Administrators
Diversity is an issue that frightens college and university administrators. Prior to coming to Teachers College, I directed a management-training program for senior higher education administrators…Each summer, I taught 95 presidents, vice presidents and deans using a case study on the politics of a student effort to get a women's studies program adopted at a small liberal arts college — one-third role-played the leading student advocate, another third played the key faculty opponent and the final third played the academic dean on whose desk the problem landed. Year after year, I would turn to the group playing the administrator and ask: ‘In your heart of hearts, what do you want to see happen with this issue? Regardless of the race, gender or age of the person I asked, the answer was usually the same: ‘I want it to go away.'
College presidents I interviewed responded in much the same fashion when asked about diversity. The reason is not that they are bad people. The reason is that college presidents are hired to solve problems, not to create them…It is easier to keep the lid closed…and handle the complaints as they arise, one by one…The problem is this: At one campus there was a Puerto Rican studies program. The Dominican students wanted a Dominican studies program. The president proposed a Caribbean studies program. It was flatly rejected by all quarters. The issue of diversity simply cannot be handled problem by problem, Band-Aid by Band-Aid. Institutions must know where they are going and presidents must lead. A clear definition is the yardstick for determining which efforts are good, better or worse. A comprehensive plan is superior to piecemeal decisions.

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