Review
"The Chief Diversity Officer is a seminal contribution to the post-secondary leadership and campus management literature. The authors successfully bring together disparate literatures on campus diversity, university administration, and systemic change into a well-reasoned, comprehensive, and evidence-based guide for administrators who serve as chief diversity officers; those who supervise and evaluate their results; and scholars interested in extending the discussion. The Chief Diversity Officer moves the field of higher education from 'we know it when we see it' toward a canonical base for a campus unit that has become commonplace in the aftermath of Title VI compliance, affirmative action litigation, and campus-based efforts to create an environment that maximizes learning and inquiry. Each chapter offers proven management theories, contextualized insight into the shifting terrain of campus diversity, visual models of applied concepts, and a refreshing optimism on how to grow and maintain diverse campus communities. The names 'Williams and Wade-Golden' must now be added to the required reading lists of both higher education research and practice."--M. Christopher Brown II, President, Alcorn State University, author of Organization and Governance in Higher Education, and co-author of The Case for Affirmative Action on Campus (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"The Chief Diversity Officer is the first text to provide a comprehensive overview of the development of the CDO role and a clear and detailed analysis of the strategic contributions that the CDO can make to organizational transformation. A must-read for the new or seasoned CDO. The Chief Diversity Officer engages the reader with the depth and clarity of its analysis. There are no recycled clichés, but rather a thought provoking and well researched treatment of the underpinnings of the various CDO models, their contributions to institutional transformation, along with practical suggestions for the new or seasoned CDO. It is well balanced and highly readable."--Benjamin D. Reese, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Duke University/Duke University Health System, and President, National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"The Chief Diversity Officer provides much needed expertise regarding an increasingly important position across institutions and sectors. Embedded in this essential guide is not only scholarly and administrative excellence, but a passion for nurturing and mentoring students, one of the greatest traits of leadership for anyone in higher education. The Chief Diversity Officer provides a beacon that is essential for colleges and universities everywhere."--Steven J. Olikara, UW-Madison Class President '12, Founder and President, Millennial Action Project (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"As organizations of all kinds look to engage issues of diversity and inclusion, they often think of creating or recasting the CDO role within their respective organizations. Done correctly, the results can be powerful; done incorrectly, and the fallout can be devastating. The Chief Diversity Officer carefully lays out the questions that need to be answered and the critical factors to ensure that the person who is going to assume the role is set up for success. Focused on higher education, but relevant across the board, every HR executive, CEO, or board member who is considering the CDO role in their organization should read this book."--Dennis Kennedy, Founder & CEO, National Diversity Council (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"If you are interested in chief diversity officers, you have to read this book. It will frame how you think about the definition, design, and realities of the CDO role, whether you are a leader in higher education or the corporate sector. Grounded in research, but written for practitioners and scholars alike, this book provides an excellent road map, telling leaders how to develop high impact CDO roles, lead through relationships and influence, get off to a fast start, and the critical principles for leading change. We've waited too long for the Chief Diversity Officer and I'm glad it's finally here, very well done!"--Billy Dexter, Partner Global Diversity Services Practice, Heidrick & Struggles (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"This is an incredibly valuable contribution to both higher education and to our working knowledge of the CDO role and how to position, support and create an environment in which diversity flourishes as a resource on our campuses."--Mark A. Emmert, President, National Collegiate Athletic Association (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"The Chief Diversity Officer breaks new ground. This much-needed book is based on both the empirical research and the collective experience of the authors effecting transformative change. The wealth of information provided makes clear the imperative for having a chief diversity officer who oversees the quality of the organizational culture. This comprehensive book will benefit anyone interested in leading, engaging, or improving higher education, leaving no excuses for failing to make a difference."--Mitchell J. Chang, Professor of Education and Asian American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"The Chief Diversity Officer is the second of two volumes on 'Diversity Leadership'. The excellent first book, Strategic Diversity Leadership, provided an organizational perspective on institutional change and transformation. This book, building on the first, focuses more explicitly on, and makes the case for, the emerging role of the chief diversity officer. In this volume the authors provide a rationale for such an office and its role in the organization of a college or university that takes diversity seriously. More importantly they provide guidance in designing, implementing and integrating a Diversity Office that supports an institution's development of a strategy for, and a culture that values, diversity. This volume is a 'must read' for scholars of organizational behavior in higher education, for executive officers and for anyone else interested in guiding the development of a strong institutional effort for promoting a culture of diversity."--Marvin W. Peterson, Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan, and Former Director, Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"The Chief Diversity Officer provides an extremely thorough and thoughtful overview of the importance of the evolving role and responsibilities of this position in higher education. This timely volume includes a sophisticated discussion of the structural issues involved in diversity leadership, incorporating both educational theory and practical wisdom and advice. It will be a valuable resource for academic leaders across the country who care about the educational imperatives of diversity in higher education."--Jonathan Alger, President, James Madison University (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"A successful diversity plan, which prepares students for global citizenship, can only be achieved when an institution's leadership team is committed and involved. This book is the tool needed by chief financial officers, presidents, and other campus leaders to effectively oversee the creation, development and success of the CDO role in the academy. The authors have done an amazing job of taking the complex and making it clear, creating a higher education management text that is essential reading for leaders at every level of higher education."--John Walda, President & CEO, National Association on of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"Equity and Inclusion are the most important values for all American universities in the 21st century. On many campuses these values are embodied in a senior official often carrying the title Chief Diversity Officer. This marvelous book is the first to consider in a comprehensive way the principles, structure and responsibilities of the offices of the CDO. I recommend the book enthusiastically to all members of the university community: staff students, faculty and, especially, senior administrators."--Robert J. Birgeneau, Chancellor, UC Berkeley (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"For too many years, talented educators assigned roles and responsibilities for achieving access and equity, creating an inclusive climate, contributing to the scholarship around diversity, and preparing students for a diverse and interconnected world, have been handicapped in carrying out their roles effectively because diversity, though publicized as a priority, has not been an area of strategic importance in many colleges and universities. This publication is a sophisticated guide on how to position the CDO as a legitimate campus leader, in collaboration with other campus units, and adequately equip him or her to carry out the goals of the Chief Diversity Officer - and in so doing, position the institution for maximum effectiveness."--Gwendolyn Jordan Dungy, Executive Director Emeritus, NASPA--Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"The first and definitive book on the development and design of Chief Diversity Officer infrastructures, this book offers an unprecedented contribution to the field of strategic diversity leadership. Focused on higher education, but valuable for corporate, non-profit, and government leaders, this book creates an unprecedented balance between theory and practice as the authors offer frameworks, theories, and practical ideas to build, evolve, and optimize the Chief Diversity Officer role across organizational life. It is a classic that will show the way for generations of chief diversity officers, scholars, consultants, and those aspiring to role of chief diversity officer."--Christopher Metzler, Senior Associate Dean for Applied Management Degrees & Associate Dean for Human Resources and Diversity Studies, Georgetown University (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"Williams and Wade-Golden build on earlier trailblazing work, the Primer for College Presidents, and offer advanced insight into the significance and importance of the CDO role. They demonstrate how the CDO's work embodies integrative, inventive, and pragmatic institutional leadership that is crucial to grappling with contemporary and imminent transformational changes in higher education. This discerning and engaging work offers advanced insight into the significance and importance of the CDO role. The authors demonstrate how the CDO's work embodies integrative, inventive, and pragmatic institutional leadership that is crucial to grappling with contemporary and imminent transformational changes in higher education."--Lisa M. Coleman, Chief Diversity Officer & Special Assistant to the President, Harvard University (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"With increasing international trade and growing migration of students and workers across country borders, the management of diversity has become a strategic opportunity for all types of organizations. The Chief Diversity Officer provides an insightful and pragmatic understanding of how Diversity Officers can help their organizations unlock the potential of diversity to drive organizational success."--Ian O. Williamson, Associate Dean, International Relations & Helen Macpherson Smith Chair in Leadership for Social Impact, Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne (4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)
Review
"This is an incredibly valuable contribution to both higher education and to our working knowledge of the CDO role and how to position, support and create an environment in which diversity flourishes as a resource on our campuses." -- Mark A. Emmert, President, National Collegiate Athletic Association Published On: 2013-04-01
“The Chief Diversity Officer provides an extremely thorough and thoughtful overview of the importance of the evolving role and responsibilities of this position in higher education. This timely volume includes a sophisticated discussion of the structural issues involved in diversity leadership, incorporating both educational theory and practical wisdom and advice. It will be a valuable resource for academic leaders across the country who care about the educational imperatives of diversity in higher education.” -- Jonathan Alger, President, James Madison University Published On: 2013-04-01
“The Chief Diversity Officer is a seminal contribution to the post-secondary leadership and campus management literature. The authors successfully bring together disparate literatures on campus diversity, university administration, and systemic change into a well-reasoned, comprehensive, and evidence-based guide for administrators who serve as chief diversity officers; those who supervise and evaluate their results; and scholars interested in extending the discussion. The Chief Diversity Officer moves the field of higher education from ‘we know it when we see it’ toward a canonical base for a campus unit that has become commonplace in the aftermath of Title VI compliance, affirmative action litigation, and campus-based efforts to create an environment that maximizes learning and inquiry. Each chapter offers proven management theories, contextualized insight into the shifting terrain of campus diversity, visual models of applied concepts, and a refreshing optimism on how to grow and maintain diverse campus communities. The names ‘Williams and Wade-Golden’ must now be added to the required reading lists of both higher education research and practice." -- M. Christopher Brown II, President, Alcorn State University, author of Organization and Governance in Higher Education, and co-author of The Case for Affirmative Action on Campus Published On: 2013-04-01
“The Chief Diversity Officer breaks new ground. This much-needed book is based on both the empirical research and the collective experience of the authors effecting transformative change. The wealth of information provided makes clear the imperative for having a chief diversity officer who oversees the quality of the organizational culture. This comprehensive book will benefit anyone interested in leading, engaging, or improving higher education, leaving no excuses for failing to make a difference.” -- Mitchell J. Chang, Professor of Education and Asian American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles Published On: 2013-04-01
“Williams and Wade-Golden build on earlier trailblazing work, the Primer for College Presidents, and offer advanced insight into the significance and importance of the CDO role. They demonstrate how the CDO’s work embodies integrative, inventive, and pragmatic institutional leadership that is crucial to grappling with contemporary and imminent transformational changes in higher education. This discerning and engaging work offers advanced insight into the significance and importance of the CDO role. The authors demonstrate how the CDO’s work embodies integrative, inventive, and pragmatic institutional leadership that is crucial to grappling with contemporary and imminent transformational changes in higher education.” -- Lisa M. Coleman, Chief Diversity Officer & Special Assistant to the President, Harvard University Published On: 2013-04-01
“If you are interested in chief diversity officers, you have to read this book. It will frame how you think about the definition, design, and realities of the CDO role, whether you are a leader in higher education or the corporate sector. Grounded in research, but written for practitioners and scholars alike, this book provides an excellent road map, telling leaders how to develop high impact CDO roles, lead through relationships and influence, get off to a fast start, and the critical principles for leading change. We’ve waited too long for the Chief Diversity Officer and I’m glad it’s finally here, very well done!" -- Billy Dexter, Partner Global Diversity Services Practice, Heidrick & Struggles Published On: 2013-04-01
“For too many years, talented educators assigned roles and responsibilities for achieving access and equity, creating an inclusive climate, contributing to the scholarship around diversity, and preparing students for a diverse and interconnected world, have been handicapped in carrying out their roles effectively because diversity, though publicized as a priority, has not been an area of strategic importance in many colleges and universities. This publication is a sophisticated guide on how to position the CDO as a legitimate campus leader, in collaboration with other campus units, and adequately equip him or her to carry out the goals of the Chief Diversity Officer – and in so doing, position the institution for maximum effectiveness.” -- Gwendolyn Jordan Dungy, Executive Director Emeritus, NASPA―Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education Published On: 2013-04-01
“As organizations of all kinds look to engage issues of diversity and inclusion, they often think of creating or recasting the CDO role within their respective organizations. Done correctly, the results can be powerful; done incorrectly, and the fallout can be devastating. The Chief Diversity Officer carefully lays out the questions that need to be answered and the critical factors to ensure that the person who is going to assume the role is set up for success. Focused on higher education, but relevant across the board, every HR executive, CEO, or board member who is considering the CDO role in their organization should read this book." -- Dennis Kennedy, Founder & CEO, National Diversity Council Published On: 2013-04-01
“The first and definitive book on the development and design of Chief Diversity Officer infrastructures, this book offers an unprecedented contribution to the field of strategic diversity leadership. Focused on higher education, but valuable for corporate, non-profit, and government leaders, this book creates an unprecedented balance between theory and practice as the authors offer frameworks, theories, and practical ideas to build, evolve, and optimize the Chief Diversity Officer role across organizational life. It is a classic that will show the way for generations of chief diversity officers, scholars, consultants, and those aspiring to role of chief diversity officer.” -- Christopher Metzler, Senior Associate Dean for Applied Management Degrees & Associate Dean for Human Resources and Diversity Studies, Georgetown University Published On: 2013-04-01
“The Chief Diversity Officer is the second of two volumes on ‘Diversity Leadership’. The excellent first book, Strategic Diversity Leadership, provided an organizational perspective on institutional change and transformation. This book, building on the first, focuses more explicitly on, and makes the case for, the emerging role of the chief diversity officer. In this volume the authors provide a rationale for such an office and its role in the organization of a college or university that takes diversity seriously. More importantly they provide guidance in designing, implementing and integrating a Diversity Office that supports an institution’s development of a strategy for, and a culture that values, diversity. This volume is a ‘must read’ for scholars of organizational behavior in higher education, for executive officers and for anyone else interested in guiding the development of a strong institutional effort for promoting a culture of diversity.” -- Marvin W. Peterson, Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan, and Former Director, Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education Published On: 2013-04-01
“The Chief Diversity Officer is the first text to provide a comprehensive overview of the development of the CDO role and a clear and detailed analysis of the strategic contributions that the CDO can make to organizational transformation. A must-read for the new or seasoned CDO. The Chief Diversity Officer engages the reader with the depth and clarity of its analysis. There are no recycled clichés, but rather a thought provoking and well researched treatment of the underpinnings of the various CDO models, their contributions to institutional transformation, along with practical suggestions for the new or seasoned CDO. It is well balanced and highly readable." -- Benjamin D. Reese, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Duke University/Duke University Health System, and President, National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education Published On: 2013-04-01
“With increasing international trade and growing migration of students and workers across country borders, the management of diversity has become a strategic opportunity for all types of organizations. The Chief Diversity Officer provides an insightful and pragmatic understanding of how Diversity Officers can help their organizations unlock the potential of diversity to drive organizational success.” -- Ian O. Williamson, Associate Dean, International Relations & Helen Macpherson Smith Chair in Leadership for Social Impact, Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne Published On: 2013-04-01
“A successful diversity plan, which prepares students for global citizenship, can only be achieved when an institution's leadership team is committed and involved. This book is the tool needed by chief financial officers, presidents, and other campus leaders to effectively oversee the creation, development and success of the CDO role in the academy. The authors have done an amazing job of taking the complex and making it clear, creating a higher education management text that is essential reading for leaders at every level of higher education.” -- John Walda, President & CEO, National Association on of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) Published On: 2013-04-01
“The Chief Diversity Officer provides much needed expertise regarding an increasingly important position across institutions and sectors. Embedded in this essential guide is not only scholarly and administrative excellence, but a passion for nurturing and mentoring students, one of the greatest traits of leadership for anyone in higher education. The Chief Diversity Officer provides a beacon that is essential for colleges and universities everywhere." -- Steven J. Olikara, UW-Madison Class President ’12, Founder and President, Millennial Action Project Published On: 2013-04-01
“Equity and Inclusion are the most important values for all American universities in the 21st century. On many campuses these values are embodied in a senior official often carrying the title Chief Diversity Officer. This marvelous book is the first to consider in a comprehensive way the principles, structure and responsibilities of the offices of the CDO. I recommend the book enthusiastically to all members of the university community: staff students, faculty and, especially, senior administrators.” -- Robert J. Birgeneau, Chancellor, UC Berkeley Published On: 2013-04-01
About the Author
Damon A. Williams is the Associate Vice Chancellor, Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a clinical member of the faculty in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. He leads a dedicated CDO division and has worked with over 200 organizations interested in developing cutting-edge strategic diversity capabilities. His professional focus is in the areas of strategic planning, leadership development, chief diversity officer design, establishing dedicated diversity infrastructures, change management, youth development, program evaluation, and assessing diversity outcomes.
Visit the author's YouTube Channel for videos, keynotes, and author presentations.
Katrina C. Wade-Golden is Assistant Director and Senior Research Scientist in the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives at the University of Michigan. She provides leadership to the Michigan Study of the Undergraduate Student Experience and other research designed to explore the relationship between the collegiate experience and the educational outcomes of students. She has worked with hundreds of institutions with a particular focus on helping them to develop diversity assessment and evaluation projects designed to document the educational implications of diversity in higher education.
Mark A. Emmert President, National Collegiate Athletic Association 
