Norm Jones has been selected to be Amherst (MA) College’s chief diversity and inclusion officer (CDIO) according to President Biddy Martin. Jones started his tenure this past summer. He was previously the associate chief diversity officer and deputy director at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA.

“Norm brings experience and sophistication to our important and ongoing work of building an intellectual community that embraces diversity of people and points of view,” says Martin. “Amherst long ago committed itself to educational opportunity for the most talented students from all backgrounds and to a more diverse staff and faculty. Achieving all our goals requires leadership and focus. Norm brings both.”

In his role as CDIO, Jones reports to Martin and serves as a member of her senior staff, contributing to strategic College discussions and planning. He works closely with the dean of the faculty, academic departments and the chief human resources officer to help identify policies and practices that support the recruitment and retention of a diverse faculty and staff.

He also collaborates with students, human resources, the advancement staff, the office of student affairs and other critical campus partners to strengthen opportunities for dialogue and create a more vibrant, inclusive and cohesive campus climate for students, faculty and staff.

Jones’ other objectives include:

• Providing strategic leadership on diversity and inclusion.

• Supporting curriculum content and pedagogy around issues of inclusion and diversity.

• Improving faculty recruitment, development and retention programs.

• Creating a culture of assessment and evaluation of diversity and inclusion initiatives.

• Serving as a well-connected and collaborative campus partner.

• Embracing his role as Amherst’s diversity expert.

“I’m very excited about joining the Amherst community, a community that’s rich with possibilities and opportunities to create increasingly inclusive spaces,” Jones says.

At Harvard, Jones created an office of D&I, contributed to a university-wide strategic plan for diversity recruiting, streamlined and eliminated inefficiencies in business processes in his department, and served as a mentor for managers in Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences Mentoring Program, among other things.

Prior to that, he worked at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, for nearly 13 years. He was first hired there as director of student development, and rose through the ranks to associate vice president and dean of institutional diversity.

Jones holds a Ph.D. in workforce education and development and a master’s degree in public administration from Pennsylvania State University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and linguistics from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA.