Introduction

For decades, colleges have turned to diversity training to solve a multitude of problems: Improving the workplace climate for faculty and staff members. Promoting an inclusive culture for all students. Preventing and responding to incidents of bias, discrimination, and hate. Expanding opportunities for advancement for women and people of color.

A 2016 survey of 670 colleges found that two-thirds of them offered diversity training to their faculty members. Yet for all the hopes and dreams that have been pinned on diversity training — which can take the form of lectures, online training modules, group discussions, and readings, for example — there’s little agreement on best practices or whether it is even effective.