Diversity and Affirmative Action - Diversity Resource Guide - Carnegie Mellon University

Diversity and Affirmative Action

Affirmative action is a series of efforts and/or strategies designed to provide equal consideration for all individuals within the university's employment activity, including hiring, promotion and terminations.

At Carnegie Mellon, this includes the following:

  • making an effort to notify women's and minority groups about job openings, rather than relying on word-of-mouth notification;
  • taking steps to ensure that minorities and women are included in applicant pools; and
  • providing equal opportunities for advancement.

Differentiating Affirmative Action from Managing Diversity

Dimension Affirmative Action Managing Diversity
Emphasis
  • Women
  • Minorities
  • All groups, including white males
Assumptions
  • Members of protected groups have deficiencies
  • Most "different" employees wish to emulate a dominant group
  • Members of all groups have potential
  • Individuals may be reluctant to assimilate, possibly losing key diffences
Change Required
  • Individual adapts to existing culture and systems
  • Both the individual and the organization adapt
Results
  • Diverse workforce at lower levels of the organization
  • Repetitive cycles of hiring and turnover
  • Dominant culture orientation
  • Competitive advantage
  • Full utilization of all employees
  • Multicultural orientation
Source: Designing and Implementing Successful Diversity Programs by Lawrence Baytos.