People of Color in Predominantly White Institutions

 

Title

A Diversity Initiative is Organizational Development: Anything Else is Just Window Dressing

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

November 2002

When an organization, any organization, but in particular, higher education, decides to engage in a diversity initiative, the leadership of the institution must be aware that they are engaging in a complex change or organization development. Organization Development is defined as change initiated by the top leadership of an organization, the change must be organization-wide, it is planned; it is designed to improve organizational health and effectiveness, and is implemented with the assistance of skills and interventions based in the behavioral sciences.