Diversity

  • Describe a situation in which you encountered a conflict with a person from a different cultural background than yours. How did you handle the situation? (Please be specific)
  • Describe a situation in which you utilized your multicultural skills to solve a problem.
  • Describe how you, as a staff member, function and communicate effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, and backgrounds.
  • Give an example of how you honor commitments and describe a time when you were asked to compromise your ethics. What did you do? What would you do in the future?
  • Give an example of how you walk in the shoes of people we serve and those with whom we work.
  • How has your current/previous employer benefited from multiculturalism?
  • In previous work experiences, what has been the greatest obstacle in developing a multicultural-competent staff?
  • In what ways have you integrated multicultural issues as part of your professional development?
  • Please describe how you would work to create a campus environment that is welcoming, inclusive and increasingly diverse.
  • Suppose that in working with a University unit you discover a pervasive belief that diversity and excellence are somehow in conflict. How do you conceptualize the relationship between diversity and excellence? 
  • Talk about a time that you successfully adapted to a culturally different environment.
  • Talk about how you responded to a co-worker who made an insensitive remark.
  • Tell us about a time when you changed your style to work more effectively with a person from a different background.
  • Tell us about a time when you had to work with someone who had the direct opposite personality of yours?
  • What do you see as the most challenging aspects of an increasingly diverse academic community? Follow-up question: What initiatives have you taken to meet such challenges?
  • What is your definition of diversity? How do you encourage people to honor the uniqueness of each individual? How do you challenge stereotypes and promote sensitivity and inclusion?
  • What kinds of leadership efforts are needed to encourage a commitment to excellence through diversity? 
  • What opportunities have you had working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural and inclusive settings.