Diversity Leadership in Higher Education (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Diversity Leadership in Higher Education Dorian L. McCoy (bio) Adalberto Aguirre, Jr., and Ruben O. Martinez. Diversity Leadership in Higher Education. ASHE Higher Education Report, Vol. 32, No. 3. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2007. 136 pp. Paper: $28.00. ISBN: 978-0-7879-9578-2. Diversity Leadership in Higher Educationexplores the roles and practices of diversity leadership in academia. Aguirre and Martinez define diversity leadership as leadership focused on issues and concerns of diversity in higher education. They present two contrasting leadership/organizational practices as options for responding to diversity—cooptation and transformational strategies. Co-optation is used to manage diversity in institutions, while transformation is used to embrace diversity and make it an integral component of an institution's culture and environment. University leaders who employ transformational strategies view diversity as a positive social force in higher education. The monograph is comprised of four chapters with each chapter designed to "serve as a window for observing how diversity is shaped and promoted in different contexts in higher education" (p. 3). The authors introduce theoretical and applied approaches from a number of disciplines as organizational strategies for linking leadership and diversity initiatives. Each chapter begins with discussion questions that guide the "conversation" on diversity leadership. It is a useful device, and the authors use it well, presenting compelling reasons for implementing transformational and diversity leadership strategies in the academy. In Chapter 1, Aguirre and Martinez present an overview of the challenges facing diversity leadership. The discussion in this chapter is guided by "What is the public's perception of diversity initiatives in higher education?" and "How are diversity initiatives perceived by faculty, staff, and students in higher education?" (p. 19). The authors assert that the public acknowledges a need to further diversify higher education in the United States. However, they also acknowledge that the public does not favor legal initiatives or preferences that promote diversity. They support this observation by reviewing significant legal cases (e.g., Bakke, Hopwood, Grutter), summarizing the facts of the cases and also the context in which each was adjudicated. Acknowledging that their concern is primarily with predominantly White institutions, in Chapter 2, the authors examine the organizational culture for leadership and diversity in higher education, developing a framework for linking organizational culture, diversity, and leadership. The authors present transformational leadership as an optimal leadership paradigm for higher education as academia responds and adapts to demographic and cultural changes. They articulate the benefits of embracing diversity from both organizational and leadership perspectives and conclude that addressing diversity from a transformational leadership paradigm make it a positive force in academia, influencing curricula, culture, and community. As they continue their discussion on the benefits of embracing diversity, Aguirre and Martinez also identify the challenges to implementing diversity leadership on campus. Unfortunately, one of them is university faculty. They find that formal leaders (presidents, provosts, vice presidents, etc.) are often more open to promoting diversity than faculty members. As a result, diversity initiatives are often marginalized instead of embraced. Chapter 3 examines various diversity leadership models that have produced positive results [End Page 122]in changing the culture and environment in some higher education organizations. "What is the context for diversity in organizational leadership in higher education?" and "How does incorporating diversity into leadership allow institutions of higher education to respond to increasing diversity in society?" (p. 48) are the discussion questions in this chapter. The differences in competing organizational strategies (transformative and co-optive) are illustrated throughout the chapter. Aguirre and Martinez argue that changing the organizational structure is necessary to implement diversity in higher education. They recommend several transformative approaches for promoting diversity leadership in higher education, including adopting strategies from the corporate world. In addition, they highlight a number of professional associations (e.g., American Council on Education, ACE Fellows Program, Council for Graduate Schools, and Preparing Future Faculty Program) that offer diversity leadership opportunities in higher education. This chapter overviews significant multicultural/diversity initiatives (e.g., expanding the curriculum to include ethnic studies and incorporating diversity into strategic plans) that have taken place since the 1960s. The discussion in the final chapter is guided by the questions: "Why is practicing diversity leadership...