Clemson offers up to $109k for 'Director of Diversity Education'

A taxpayer-funded university in South Carolina is offering a starting salary of up to $109,000 to fill its newly created “Director of Diversity Education” position.

In a recent job posting, Clemson University explains that it seeks a Director of Diversity Education (DDE) to “implement diversity education curriculum and programming” related to issues of “cultural competence, diversity, inclusion, identity, and social justice for all members of the Clemson community.”

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While Clemson University already employs a Chief Diversity Officer who primarily works with faculty and other members of the administration, the DDE will be primarily responsible for working with students, according to the job posting.

In addition to creating diversity programming, the DDE will serve as an advocate for “marginalized communities,” which are defined as students “identifying as: Latino and Hispanic, African-American, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander, LGBTQ, First-generation [sic] and low income, [and] women.”

The DDE will also be tasked with authoring research on diversity and inclusion issues, and will be expected to actively use that research to “create resources and tools to foster inclusive instructional techniques that recognize diversity as an asset and eliminate barriers to learning.”

[RELATED: Clemson puts ‘rainbow initiatives’ job ‘on hold indefinitely’]

While the job posting does not specify what office the DDE will work with, he or she may be housed in the school’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which boasts a Bias Incident Response Team and gives awards to students committed to social justice.

Applicants with a Ph.D. and at least seven years of experience are encouraged to apply. The DDE will work 37.5 hours per week, and will be paid between $59,161 and $109,457. The application closes during the second week of November.

As Campus Reform has reported, Clemson’s dedication to social justice and diversity has accelerated tremendously over the last year. In August, for example, Residential Life Assistants were required to “demonstrate commitment to social justice” during their job training.

The school also created a mandatory diversity education program for faculty earlier this fall, costing the school at least $25,000, and Clemson officials have plans to create a similar program for students, Campus Reform has learned.

Campus Reform reached out to Clemson University to inquire how the position is funded, but spokespersons did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

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