Diversity Issues in American Colleges and Universities

Book excerpt: The primary objective of this book is to help higher education and student affairs graduate students as well as current higher education and student affairs professionals practice and refine thinking skills needed to resolve diversity-related issues and problems on college and university campuses. Within each chapter the author has included case studies that address all of the different aspects of diversity and the following functional areas within higher education and student affairs: academic advising, administration, admissions, career services, counseling and psychological services, financial aid, Greek affairs, international education, institutional research, judicial affairs, multicultural affairs, orientation services, residence life, student activities, student development in the two-year college, teaching, and wellness and student health. The case studies are designed to serve as a useful starting point to enable students and professionals to practice examining and thoughtfully articulating appropriate plans of action in response to the issues presented in each. Specifically, each case study is designed to help readers recognize and develop multicultural awareness and become competent users of multicultural knowledge and related skills. This book may be used as a supplementary textbook or a stand-alone text in undergraduate or graduate level courses, training modules, workshops, and seminars designed to provide opportunities to learn how to communicate with persons from different cultural backgrounds. In addition, the text contains a number of research projects that students and researchers will find interesting and challenging, including some that may be expanded to serve as dissertation projects and/or research publications.