Considerations for educational developers working with academic applicants on writing diversity statements

This article builds on previous research on diversity statements, adding insights to the resource sharing among educational developers who provide guidance in crafting such statements. In response to the existing knowledge gap about what transpires after submitting diversity statements to hiring committees, we conducted a survey involving 299 academic hiring committee members serving between 2015 and 2021 at five predominantly white, research-focused institutions in the Midwest and Southwest. The findings from the survey are the basis of this reflection on practice. Our analysis reveals a lack of preparedness and a prevailing sense of uncertainty among committee members, coupled with nuanced considerations associated with the complexities of this genre. Based on firsthand experiences and feedback from committee members, this article attempts to go beyond current literature, fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges and providing new perspectives for educational developers engaged in supporting diversity statement writing.