Advancing Underrepresented Populations in the Public Sector: Approaches and Practices in the Instructional Pipeline

Abstract

Although the numbers of women and minorities have steadily risen in the United States federal workforce, some studies have suggested that these groups are still underrepresented in high-level positions. Notwithstanding, surprisingly, only a few studies have examined the recruitment and achievement gap among disadvantaged groups in programs of public administration/policy/affairs with the aim of investigating their role as a pipeline to representation. This study is a step in that direction. It surveys academic heads of U. S. schools accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). The survey focuses on four key areas: academic support, financial support, recruitment strategies, and training and development. Among others, findings show for instance that schools with a lower percentage of students from underrepresented groups use scholarships, tuition waivers, and teaching assistantships to recruit students from these populations; in comparison, schools with higher percentages of students from underrepresented groups are able to attract faculty from minority groups at twice the rate of schools with lower percentages of students from underrepresented groups.