The Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) officially began in 2012 as a continuation of the work originally conducted by the Office of Social Equity and Minority Affairs. The Office of Social Equity and Minority Affairs, which opened in 2006 under the leadership of Dr. Jack Jenkins, transitioned into the Office of Minority Affairs (2008) and then the Office of Institutional Diversity (2009-2012). The Center for Diversity and Inclusion was disbanded by President Brendan B. Kelly in June 2021. The CDI and all preceding units were located in Row Hall on the second floor's east wing.

The Office of Social Equity and Minority Affairs, the Office of Minority Affairs. and the Office of Institutional Diversity all reported directly to the President of the University. After 2012, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion was within Student Affairs and Enrollment. From 2016 to 2019, when the Center for Diversity and Inclusion was directed by the Senior Diversity Officer, the office once again reported to the President.

During these years, the African-American Male Initiative (AAMI) and the Multicultural Achievement Program (MAP) were within CDI. The AAMI began as a University System of Georgia initiative with a paid coordinator position put in place around 2010 or 2011. In 2020, the AAMI and MAP were re-located to the University College within Academic Affairs.

The mission of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion was to champion, facilitate, and implement diversity and inclusion best practices that would result in a more inclusive and culturally competent campus community.

The CDI produced and partnered with other campus units on an array of programs including: the Mix-It-Up Lunch started in 2009 and inspired by the Southern Poverty Law Center program for secondary school students, the Martin Luther King Jr. speaker series (initiated in 2010 with speaker Elisabeth Omilami, daughter of Hosea Williams), Controversies of Culture, Multicultural Conversations, the Older Americans Sock Drive (began in 2012 or 2013), conversations with Black Alumni, and other programs.

The CDI was the organizer and key campus partner of the University of West Georgia's Spring Book Discussion. From 2016 to 2020, five authors were engaged to come to campus for this annual event which included a talk by the author, a reception, and a book signing. Prior to each event, several hundred copies of the author’s book were distributed at no charge on campus. By 2020, the list of sponsoring partners had grown to include the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the University of West Georgia’s Presidential Commission on Campus Inclusion, The Creative Writing Program in the Department of English and Philosophy, the College of Arts and Humanities, the Center for Academic Success, Housing and Residence Life, Ingram Library, and the Student Activities Council. Community supporters included Underground Books, Horton’s Books and Gifts, Harvey’s House of Books, and the Carrollton Writers Guild.

The CDI also hosted an array of training on implicit bias in the community and on campus for Resident Advisors (RAs), faculty, and staff, and other groups.

The CDI and its preceding offices produced a newspaper entitled, "The Journey." There were eleven issues published from Spring 2008 to Spring 2017.

Deirdre H. Rouse served as program coordinator for the Office of Institutional Diversity from 2008 to 2012, Acting Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) from 2012 to 2013, and CDI Director from 2013 to 2021. Ms. Rouse's team included: Nancy Watkins, Senior Administrative Assistant; Ashley Lewis, Director of Student Diversity/MAP; Doris Kieh, part-time Program Coordinator from 2009 to 2012 and full-time program coordinator from 2012 until her retirement in 2019; Cheryl Hill, AAMI Program Coordinator from 2011 to 2017; Michael Hester, AAMI coordinator from 2017 to present [2021]; and Lo Denmon, Inclusion Specialist from 2017 to January 2021.