A recent study published in Innovative Higher Education delves into the impacts of training individuals from the demographic majority to be Diversity Advocates (DAs). The report authors studied a group of staff and faculty who trained as DAs before being appointed to a faculty search and screen committee, with the hope that the training would encourage best practices and discourage stereotypes or schemas that would interfere with the search process. DAs from the demographic majority were chosen to broaden responsibility for equity within the search process and lessen the burden on minority faculty. DAs found the training to be helpful, but wanted more time to practice implementing their training. The authors concluded that a DA program is one proven way to expand the number of faculty members dedicated to inclusive excellence.
