The rise in social activism on campuses — generated by continued anti-Black violence and hate crimes against Asian Americans — has led many colleges and universities to analyze their diversity policies and practices.
In many places, the conversation starts with reexamining the role of the chief diversity officer, who is often charged with helping institutions develop “cultural competency and expand the social bandwidth of their respective institutions,” says Elizabeth Moore, interim chief diversity officer at Gallaudet University.
For institutions that didn’t already have a chief diversity officer (CDO), the initial steps to change involved hiring one.
“They build cultural bridges that connect the human condition to academia and social influence for more equitable outcomes,” Moore adds. “It is our responsibility to support efforts that strive to create a more just society. Therefore, we must model advocacy and encourage campus leaders, faculty, staff and students to be advocates for underserved and underrepresented communities.”
Activism on campuses comes in various forms, often including demonstrations by students and faculty who might also write letters calling for action to the public or university administration.
However, campus activism also involves social justice and equity initiatives that the institution endorses and funds. And, while these initiatives may be less flashy than public demonstrations, they are essential to structural change, says Dr. Monica Russel y Rodriguez, assistant provost in the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion at Northwestern University. For example, Northwestern faculty members are working on a prison education program focused on fixing the school to prison pipeline.
“Those [programs] are not public protests but those are very important parts of our institution,” says Russel y Rodriguez. “While it is important to pay attention to the public demonstrations, it is also really important to focus on the work that people are doing that takes years to develop.”
