From Compliance to Commitment: Positioning Organizations to Develop Authentic DEI Initiatives

The resurgence of Black Lives Matter movement, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, served as a catalyst for many organizations to create or expand their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives. To implement these programs, and initiatives, organizations hired diversity equity and inclusion practitioners to implement their often top-down approaches. However, organizations are currently re-evaluating their DEI strategies, everchanging sociopolitical landscape in the United States, given landmark decisions such as the overturning of affirmative action. Given the ever-evolving state of DEI programs, its more important that all leaders are equipped with the skills to cultivate a respectful, equitable and psychologically safe environment. This course will provide scholar-practitioners with the tools to build, manage, and advance DEI strategies regardless of their position, with the organization. The course will provide overview of relevant social science research, organizational development literature, along with case studies, and current best practices in the marketplace. At the completion of the course students will be able to: • Identify important concepts and terminology relevant to current conversations of diversity, equity and inclusion. • Articulate macro level social connections between identity, and social inequality. • Draw connections between their own experiences and the larger narratives about identity. • Develop and analyze the effectiveness of diversity equity and inclusion programs. Non-DYNM students: Please include a brief job description in your Permissions Request.