Diversity statements

As president of Simon Fraser University (SFU), it sometimes surprises people to hear that I did not always envision a career in academia. In fact, I studied nursing originally and my professional career started as a nurse at a large hospital that served the inner city.

I’ve had an incredible amount of support over the years. But there have been times when people looked at my history, my career path – and yes, my gender – and made assumptions about me. They assumed someone who began their career as a nurse couldn’t become a university president or that my leadership style wouldn’t lend itself to running a large organisation.


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This International Women’s Day, I want to share some reflections on why I think my lived history and experience makes me better at my job – why I think that difference matters. 

Ignore difference at your peril

People sometimes get uncomfortable with the idea that difference matters. They assume that focusing on our differences pushes people apart instead of bringing them together. 

I think that viewpoint misses a part of the picture.

Although we share much in common, everyone brings different intersections of identity and experience to their lives. It is those differences that make us better teachers, researchers and innovators. &nbsp;

When I was scientific director for the Institute of Gender and Health at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, I was constantly reminded that paying attention to sex and gender differences results in better research. 

Take research trials on new drugs. Historically, trials were conducted on male animals and humans because scientists had trouble accounting for hormone fluctuations in females. Rather than addressing this difference, researchers chose to ignore it. Unsurprisingly, some of these new drugs created “unexpected” problems for women and had to be removed from the market.

So when I say that difference matters, I mean that ignoring difference creates worse results for everyone, across all fields and professions. But I also mean that our differences –&nbsp;the unique parts of us that we bring to every role in our lives – matter too. 

Which brings me to some reflections on my time at SFU. 

Embrace the skills that set you apart

I was appointed president in September 2020 in the heart of the Covid-19 pandemic. And during those early, difficult months of my presidency, I found myself leaning on skills I developed in nursing school.

As a nurse, I learned to listen to the needs of my patients, to work under highly stressful situations and to apply my critical thinking skills through the Nursing Process. I still use this approach to solving problems today.

It turns out that my different path to becoming a university president gave me tools that make me a better leader, while empowering me to make positive changes at my organisation.

Build a culture that celebrates difference

At the outset of my presidency, I established three priorities for the university: reconciliation, transforming the student experience and advancing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). That final priority was important to me because it was personal. As a member of the queer community, I was deeply affected when Delwin Vriend was fired from a college in Alberta in 1991 because of his sexual orientation. I was a graduate student at the time and I questioned whether there was a place for me in academia.

As one of few female presidents of a research-intensive university in Canada, I want to use my time in this role to build a community where difference is celebrated and valued instead of something to be afraid of.

I am proud of the progress we are making with the hiring of SFU’s first vice-president for people, equity and inclusion, the development of our equity office and a renewed commitment to a more equitable and inclusive campus environment. 

It has not always been easy. But I don’t ever want a student at SFU to feel the way I did in 1991, so I keep pushing. And I hope that my lived experience and deep personal commitment is moving us forward while also showing that leaders can emerge from different circumstances and backgrounds.

Because now more than ever, at this time of extreme polarisation and uncertainty, we need to build a culture where we embrace difference. It makes us better students, colleagues, parents, teachers and community members. It helps us resist the societal narrative that leadership is reserved for certain types of people, with certain types of experience.

If we can work together to support each other, uplift the women in our lives and embrace difference as a value to be celebrated and nurtured, then I truly believe we will see a change – not just on International Women’s Day, but every day.

Joy Johnson is president and vice-chancellor of Simon Fraser University.

A version of this article was originally posted to LinkedIn.

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Difference matters – and embracing it can change the world 

Joy Johnson reflects on her journey from inner-city hospital nurse to president of Simon Fraser University, and offers her advice on being a woman in leadership

Difference matters – and embracing it can change the world for all women

Two types of academic diversity statements are popular. The first is submitted in a prospective faculty member’s application to indicate how they view, and contribute to, equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). The second comes when a current faculty member is seeking promotion and tenure (P&amp;T). Both types include the good, the bad and the ugly. We focus here on P&amp;T diversity statements and on racial identity because the bad and the ugly can stagnate faculty of colour and derail promotion, and in the US, most of this work is focused on race as an initial step. 

The good: crediting contributions&nbsp;

Requiring diversity statements is likely an effort by universities to address racism and faculty demands. The EDI work that faculty of colour engage in is often unseen, ignored or taken for granted, and diversity statements can demonstrate how they consistently, and independently, advance institutional EDI efforts. 

For many, sharing their work in this area – and getting credit for it – is long overdue, and their statements could reveal the additional tasks they assume. They often provide support and mentoring to students of colour who seek them out because they have a shared reality. They serve on committees because of their EDI expertise (personal and professional). They present about EDI because of their expertise. It is the reality of their lived experiences, and willingness to share them, that is essential for making EDI a reality.


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The bad: paved with good intentions&nbsp;

The intent might be to credit important EDI work; however, requiring diversity statements might significantly devalue the work of faculty of colour long engaged in EDI work. Their work might become quantified and compared with white colleagues being considered extraordinary or novel for engaging in EDI work. The work done by faculty of colour risks being viewed as if the number of people engaged or hours spent were counted or, if viewed at a surface level, without capturing the emotional labour or its true cost. 

Faculty of colour might choose not to discuss the costs incurred, fearing that a personal revelation could negatively impact them professionally. They might also simply not want to relive a disempowering, harmful, traumatising, frustrating or disappointing experience. 

The ugly: unfair advantage&nbsp;

Diversity statements might even enable white faculty to have their EDI efforts seen as greater or more worthy because they tried something new. Enabling and making space for them elevates their “new adventure” above the relentless discomfort experienced by faculty of colour. If societal pressures wane, and the focus on EDI lessens, the impetus for diversity statements might become obsolete. Regardless of society’s new direction, faculty of colour’s emotional labour will continue, and EDI tasks could once again be ignored and dismissed. 

The reality check&nbsp;

Whether diversity statements are good, bad or ugly is unclear. What is clear? The fact is that there is no easy solution. The problem is complex and requires a complex solution, one not limited to diversity statements. If used in isolation, they will fail. Universities must consider the context of diversity statements and see them as one small part of addressing a fundamental flaw in a constantly changing landscape. 

Reflection and action&nbsp;

Universities must not reduce EDI contributions to a checklist or merely quantify activities. Universities must not reward or incentivise participation in an approved activity for those not truly invested in EDI and ignore those who show meaningful commitment. 

Efforts must be made to understand and acknowledge the hidden emotional labour that faculty of colour expend. Their lived experiences allow them to provide support, guidance and information that cannot be replicated by their white colleagues. EDI work is hard, and sometimes faculty of colour might say “no” when asked. Their experiences will be exhilarating, rewarding, frustrating, angering, exhausting and overwhelming – and some or none of those feelings will be captured in a required diversity statement. 

Universities must ask themselves whether the diversity statement is simply a self-reporting tool that rewards white faculty who are new to, or do not truly care about, EDI work – or an opportunity to engage in minor tasks and earn kudos. What happens to faculty of colour who have been and will continue to toil to make EDI a reality? 

The weekly hours spent by a white faculty member volunteering with at-risk youth should not be equated to the one hour a faculty member of colour listened to a student of colour recount their classroom experience of having to deal with an instructor who doubted their qualifications or casually assumed they were from a poor, gang-infested neighbourhood. The listening faculty member of colour might have had to relive their own experience in a faculty meeting the prior week when colleagues made similar assumptions about them. 

Ultimately, all EDI efforts are not created equal. Thus, do not overlook faculty of colour’s long-standing contributions because they appear less onerous or because they aren’t defined as “work”. Diversity statement requirements should be dynamic, adjusting as society changes. Without oversight and responsiveness to change, they could backfire rather than help. Seek expertise from faculty of colour and use their recommendations rather than seek white experts who have “studied the issue” or self-identify as “experts”. Diversity statements come in response to systematic, long-standing and embedded institutional problems. Finding the most appropriate action will likely require more knowledge and resources than can be found at your university. 

Finally, be patient and demanding. The issues diversity statements are designed to address will not be solved quickly and will result in multiple attempts and failures. However, efforts must be consistent, constant and of the highest priority for genuine change to happen.

Henrika McCoy is the interim associate dean for academic affairs and student services and an associate professor of social work at the Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois Chicago.

Madeline Lee is an associate professor in the department of social work at California State University San Marcos.

If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the&nbsp;THE Campus&nbsp;newsletter. 

Diversity statements can be created with good intentions but still manage to perpetuate inequality. Henrika McCoy and Madeline Lee detail what to look out for and suggested action

Diversity statements: the good, the bad and the ugly

What should you put in a diversity statement? In this video, Pardis Mahdavi gives examples of what to include and how candidates for academic jobs and search committees can use the document to reflect on EDI actions, impact and goals

How to write a diversity statement

Search committees at colleges and universities increasingly require candidates applying for faculty or leadership positions to submit diversity statements. And in the post-Covid online world, where interviews are truncated at best, we are increasingly reliant on applicants’ written materials.Universities across the US are now considering making diversity statements required for all faculty. Many institutions ask faculty to post diversity statements online for students to read before or during their course&nbsp;to demonstrate the institution’s and the individual’s&nbsp;commitment to diversity and inclusivity. Some universities even offer&nbsp;incentives such as merit raises for those willing to do so.A well-constructed diversity statement is especially important for online instructors who need to provide a carefully considered response&nbsp;to the additional layer of challenges that many students face when studying remotely.Equal research partnerships are a myth – but we can change thatEquitable teaching that creates pathways to success for all studentsHow AI and chatbots can deliver personalised career planning&nbsp;Here, we lay out some “red flags” to avoid and key frameworks&nbsp;to embed when writing a diversity statement.What to avoid – red flagsCommon mistakes or pitfalls&nbsp;when writing a diversity statement fall into three major categories:Diversity by proxyPersonal stories of redemptionThe exceptionalist argument.1. Diversity by proxyDiversity by proxy is when candidates borrow from the success of others, an organisation or programme. Candidates speak specifically about their department’s student demographics or a programme for students of colour that they direct, are part of&nbsp;or appreciate.Example 1: “_____ (university’s name) is one of the most diverse campuses in the country.&nbsp;We are ____% white, ____% Latin, ____% Asian/Pacific Islander, ____% African American.”Example 2: Candidates might mention success and claim some responsibility, implicitly or explicitly. “I’m a faculty mentor for the McNair&nbsp;Scholars programme and we have had wonderful, bright students who just need intense mentorship.”Example 3: The message of “I support success for people of colour” can be followed by surprise and self-congratulation. “We have students who do very well, one or two have even gone on to graduate school at very good schools! One of my students, from Chicago, a first-generation student from a single-parent household, is a first-year PhD student at Berkeley.”We called this “diversity by proxy” because the candidate’s example relies on numbers that tell us about where they are and not who they are or what they have done. Secondly, they are borrowing identity, status and achievement by linking themselves to the success stories of students of colour or faculty. In this way, they give undue credit to themselves as a saviour.2. Personal stories of redemptionCandidates write of personal experiences that have occurred outside of the academy and are meant to reflect their appreciation for diversity and inclusion and their dissatisfaction with racism.Example 1: They may write about an event that solidified their understanding of privilege:&nbsp;“I grew up in a small town where there was only one Indian family and one of the girls from that family became a close friend. And then, in the sixth grade, everything changed. She and I both auditioned for the school play, Annie, and it was clear that another girl got the lead because she was white and looked the part. But my friend was clearly better than everyone else. I felt bad for her but there was nothing I could do. And that is why I really feel so strongly about racism and exclusion and do what I can to help students of colour.”Example 2: They may also talk about how they work with and learn so much from their colleagues of colour and students of colour. The focus is on their feeling and how they assuage their feelings of social injustice by their engagement, but does this lead to fighting structural issues found in the academy?The playing field is never level, and so what do they do for those who they do not deem “clearly better”? 3. The exceptionalist argumentCandidates write that they are in favour of diversity and inclusion but have not been in a position to fight against exclusionary practices.Example 1: “Diversity is important but I can’t do it because my discipline is based on dead white men.”Example 2: Or “I believe in diversity, but I have not been in a leadership position where I might make decisions. I would be supportive if there were some people of colour.”The exceptionalist argument suggests that impact can only be made from certain positions, thereby exonerating most people who do not go against the grain. This obscures the roles that all faculty play in maintaining the status quo and contributing in small and large ways to discriminatory practices and negative outcomes for faculty, staff and students of colour.Bias can lead to mis-assessing students, even creating unequal learning conditions. A student may be characterised as “low achieving” when they may need greater encouragement or when they come from a high school with fewer resources. In committee work, colleagues may use different adjectives to describe the quality of work of women colleagues and colleagues of colour.  Are you interested in diversity issues? Check out our EDI channel, which is dedicated to advice and insight about equity, diversity and inclusion from academics around the worldWhat to include – key frameworksSome white colleagues ask:&nbsp;“Can white candidates write something that would be acceptable?” This is a valid question. We say:&nbsp;“Of course they can. And some people of colour will write poor statements.” A good statement could come in countless forms. While some may feel that they cannot write from a position of experience, this is absolutely not the case. Their experiences are different.We identify four elements found in strong diversity statements:Diversity as a strategyEvidence of addressing structural challengesRecognition and underscoring of the invisible labour done by faculty and staff of colourDemonstrated enlightened mentoring. 1. Diversity as a strategyCreating a plan, rather than simply doing an action, moves people beyond reacting and shows an understanding of intersectionality and the matrices of oppression.For online teachers, it is especially important to consider the contours of their students’ lives. The strongest statements are ones where they see that there are interlocking issues – food insecurity is connected to student learning, impression management with professors, matriculation and well-being. For example, an online teaching candidate may have buttressed student support with financial and social support and&nbsp;mentoring&nbsp;and even made changes to policies that excluded certain people or groups based on criteria that are unnecessary. The strongest statements are those where candidates articulate how diversity is used centrally in re-thinking budget, curriculum&nbsp;and access.2. Evidence of addressing structural challengesStrong diversity statements include examples of candidates advocating for structural changes. They show that they recognise and make systemic changes to address this. Candidates can write about “white space” and how they have educated others and implemented new practices that go against the status quo. They may have found systemic holes and problems that have disparate effects on women of colour. They may have counteracted systemic and institutionalised practices. For instance, strong candidates mention noticing varying language, such as different adjectives, in the evaluations of faculty, staff and students of colour. 3. Recognition or underscoring of invisible labour Supporting faculty and staff of colour must be multifaceted. It is widely known and acknowledged that faculty of colour have different experiences – they are counted on to take on certain services because they are a person of colour; students of colour look to them more than to white colleagues; and they face student racism. 4. Demonstrated enlightened mentoringMentors who are “woke” to and address structural challenges, who use diversity as a strategy, and who recognise or underscore the invisible labour and challenges of faculty, staff&nbsp;and students of colour will mentor in ways that have longer term impacts and that mitigate exclusion and discriminatory practices.  Mentoring is especially difficult in the online world, but candidates who write about ways they have overcome this demonstrate strong commitments to the work of the framework we call JEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion).The JEDI framework is about more than one or two actions, and goes beyond a checklist. Thus, posting a diversity statement online is, in and of itself, not “enough”. However, this is an important part of systemic change when faculty post diversity statements, and these become an integral part of performance reviews and promotion. We are elevating the importance of JEDI work, and taking a step in the right direction of the structural changes needed for social transformation.Pardis Mahdavi is dean of social sciences at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and directs the School of Social Transformation, and Scott Brooks is an associate professor with the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, both at Arizona State University.If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered directly to your inbox each week,&nbsp;sign up for the&nbsp;THE Campus&nbsp;newsletter.

Diversity statements are increasingly important for faculty, both when teaching online and applying for jobs. Pardis Mahdavi and Scott Brooks outline what to avoid and what to include when drafting a diversity statement

Diversity statements

Difference matters – and embracing it can change the world for all women

Diversity statements: the good, the bad and the ugly

How to write a diversity statement

Diversity statements: what to avoid and what to include

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