Infrastructure, Funding Key to Higher Education Diversity Plans, Experts Say

Infrastructure, Funding Key to Higher Education Diversity Plans, Experts Say: In his decade of service as top diversity officer at three very different universities — one public, two private — Dr. Keenan Grenell thinks that he has developed a good sense of what works when it comes to major diversity initiatives. He draws his list from stints at Auburn, Marquette and Colgate universities.

It’s a mixed bag depending on how one is defining diversity, says the veteran educator who now runs Grenell Group LLC, a Milwaukee-based consulting agency. Other colleagues agree, in some respects.

“There’s much more of a push among chief executives (college presidents) for this whole concept of global diversity, and it’s putting a strain on traditional diversity groups — African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans,” says Grenell, who most recently served as dean of diversity at Colgate University. “There’s still significant work that needs to be done (with respect to racial minorities) in terms of access, ownership (of the job of ensuring diversity), resources and acquisition (of talent),” says Grenell. He sees traditional diversity efforts being diluted as the range of concerns under the umbrella of diversity continues to expand.