Kobek Pezzarossi featured in new diversity publication

Dr. Caroline Kobek Pezzarossi, Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Certification in the Office of Student Success and Academic Quality, is one of several people featured in Diverse Leadership for a New Era, a new Chronicle of Higher Education special report on diversity in administrative ranks in academia. The 48-page report, written by Chronicle senior editor Alexander C. Kafka, contains sections on whether administrative diversity matters, placing emphasis on culture and not quotas, and attracting and developing talent. Kobek Pezzarossi is profiled in the third section. As a new administrator and as an American Council on Education fellow at Widener University this past year, she is described as being unique in that she is not part of the “holy trinity of diversity discussions” – race, class, and gender. Rather, she is Deaf. 

Kobek Pezzarossi is quoted extensively. She says that “diversity in bodies” – that is, physical disability – does not compete with other diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. “Rather, it is inspired by that work. The work of people of color informed the disability rights movement.” She was very complimentary of her experience at Widener, saying that it has broadened her world view as to her present and future roles in the academic community.
Diverse Leadership for a New Era is available for purchase at the Chronicle of Higher Education online store.