The Power of Workforce Diversity 


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Oneida Blagg: Diversity is the wide variety of human differences.  So that doesn't lock us into any particular group or category.  That describes humanity; and it includes all of us.  

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Mark Collins:  Diversity recognizes differences between people and acknowledges that the differences between people is a valued asset.  

Oneida Blagg:  The reason it matters to have a diverse staff is because our decisions also can impact uh, students and faculty.  When you have a diverse workforce, at any organization, particularly at a university, uh, it allows you to tap into the talent pool that's available.  And in the case of a university, that's the entire world.  

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Mark Collins:  Diversity on the campus, for students is a very important component of their educational experience because it will prepare them for when they enter the work world and they begin to embark upon their careers.  

Oneida Blagg:  A lot of times, uh, a staff uh, member may be in support of an academic, uh, program and the students rely on or contact staff for different information.  Um, their, in, in, in fact, the staff is what uh, administers uh, life in the residence halls and if they don't see themselves, people who resemble them, people with whom they can possibly identify as role models, that lessens our relevance.  

Mark Collins:  Diversity can aid in a competitive framework because it will expose us to what we're naturally going to see in the private sector, in the business community and is something that is important to a healthy, sustainable economy.  

Oneida Blagg:  When you have a diverse faculty and staff, you are more relevant to the world and you also are able to, I think, be more innovative after the global appeal.  And that's what's important for a university to be more relevant.  

Mark Collins:  Inclusive denotes that we are open to new ideas, to different beliefs, to different perspectives that we value that conversation, that's an important part of that ongoing educational thought process.  

Oneida Blagg:  Who gets to make the decisions?  Who is at the decision making table is another way that we show the commitment to diversity in our actions, beyond what our statements may say.  People can see that in our actions.  It tends to attract people in a new way.  It tends to send a signal about the type of workforce that we have.  

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