Diversity Digest: Diversity management and change

By Barbara Eshelman

Two years ago Cornell Cooperative Extension, a leader in Cornell's outreach efforts, joined a national diversity project called Change Agent States for Diversity (CASD). Using a collaborative approach, the CASD project emphasizes diversity management and organizational change strategies, development of successful models and identification of best practices to be applied throughout the land-grant university system of which Cornell is a member. The CASD framework for change used in the Cornell Cooperative Extension system includes four strategies that could be applied in a variety of settings throughout the university.

1. Leadership Development: Diversity management requires leaders who can take bold action for systemic change. Cornell and Penn State University Cooperative Extension directors and faculty met recently to develop strategies to create inclusive organizations. Leaders in each system have also attended "Opening Doors: A Personal and Professional Journey," a program of the Cornell Migrant Program Diversity Project. "Opening Doors" is a three-day retreat that addresses personal attitude change as part of multicultural organizational development. Jane Mt. Pleasant, director of Cornell's American Indian Program and professor of crop and soil sciences, says of her experience in "Opening Doors," "This workshop greatly expanded my understanding of how differences in race, gender, class and age are reflected in personal, professional and institutional power relationships." For information about attending an "Opening Doors" retreat, visit the Web site at http://www.cce.cornell.edu/diversity/workshops.htm.

2. Assessments: In order to achieve our vision for the future, it must be grounded in a solid sense of where we are today. In 2002, Cornell Cooperative Extension conducted a diversity climate assessment survey of all extension staff on the Cornell campus and in county extension offices throughout the state. The purpose of the assessment was to learn about the perceptions and experiences of our employees, to identify strengths and challenges for strategic planning and to benchmark progress for inclusiveness in our organization. Cornell Cooperative Extension Director Helene Dillard stated in the diversity climate assessment report to the system, "It is my personal goal to facilitate and support systemwide movement toward creating a climate for diversity within Cornell Cooperative Extension that meets the needs of New York state residents, including underrepresented and minority groups." The complete Cornell Cooperative Extension climate assessment report is online at http://www.cce.cornell.edu/diversity/climateassessment.htm.

3. Diversity Catalyst Team: Cornell Cooperative Extension supports a Diversity Catalyst Team (DCT) consisting of individuals with various roles and backgrounds in the system to work with the director in leading and managing the organization's diversity change effort. The DCT has organized its work in three areas: profile improvement, skill development and understanding differences. The most recent effort of the DCT was a skill development workshop on building team and supervisory relationships utilizing four Cornell Cooperative Extension distance-learning sites across the state.

4. Diversity coordinator: In addition to the Diversity Catalyst Team, Cornell Cooperative Extension has designated a statewide coordinator for its diversity management and change efforts. Linda Couchon, diversity specialist for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chemung County, has managed Cornell Cooperative Extension's diversity program part time for the past three years. The diversity coordinator position is key to the progress Cornell Cooperative Extension is making. For a variety of online resources, see the Cornell Cooperative Extension diversity Web site created and managed by the diversity coordinator: http://www.cce.cornell.edu/diversity.htm.

Inclusiveness is one of Cornell's staff "skills for success." Cornell Cooperative Extension is utilizing specific change strategies to help staff individually, and as a system, become more inclusive. These cooperative extension system strategies enable Cornell to more effectively fulfill its outreach mission, and they can be utilized throughout the university.

Eshelman is Cornell Cooperative Extension human resource manager and Diversity Catalyst Team member. The Diversity Digest is one of the services provided by the university's Diversity Council. For information about the council, this column, the council's newsletter or about diversity initiatives at Cornell, contact co-chairs Robert L. Harris Jr., vice provost for diversity and faculty development, at 255-5358 or rlh10@cornell.edu, or Lynette Chappell-Williams, director of the Office of Workforce Diversity, Equity and Life Quality, at 255-3976 or lc75@cornell.edu.