DURHAM. N.C. – Higher education has made progress in the area of diversity, but there is much more work to be accomplished, said Dr. Daryl G. Smith, professor of Education and Psychology at Claremont Graduate University in California.
Smith was the keynote speaker for the North Carolina Diversity and Inclusion Partners (DIP) gathering at Duke University in Durham, N.C., on Friday. Entitled Diversity in Higher Education – In Pursuit of Excellence, the conference brought together sponsoring universities throughout the state, as well as representatives from community colleges.
Smith, the author of Diversity’s Promise for Higher Education: Making it Work, noted that universities and colleges have more programs, projects and groups that promote diversity. However, at many campuses student enrollment still does not adequately reflect diversity, nor does the faculty and staff.
“There are diversity efforts on campuses, but at many universities they are not part of core functions,” she said. “The efforts should be in strategic plans and mission statements.”
Smith compared the state of diversity to the field of technology – ongoing.
She stressed that educational institutions should monitor their diversity progress and track the success of their students through data. Do these students have access to all enrichment opportunities, such as study abroad programs, she asked. She encouraged faculty to believe in their students, even when they don’t believe in themselves.
Smith said that minorities should be more prominent on leadership teams. She encouraged those attending to have discussions with senior administrators about where diversity fits into the institution.
