We used to talk about the invisible man and woman in the days of egregious discrimination. Today, individuals may be present, but silent; visible, but not heard; at the table but not empowered to make meaningful decisions.
While many Americans believe discrimination is no longer a major problem, dealing with discrimination in the workplace is a fact of life in institutions of higher education, as shared through our research findings. The subtle behavioral and organizational barriers to diversity still impede the success and progress of women and minority faculty and staff.
How will we know when we have truly achieved the high aims and purposes of diversity? When women and minorities have attained leadership and decision-making roles that incorporate their voices and views, when hiring, promotion, tenure review, merit and other processes support the success of all members of the higher education community, and when the cultural environments of departments and divisions are welcoming and supportive to all. To paraphrase Franklin Delano Roosevelt, no college or university can afford the waste of its human resources. The nobility of purpose of our great democracy is the impetus for continued progress toward attaining reciprocal empowerment in the higher education workplace.
— Dr. Edna B. Chun is vice president for human resources at Broward Community College and Alvin Evans is associate vice president for human resources and equity at Kent State University.
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