Preface xi

Participants in the Development of Dialogues for Diversity xv

A Note to Users xvi

The kind of conversation these materials are intended to support and the need to plan arrangements that will foster such discussion.

A Note on Terminology xix

The approach of this volume to issues concerning the vocabulary of ethnicity.

Topic One

:Mission and Diversity

CASES 2

Parrales State University 2

A large, urban, public commuter university considers how it can serve a diverse student body and a diverse community. The context is a review of graduation requirements.

Woods College 7

A small private Protestant college considers how it might serve members of new Latino congregations. The context is the need to decide how to use a major gift.

Forest College 11

A small college in the great books tradition endeavors to include more ethnic minority students. At the same time, it considers how it could better help all its students toward career goals, particularly in the sciences.

DILEMMA 16

Alpha University 16

University faculty discuss the priorities of a multicultural curriculum relative to those of a traditional liberal arts curriculum. The context is a curriculum committee meeting.

BACKGROUND ESSAY 22

Thought Experiments

A Discovery in the Archives 22

What changes and what remains the same in a college's mission statement?

A Diagram Exercise 23

What is central and what is peripheral to an institution's mission?

A Case of Recruitment and Mission 24

Do outreach efforts lead to changes in mission?

Diversity and Occupational Programs 25

How can a college affirm a mission that encompasses both ethnic diversity and technical training?

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES 28

Topic Two

:The Social Context

CASE 30

Arborville State University 30

A public university considers how to strengthen community and academic values in an ethnically diverse student body. The context is a decision about who should have a claim on space in a new residence hall.

DILEMMA 33

Omicron University 33

A campus task force discusses problems of verbal abuse and free speech and their connections with tensions in the larger society.

BACKGROUND ESSAY 39

Thought Experiments

Past and Present 39

The role of higher education in helping individuals enter the mainstream.

Attrition and Ethnicity 40

How can different parts of a university with different connections to the outside world help solve a student retention problem?

Town and Gown 41

How can off-campus racial discrimination be dealt with?

Costs and Benefits 42

The economic pros and cons of bridge programs.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES 43

Topic Three

:Diversity and Quality

CASE 46

Orchard University 46

An associate professor of business lists ways diversity can lead to qualitative change. The context is a journal entry.

DILEMMA 49

Sigma University 49

A committee of trustees debates how diversity and quality issues are seen by external constituencies. The context is planning for a fund-raising campaign.

BACKGROUND ESSAY 52

Thought Experiments

Assessing Educational Performance 53

How does a college find out how well it is serving a diverse student body?

A Case of Intrusive Intervention 54

A college mounts an aggressive and controversial program to make sure all admitted students meet academic standards.

A Matrix Diagram 55

What are the advantages of different kinds of institutions in making an excellent adaptation to diversity?

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES 55

Topic Four

:Community and Campus Climate

CASE 58

Bosk University 58

An institution tries to deal with divisive issues connected to diversity. It does so in a context of neglected community values.

DILEMMA 64

Upsilon University 64

Faculty give alternative views of ethnic self-segregation on campus. The context is a dining hall conversation.

BACKGROUND ESSAY 68

Thought Experiments

An Annual Picnic 69

Self-segregation in social events.

Rights vs. Opportunities 70

Can the rights of ethnic minority students be distinguished from matters of educational judgment reserved to the institution?

A Case of Vandalism 71

The meaning and handling of ethnically targeted pranks.

Community Indicators 72

What kinds of information collected for other purposes can shed light on campus climate?

A Case of Student Politics 73

The implications of ethnic politics in student government.

A Cafeteria Incident 75

How rudeness is magnified by racial and gender epithets.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES 77

Topic Five

:Student Development and Ethnic Identity

CASE 80

Lee Jones 80

An ethnic minority student is discouraged and alienated by his experiences on campus. He considers dropping out.

DILEMMA 82

Iota University 82

The counseling staff discuss which needs are common to all late adolescents and which are specific to students from different ethnic groups. The context is the issue of whether students should meet with counselors of the same ethnicity.

BACKGROUND ESSAY 86

Thought Experiments

A Case of Trading Epithets 87

Are the vulnerabilities of members of different groups to verbal abuse the same or different?

A Case of Sibling Rivalry 88

Can White students feel neglected by efforts on behalf of ethnic diversity?

A Case in Student Aid Policy 89

What assurances about student financial aid should be a part of a strategy to recruit ethnic minority students?

A Case of Austerity 90

Actions to support diversity when funding is tight.

A Case of an Older Student 92

A nontraditional student asks what a multicultural curriculum can do for her.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES 92

Topic Six

:The Faculty Role

CASE 96

Sylvan University 96

A university investigates why several ethnic minority scholars have resigned. The context is the university's concern about maintaining a diverse faculty.

DILEMMA 100

Midwestern University 100

A member of a search committee critiques efforts to hire ethnic minority faculty in his department. The minority professor in fact appointed responds to the critique.

BACKGROUND ESSAY 106

Thought Experiments

Academic Influences 107

How do the various influences on choices of research topics interact with the opportunities of diversity?

Challenging the Textbook 108

How can ethnic minority students be encouraged to be more critical of a text?

Imagining a Different Classroom 109

If all students in a class were of the same ethnicity, would the discussion take a different course?

Getting to Know Each Other 110

A college considers ways to increase faculty-student contacts.

A Case of Ethnic Complexity 112

Are professors who are immigrants themselves representative of American-born members of the same broad ethnic category?

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES 114

Topic Seven

:Leadership for Diversity

CASE 118

Walder University 118

Various campus leaders contend with the difficulties of leadership on issues involving ethnic diversity. The context is a proposal to introduce a multicultural curriculum.

DILEMMA 124

An Exchange of Electronic Mail 124

A college president seeks advice from another president about whether to use the resources of her office to advance diversity as a higher priority than other expectations of her presidency. The context is an exchange of electronic mail messages.

BACKGROUND ESSAY 129

Thought Experiments

Improving Graduation Rates 130

How can leaders drawn from different groups contribute to such a goal?

A Case of Setting the Record Straight 130

What leadership role can a student take in dealing with a potentially provocative rumor?

Dealing with a Deficit 132

How should campus leaders manage a need to make budget cuts when programs to support diversity are at risk?

Leadership on Tough Issues 133

How might campus leaders cope with a need to pay higher salaries in order to recruit ethnic minority faculty?

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES 134

Topic Eight

:Planning and Conducting

Discussions of Ethnic Diversity

This section offers suggestions intended to be helpful in making organized discussions candid and useful. The advice deals with such matters as times, places, formats, ground rules, and selection of materials. 136

INDEX 159