* Choice Reviews *
We must be bolder in advancing the equity conversations on our community college campuses, and this is a valuable resource for chief diversity officers as well as other senior leaders to begin that complex work. This book provides insight for how professionals can defineand redefinetheir work in this critical area. -- Dr. Karen A. Stout, president and CEO, Achieving the Dream, Inc., and President Emerita, Montgomery County Community College
Inclusive Directions compels community colleges to embody the commitment to diversity and inclusion that led to the birth of the community college movement more than a century ago. Today, most community college campuses find themselves faced with the urgency of now in promoting and sustaining environments of inclusive excellence. This book provides practical, thoughtful and strategic ways to meet this call to action. It effectively amplifies the need for the chief diversity officer and provides ways to leverage these executive level positions so that college campuses, and the communities they serve, will be uplifted and transformed. -- Steve Pemberton, Chief Diversity Officer, Walgreens and Author of A Chance in the World
Inclusive Directions offers a vision of community college diversity and inclusion leadership at the executive level, and justifies why CDO positions are so vital for success. This engaging book both shows the history of CDOs in community colleges and higher education generally and also offers a vision for how to move forward. This book is inspiration for the aspiring CDO and useful for current CDOs. -- Jennifer DeCoste, Vice President for Strategy CREDO-Comprehensive Higher Education Consulting Firm
Two things are sure: community colleges, with 50% of college students enrolled in them, are essential to the education of our nation and the role of chief diversity officers on college campuses is absolutely vital. Inclusive Directions is focused on both of these important areas, providing practical guidance that can be adopted, adapted, and implemented on community college campuses throughout the nation and doing so in an accessible, straightforward manner. -- Marybeth Gasman Ph.D, Professor; Director, Penn Center for Minority-Serving Institutions Higher Education Division Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania
Inclusive Directions offers meaningful guidance for higher education leaders interested in building the Chief Diversity Officer capability at Community Colleges. The book provides practical examples and insights that build from the leading research and frameworks, offering support to leaders interested in building meaningful roles that when complimented by strong strategic support can help their campuses to achieve greater diversity, equity, and inclusion outcomes than they could otherwise. It is an important contribution that will have relevance for years to come. -- Damon A. Williams Ph.D, Chief Catalyst Center for Strategic Diversity Leadership & Social Innovation and Senior Scholar and Innovation Fellow Wisconsins Equity and Inclusion Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison
This publication could not be more timely, relevant or necessary. As fellow practitioners and change agents, at Kaleidoscope Group we believe in the critical impact of community colleges on the society, communities, workforce and organizational results. We also have the utmost respect for D&I leaders who relentlessly drive for the attainment of a truly diverse and inclusive college campus, despite many roadblocks and limited resources. This book extends terrific support to all those in need of additional guidance tools as well as the affirmation of value and impact of their highly meaningful (yet not always adequately recognized) efforts. These practitioners have demonstrated the passion, vision, intellect and heart to inspire others to embrace diversity and inclusion and necessary change. -- Doug Harris and Kasia Ganko-Rodriguez, CEO and Sr C, the Kalideoscope Group
It is a pleasure to endorse Inclusive Directions: The Role of the Chief Diversity Officer in Community College Leadership. Written by three seasoned community college professionals, and intended for fellow diversity officers and others in senior community college leadership positions, the manuscript offers proven strategies, examples and promising practices that readers can readily adopt to more fully develop diverse campus communities with inclusive cultures. This book will be a widely cited resource and a must read for community college leaders. -- Kenneth L. Ender, President, William Rainey Harper College

Author Bio

Clyde Wilson Pickett is a noted scholar, educator, and nationally recognized trailblazer in diversity and inclusion leadership for institutions of higher education. Throughout his career, Clyde has lead diversity initiatives at several higher education institutions, presented hundreds of workshops and lectures on diversity and inclusion leadership, implemented diversity tactical plans to supplement strategic planning initiatives, taught several college courses, and transformed institutions via the transformative inclusion model.

Michel E. Smith is known as an inspirational leader, practitioner, and scholar that has been dedicated to issues of inclusion and equity for more than twenty years in the academy, the private sector and the early childhood education community. She has facilitated a number of interactive workshops and education sessions focused on issues of inclusion and multicultural education, served as a resource specialist for parents and professionals of young children with special needs and led a number of summer bridge programs for student scholars from historically underrepresented populations.

James Felton is a noted leader, educator, mentor, and scholar-practitioner in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. Throughout his 19-year career, he has presented over 100 workshops and presentations on leadership and diversity, worked on a number of strategic and campus diversity plans, managed 3 national scholarship and mentor programs for underrepresented students, served as an adjunct faculty member for several institutions, and has partnered with numerous corporate, nonprofit and federal agencies and NGOs to promote programs and initiatives on diversity and social justice.