Minority Faculty Job Experience, Expectations, and Satisfaction

Abstract

As we enter new millennium, reasons to increase number of minority faculty include issues of: role of minority faculty in enrollment, retention, achievement, and graduation of minority students; employment equity for minority Ph.D.s; and the necessity for full and unfettered participation in American society, by all of its members, if this nation is to survive economically, socially, and spiritually.1 Some demographers estimate that, over next decade, as many as 80 percent of new entrants into labor force will be racial minorities and white women.2 As institutions of higher education seek to train that workforce and recruit more racial minority students, it becomes more important to increase number of minority faculty. Minority faculty have demonstrated their superior ability to provide direct, beneficial support for minority students; to represent an important symbol to minority students about their own futures, as well as institution's commitment to them; and to create a more comfortable environment for minority students and faculty.3 Not only do minority faculty contribute to student diversity but they also must be better represented in academy because they are likely to contribute in unique ways to what is taught, how it is taught, and what is important to learn.4 The U. S. Census Bureau reports black population at 12.2 percent, Hispanics at 11.8 percent, Asians at 3.8 percent and American Indians at 0.7 percent.5 Four decades after enactment of equal employment opportunity legislation, African Americans and Hispanics still make up a proportionally small percentage of faculties of American higher education institutions (3 and 2% respectively6). Universities also have a difficult time retaining minority faculty.7 For example, in 97 percent of all American universities, the odds that a student will see a black face in front of classroom ... are about 50 to 1.8 While relatively small number of ethnic minorities with advanced degrees influences faculty under-representation, this shortage does not account for all disparity. Some research supports that qualified people of color frequently avoid academia because of their perception of racism in educational institutions. In a study of African American scholars, who are qualified for academic profession but were attracted to other occupations, racial discrimination was found to be leading reason why they chose other professions.9 Additionally, minority faculty in white institutions, find themselves in isolated circumstances, (where) problems associated with institutional and individual racism become even more dominant than they otherwise would be. Of those who do choose academia, studies show that a significant number of African American junior faculty, who find covert racism in academia's tenure and promotion reviews, ... in fact leave area of instruction for administration early in their careers.11 There is evidence that racial minorities with terminal degrees often do not enter academy, or do not remain, because of what they perceive of as racial discrimination, particularly in hiring, retention, tenure, promotion, workload assignments, as well as professional reward, acknowledgement, and inclusion. In a study of more than 400 black faculty, over half of them said they believed promotion and tenure process was racially biased. One researcher found that affirmative action policies have not been effective in significantly increasing higher education employment for racial minorities because an affirmative action program, can be implemented in a manner that marginalizes minority persons in faculty recruitment process and results in benefits for majority persons.14 If perceived structural racism is an obstacle to minority faculty hiring and retention, then dismantling of those unfair practices and increasing diversity, would reflect one measure of success for an educational institution in a pluralistic society. …