Chapter 16: From Institutional Diversity and Inclusion to Societal Equity and Justice: Higher Education as a Leadership Training Ground for the Public Good

Institutions of higher education are often described as distinct from the “real world,” despite their pertinence in preparing students for life after graduation. In many ways, universities serve as microcosms of the larger society, providing a living laboratory for team building, leadership, dialogue, and critical thinking. Situated in a fractured world that faces ongoing and systemic dilemmas of inequality and injustice, colleges occupy an important role in advancing the public good across local, national, and international contexts (Savior & Cooper, 2015).

In reaction to recent student protests across the globe, the varied responses from leaders in higher education have either furthered or damaged inclusivity efforts on college and university campuses. These responses have, in large part, been isomorphic and informed by environmental pressures that encourage similar institutional responses (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983). Yet we believe this normative isometric pattern can be interrupted by leaders being proactive, rather than reactive, to campus diversity and inclusion efforts, developing allies, and utilizing dialogue as a thoughtful and intentional tool when conflict arises (Gurin, Nagda, & Zúñiga, 2013; Kendall, 2003).