Colleges Face Questions About How Much They Pay Diversity Officers

Learn more about the questions and criticisms aimed at higher education diversity programs.

Recently, right-leaning and conservative organizations have been targeting prominent higher education institutions and the amount of money they spend on diversity.  Critics use salary and budget information to label diversity offices as wasteful and ineffective and blame these expenditures for rising tuition costs.  But is there merit to these accusations or are they simply creating an unfair and dangerous narrative in a tumultuous political climate?  Here’s what you need to know about the questions and criticisms aimed at higher education diversity programs.

Doubt regarding how much colleges spend on diversity and inclusion is nothing new.  However, this new wave of questions and criticisms create tension as they fuel rumors of colleges and universities using the term “diversity” to cloak their efforts to benefit at the expense of students, parents, and taxpayers.  Unfortunately, as this narrative continues to be fed by conservative groups, lawmakers, university board members, and the public latch onto the idea of inflated diversity spending.

In reality, campus administrators say that this narrative is oversimplified and overblown.  While some conservatives argue that “the ‘gospel of diversity, equality, and inclusion’ is either blindly accepted without debate or tolerated without being challenged,” diversity officers explain that focusing on inclusion is necessary and beneficial to students and the wider community.

In response to criticism, officials explain that many employees carry “diversity” in their titles because they have taken on diversity initiatives and work as an additional responsibility.  They also point out that a focus on diversity teaches students cultural competence—a vital skill as graduates will need to work with people from diverse backgrounds in the real world.  This point is backed by both research and employers.

However, while the narrative of self-serving diversity programs is overblown, this does not mean that all questions and criticisms are unfair.  Diversity programs should have concrete answers about how to measure student attitudes towards diversity, appropriate goals for diversity-oriented programs, and what an inclusive campus environment actually looks like.  It is also important for school officials to help people understand exactly why diversity work matters.  Transparency and clear goals are the best way for higher education diversity programs to combat unfair and exaggerated claims from critics.

This is what you need to know about the questions and criticisms aimed at higher education diversity programs.  Are you interested in more higher education news or looking for a consulting firm with experience with higher education institutions or medical centers?  Then don’t hesitate to contact the professionals at McKnight Associates, Inc.  We are ready to offer you hands-on human resources consulting for colleges, universities, medical centers, and organizations of all sizes.