In this episode of The Kindness Code, Dr. Mitchell Chang discusses the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in education. He shares his personal journey as an immigrant and how it shaped his understanding of identity and belonging. Dr. Chang emphasizes that diversity enriches learning experiences but requires intentional actions from educational institutions to maximize its benefits. He advocates for systemic changes in faculty recruitment and encourages students to engage in DEI initiatives with a spirit of kindness and collaboration.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Diversity and Inclusion in Education

06:19 Personal Journey and the Importance of Authenticity

09:41 Research Insights on Diversity's Impact

12:30 Advocating for DEI on Campus

About Dr. Mitchell Chang:

Mitchell J. Chang is Professor of Education and Asian American Studies (by courtesy) at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has been on the faculty at UCLA since 1999 and in 2023, was appointed Interim Vice Provost of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion after having previously served as Associate Vice Chancellor.

Chang's research focuses on the educational efficacy of diversity-related initiatives on college campuses and how to apply those best practices toward enhancing student learning and advancing higher education’s public mission. He has written over one hundred publications, some of which were cited in U.S. Supreme Court rulings involving the use of race sensitive admissions practices. In 2001, Chang received a National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship and in 2006, he was profiled as one of the nation’s top ten scholars by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. He has served in elected positions for both the American Educational Research Association (At-Large Member of AERA Executive Council & Division J), which inducted him as a Fellow in 2016, and the Association for the Study of Higher Education (Board of Directors), which awarded him the Founder’s Service Award in 2014 and the Research Achievement Award in 2020. He has been listed in Education Week as one of the top 200 scholars whose work not only influences academic research and scholarship, but that also engages and impacts the nation’s public conversation about education. Chang has also served on many national advisory panels, including for the U.S. Department of Education, White House Domestic Policy Council, National Science Foundation, Spencer Foundation, National Institute of Health, and College Board. From 2018-2022, he served as the Editor in Chief for The Journal of Higher Education and was also an expert witness on Students for Fair Admissions vs. University of North Carolina.

Dr. Chang's podcast: Inclusive Excellence

Dr. Chang's page: https://seis.ucla.edu/faculty/mitchell-chang/

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