The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 43, No. 3 - 69

Reaching Out

alized student populations if all students are
to be prepared to participate in a pluralistic
democracy.

Simply following the rationale

The literature on diversity has recently
focused on the concept of multicultural competence, or the necessary knowledge and skills to
effectively maximize the educational benefits
of diversity on a college or university campus.
Some scholars have encouraged student affairs
professionals to adopt multicultural development models and associated techniques (Pope
& Mueller, 2011; Talbot, 2003). In particular,
Pope et al. (2009) have recommended specialized training to enhance the multicultural
competence of student affairs staff as they seek
to meet strategic goals related to diversity in
their organization.

colleges and universities alone

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Multicultural organizational development
(MCOD) provided the theoretical framework
that guided this study. Stemming from extant
literature on organizational theory, MCOD incorporates multicultural issues into descriptions of the values, goals, and cultural practices
of organizations. As such, MCOD serves as a
constructive improvement tool to help organizations assess their own current beliefs and
practices regarding diverse cultural and social
groups. Organizations can then use MCOD to
identify strategies that contribute to their development as a more socially just system.
First coined by Jackson and Holvino (1988),
MCOD has since been adapted by a number of
scholars for the work of student affairs practitioners (Grieger, 1996; Pope, 1993, 1995;
Talbot, 2003; Valverde & Castenell, 1998). The
MCOD template, adapted and presented by
Pope, Reynolds, and Mueller in 2004, serves

of diversifying student bodies at
will not improve educational
environments. As noted by some
scholars, organizations need
to move beyond such "magical
thinking."

as a particular resource for this study and
can be used to address multicultural issues
within a more focused departmental subunit
of student affairs such as residential life. The
template designates 10 areas for intervention:
definition of the term multicultural, mission
statement, leadership and advocacy, policy
review, recruitment and retention of diverse
staff, multicultural competency expectations
and training, scholarly activities, departmental/division programs and services, physical
environment, and assessment.
Within the specific area of staff recruitment and retention, Pope et al. (2004) note
that a true multicultural department must be
composed of a diverse staff that represents
different voices, life experiences, and cultural
backgrounds, especially if the department is
to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse
student population. The authors show that
retaining a diverse staff entails addressing interpersonal and structural dynamics that can
contribute to a welcoming and nurturing environment for all members. To achieve this
purpose, an organization will need to broaden
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The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 43, No. 3

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