In August 2016, JSRI launched its 10-month-long, certificate diversity leadership program, Diversity Assessment and Engagement Program (DAEP), designed for mid- and senior-level administrators. With an emphasis on organizational transformation, DAEP goes beyond the usual interactional focus of diversity leadership programs. Participants learn to examine the historical, cultural, and structural features of their own organizations. They learn about the elements of leadership and the distinctiveness of diversity leadership, how power and privilege function within organizations, different models and stages of organizational change, the various forms of resistance to organizational change and how to effectively manage them, and strategies for sustaining organizational change.

As a capstone project, participants assess their organization relative to diversity and develop a strategic diversity plan as a way of applying the lessons learned. Throughout the program participants work in small groups to design their respective assessments and garner input on developing their plans. The program concludes with participants presenting their diversity plans and addressing comments by their peers. Participants appreciate the sharing of views that occurs, and learn that there are many commonalities in their experiences and how others address challenges to achieving diversity-competent organizations.

The program will be offered again beginning August 2018. This time it will be offered in cooperation with Detroit Public Television, located at 1 Clover Ct., in Wixom, MI. Further information will be made available on JSRI’s webpage (www.jsri.msu.edu) early in 2018, with applications due by May 1, 2018, and admissions decisions made by mid-June.