Minority issues in evaluation revisited: Re-conceptualizing and creating opportunities for institutional change

This paper, while a commentary on Professor Stanfield's plenary presentatio n, is as much a critique of how evaluation researchers, the larger professi on, and professional organizations come to terms with research on, issues a bout, acid interests that impact people (and scholars) of color. First, I s uggest that we revisit minority issues within a broader context of our Amer ican educational and social structure. Second, I focus on ways to create in stitutional change, such as through recruiting and mentoring junior evaluat ion researchers of color and from other underrepresented groups. Hardly com plete, the ideas in this commentary are intended to highlight encouraging v ehicles and initiatives from other educational scholars and peer associatio ns, in the hope of contributing to the rethinking of minority issues in eva luation.