Become a LADO member.

More than a membership: authentic community

LADO members are typically small, private liberal arts colleges in the United States with a commitment to racial justice, equity, and inclusion work. Membership with LADO offers access to a network of highly experienced Chief Diversity Officers who are shaping the leaders of tomorrow. Since 2007, we have been offering the best equity and inclusion practices, annual and monthly meetings, and exclusive access to current job postings at member institutions.

As a new chief diversity officer, I benefited immensely from the wisdom and community offered by my LADO colleagues. Over time, I've come to realize that we are a think tank, a mutual-aid society, and a group dedicated to advancing equity and inclusion at our small liberal arts colleges.

Floyd Cheung, Smith College

Building Relationships

Chief Diversity Officers of small, liberal arts colleges often times face unique and novel challenges due to the characteristics of the institutions they serve. The demographics of the students, faculty, and staff they serve along with a rapidly changing political and economic landscape continue to push forward equity issues that are not just important, but also urgent. Acknowledging the common threads of liberal arts education, LADO members formed a tight-knit community that is ready to provide peer-to-peer support and expertise in diversity strategies and practices.

Accessing Resources

While our primary form of support relies heavily on online communication, LADO members share access to resources that aid and move forward our institutions’ commitment to anti-racism and equity, including:

  • in-person biannual meetings,
  • online monthly meetings addressing pandemic-specific equity challenges,
  • access to a shared Google Drive folder with helpful tools and materials addressing a wide range of topics,
  • and personal and professional development workshops.

FAQs

Could you be a LADO institution?

LADO is a non-profit organization currently led by an army of volunteer Chief Diversity Officers. In order to further advance the efforts of LADO and ensure continuous access to a wide array of benefits, each institution is subject to a $1,500 membership due.

We’d love to talk to you more in depth! Please send us a message via the form below and our Program Associate, Ashe Hacker, can further answer any questions or direct you to one of our Executive Committee members.

Due to varying locations, LADO meets monthly via Zoom. LADO Conferences occur twice a year in person, for three days. Each biannual conference is hosted by one of our member institutions on a rotational, volunteer basis. If you are interested in joining LADO, but you are unsure if our group will be the best fit for you and your institution, you can inquire about attending one of our biannual meetings as a visiting institution. Please fill out the form below to find out more about our upcoming in-person meetings.

A prospective LADO member must complete our application, which includes a signed copy of our membership guidelines; a copy of your institution’s Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) position description (or senior administrator of equivalent responsibility); and an organizational chart that outlines the CDO’s reporting structure, including their supervisor(s) and direct reports. Once all documents have been received, the Executive Committee will recommend an institution for membership to the current body of members, which will then vote. Once a decision is made, the applicant should receive a letter confirming acceptance/denial. The entire process takes approximately two to four weeks.

Ready to apply? Questions or concerns?

Fill out this form and we’ll reach back out to you as quickly as possible.

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