Abstract
As of our most recent census data, racialized people comprise 22.3% of the Canadian population (Statistics Canada, 2016). Canadian universities have espoused commitments to diversity and inclusion but there has long been a gap between the rhetoric and practice. Research has demonstrated that under-representation is a problem at all levels of academia but particularly within the senior ranks. Drawing on an original dataset representing 324 senior university leaders, this study will empirically map the demographic composition of academic leaders across Canada, including presidents, vice-presidents, assistant vice-presidents, associate vice-presidents, provosts, and vice-provosts. Our findings suggest that racialized people in leadership are under-represented compared with their presence in the university population—consistent with the pyramid of exclusion where the representation of racialized people decreases as we move up the ranks. Taking a systems perspective informed by our critical ecology model we examine the overlapping societal-, organizational-, and individual-level mechanisms that impede the advancement of racialized people into leadership positions at universities in Canada.
Highlights
Recent decades have witnessed a variety of government regulations and institutional-level policies designed to improve the representation of marginalized social groups among Canadian university faculty and administration (Choi, 2016; Dua, 2009; James, 2011; Katchanovski, Nevitte and Rothman, 2015; Ramos, 2012)
Studies have repeatedly assessed the representation of marginalized social groups among Canadian university students (Childs et al, 2016; Finnie et al, 2015) and faculty (Dua and Banji, 2012; Henry et al, 2017; Ramos, 2012), little peer-reviewed research exists on senior university academic and executive leaders, such as presidents and provosts—individuals charged with leading contemporary universities (Nakhaie, 2004)
Our analysis shows that a small minority of all senior university leaders in Canada (13.3%) are non-white, with white women as the largest group of leaders after white men
Summary
Recent decades have witnessed a variety of government regulations and institutional-level policies designed to improve the representation of marginalized social groups among Canadian university faculty and administration (Choi, 2016; Dua, 2009; James, 2011; Katchanovski, Nevitte and Rothman, 2015; Ramos, 2012). Studies have repeatedly assessed the representation of marginalized social groups among Canadian university students (Childs et al, 2016; Finnie et al, 2015) and faculty (Dua and Banji, 2012; Henry et al, 2017; Ramos, 2012), little peer-reviewed research exists on senior university academic and executive leaders, such as presidents and provosts—individuals charged with leading contemporary universities (Nakhaie, 2004)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Educational Management Administration & Leadership
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
