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Some thoughts on all the diversity positions being created: 1. I don’t take you seriously if the position is in a silo as opposed to the highest level of leadership. Equity and inclusion are not just HR matters or student affairs matters. It should be a VP or Dean. 1/7
2. The qualifications for the position should be as rigorous as other upper level management positions. Appointing the nearest Black person without requiring years of experience, scholarship, or degrees tells me you’re in it for the press release and photo op. 2/7
3. In other words, if you’re a Fortune 500 and all VPs have terminal degrees + 10 yrs of experience, or a university and all deans/provosts/VPs are tenured professors, same for this one. Unless your goal is to have someone so grateful for their job they don’t rock the boat. 3/7
4. It should not be an add-on to the additional labor that your Black employees are already doing. This move often happens in the form of a temporary committee chair that actually serves as an upper level exec/administrator but receives no compensation. I call that slavery. 4/7
5. If you think creating this position means you’re done and you can go back to your racist behavior in peace, don’t bother. Put the money in a fund to pay for the lawsuits, or to prepare for the loss in market share and keep the same energy. 5/7
6. You’re probably going to hire a Black woman cause optics. If it’s all for show and you aren’t bothering to recognize her expertise and qualifications you’re wasting her time. She can be somewhere better. This new position isn’t a gift to her, her presence is a present. 6/7
7. Last but not least, look at what you pay a white man with a similar title, add 25%. You can’t conceptualize what these positions entail and you aren’t paying enough. Do you want the most qualified person or the person satisfied with being overworked and underpaid? 7/7
