Seeing through different lenses: How the higher education community views diversity

Abstract

Over the years, the societal differences that contribute to the concept of diversity have evolved and expanded. Because of this, the understanding of the term diversity and its implications for higher education vary greatly and no one clear definition emerges. This qualitative study seeks to answer how diversity is understood and experienced at a women's liberal arts college. Three-hundred and thirty-nine faculty, staff, and students participated in interviews and focus groups for this study. The preliminary findings indicate that although there are some similarities, there is no clear definition of diversity across any group. Overall, "everyone is diverse" in some way. But what does this belief mean for historically underrepresented groups in higher education? Implications and recommendations based upon the findings and existing literature are presented.