Many universities are grappling with the issue of diversifying the faculty lines in higher education. While this appears to be a global issue across disciplines, those of us who are in special education may find it to be of greater concern because special education legislation, the Individuals with disabilities Act (IDEA) strongly supports diversity. Congress has stated that the government must be responsive to the growing needs of an increasingly more diverse society, and recommended that recruitment efforts focus on bringing larger numbers of minorities into the profession. Section 610 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates an increase in the number of professionals representing diverse cultures and backgrounds (IDEA, 101–476, 1990). This paper provides justification for the need to actively participate in efforts to increase the number of ethnically diverse faculty in colleges and universities and in programs in special education. A global perspective is shared. Challenges and concerns are delineated, along with initiatives that may assist colleges and universities when designing recruitment programs.
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