Navigating Diversity Residencies: Overcoming Challenges and Making the Most of It
Event Type
Presentation
Start Date
25-7-2025 11:15 AM
End Date
25-7-2025 11:45 AM
Description
This session offers an informal discussion and comparison between a current diversity resident and a former resident from the same R1 academic library. Despite the efforts of previous residents to create a toolkit aimed at transforming diversity residencies from performative to transformative, there is a lack of accountability in implementing these changes. Our experiences reveal that the support provided often goes unrecognized as labor from colleagues. The current landscape of defunding and banning DEI initiatives further strains support for diversity residencies, making it challenging for individuals to list their contributions on their CVs. This issue extends to post-residents who must describe their positions uniquely to avoid discrimination in future hiring. Although institutions are expected to retain residents post-residency, this is complicated by defunding threats and discontinued DEI hiring procedures. Despite these challenges, diversity residencies often offer more support and flexibility than other entry-level positions, including job rotations and colleague support.
In this session, presenters will share their personal experiences with diversity residencies, highlighting both the positive aspects and the criticisms of the model. They will discuss how the current landscape affects practices in retaining workers at institutions and the impact of funding on these programs. Additionally, they will explore the work done by previous residents to make the residency model transformative rather than performative, and the ongoing challenges faced in achieving this goal.
Outcomes
- Critical Understanding: Attendees will gain a critical understanding of the diversity residency model, including its benefits and drawbacks.
- Personal Insights: Attendees will hear firsthand experiences from current and former diversity residents, who will provide personal insights into the residency experience.
- Transformative Practices: Attendees will learn about institutional efforts to make diversity residencies transformative rather than performative and how to apply these practices in their institutions.
Navigating Diversity Residencies: Overcoming Challenges and Making the Most of It
This session offers an informal discussion and comparison between a current diversity resident and a former resident from the same R1 academic library. Despite the efforts of previous residents to create a toolkit aimed at transforming diversity residencies from performative to transformative, there is a lack of accountability in implementing these changes. Our experiences reveal that the support provided often goes unrecognized as labor from colleagues. The current landscape of defunding and banning DEI initiatives further strains support for diversity residencies, making it challenging for individuals to list their contributions on their CVs. This issue extends to post-residents who must describe their positions uniquely to avoid discrimination in future hiring. Although institutions are expected to retain residents post-residency, this is complicated by defunding threats and discontinued DEI hiring procedures. Despite these challenges, diversity residencies often offer more support and flexibility than other entry-level positions, including job rotations and colleague support.
In this session, presenters will share their personal experiences with diversity residencies, highlighting both the positive aspects and the criticisms of the model. They will discuss how the current landscape affects practices in retaining workers at institutions and the impact of funding on these programs. Additionally, they will explore the work done by previous residents to make the residency model transformative rather than performative, and the ongoing challenges faced in achieving this goal.
Outcomes
- Critical Understanding: Attendees will gain a critical understanding of the diversity residency model, including its benefits and drawbacks.
- Personal Insights: Attendees will hear firsthand experiences from current and former diversity residents, who will provide personal insights into the residency experience.
- Transformative Practices: Attendees will learn about institutional efforts to make diversity residencies transformative rather than performative and how to apply these practices in their institutions.
