What an Assistant Provost for Institutional Equity at Willamette University Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Higher Education Industry
Emilio, Willamette University's Assistant Provost for Institutional Equity, learned that the role demands constant follow-up, "You got to be the pusher," reminding others of commitments and deadlines to achieve progress on DEI initiatives. The high turnover rate in similar positions highlights the significant burden and the need for proactive advocacy to ensure accountability.
Higher Education, Institutional Equity, Leadership, Accountability, Advocacy
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Emilio Solano
Assistant Provost, Institutional Equity
Willamette University
Willamette University, 2009
Loyola Marymount University, Master of Arts, Urban Education: Policy & Administration and Lewis & Clark College, Doctorate of Education, Education Leadership
History, Art History
Education
Education
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. The role of Chief Diversity Officer or similar positions has a high turnover rate and burnout is common. Knowing this beforehand can help manage expectations and prepare for the challenges.
2. It's crucial to be proactive and follow up with people to ensure tasks are completed. Don't wait for others to initiate; take ownership and remind them of deadlines and commitments.
3. Successfully holding people accountable is a vital skill. Knowing when and how to use this power to ensure progress is critical to making positive changes on campus.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
I think people told me a lot about this role before I entered it. I was constantly reminded of the burden that comes with being the DEI person for an entire college campus, whether that's actually your responsibility or not. As a person of color, as a Latino, there's a burden placed to get this work done.
National statistics show how long professionals stay in these types of roles. I think it's around two years, and then they're out. That's the average for Chief Diversity Officer roles. There's a really high turnover rate and a lot of burnout.
I felt lucky that people were real with me about the challenges ahead. They weren't trying to sway me away from the job, but a lot of the people I talked to were honest about what to expect.
Something I wish people had helped me focus on more is realizing that you have to be the pusher. Sometimes you have to be the person reminding others to get things done. You have to say, "Hey, remember that conversation we had? Hey, remember that policy we talked about? Can you get me the feedback?" You have to be okay with doing that; you can't always wait for people to come to you.
There are many people in higher education doing multiple jobs and they're spread thin. At our university, they're sometimes spread really thin right now. So, it wasn't just about my work plan and the steps I needed to take. I also needed to put reminders in my work plan for who I was going to remind to do the thing.
It's more than just putting an email at the top of someone's inbox or following up on a conversation. It's about saying, "I asked for this, and I need it because policy relies on it, shifts on campus rely on it, student experience relies on it, and faculty and staff experience rely on it."
Holding people accountable and feeling like I have the power to do so is something I wish someone had told me.