Faculty Representation Research Articles

From Enigma to Equity: Asian American and Pacific Islanders in Cardiothoracic Surgery.

From Enigma to Equity: Asian American and Pacific Islanders in Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Report of the American Psychological Association's Board of Scientific Affairs Task Force on Promotion, Tenure, and Retention of Faculty of Color in Psychology.

Recruitment, promotion, tenure, and retention of faculty of color remain significant challenges in academia. Despite an increasingly diverse population, the representation of faculty of color in tenure-track and senior faculty positions remains disproportionately low. Structural barriers, including bias in hiring and faculty evaluations, misalignment between academic culture and cultural values, unequal distribution of service labor, and limited access to mentorship and leadership opportunities, continue to hinder the advancement of faculty of color across academic ranks. This report summary from the American Psychological Association's "Task Force Report on Promotion, Tenure, and Retention of Faculty of Color in Psychology" examines these systemic issues. It provides actionable recommendations for institutions to foster an equitable academic environment. Key strategies include enhancing recruitment efforts, implementing transparent and equitable tenure and promotion policies, addressing bias in evaluation metrics, and strengthening mentorship and retention initiatives. Additionally, the report emphasizes the importance of recognizing nontraditional scholarship, ensuring fair distribution of service responsibilities, and supporting leadership development for faculty of color. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Forward Strides in Academic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Gender Representation: 2025 Update.

Although academic plastic and reconstructive surgery has trended toward dismantling gender disparities over the last decade, gaps remain within program leadership. This study mapped gender distributions of plastic surgery chiefs and program directors (PDs) in context of faculty and trainees to characterize how current leadership reflects and shapes the broader gender landscape. In a national cross-sectional study, data on academic plastic surgery leaders, faculty, and trainees were extracted from program websites and/or social/professional media, determining gender using documented pronouns. Career metrics were collected for all leaders. Differences by gender were evaluated using Chi-square/Fisher's exact tests, independent-samples t-tests, and analyses of covariance. Associations among female representation in program leadership, faculty, and trainees were examined. As of 2025, women comprise 26.4% of faculty and 50.9% of residents; 0.1% are nonbinary. In comparison, 13.5% of department/division chiefs, 22.5% of primary PDs, and 43.1% of associate PDs are female. Associate PDs are significantly more likely than chiefs or primary PDs to be female (P < .001), indicating expansion of women entering leadership positions. Analyses of qualifications and professional attainment supported gender parity in selection and advancement of program leaders. PDs may shape trainee gender distributions: significant associations suggested greater inclusion of female residents at programs with female primary and/or associate PDs (P ≤ .03). Female vs male leaders were associated with significantly greater female faculty representation within their programs (approximately 150% relative magnitudes, P ≤ .005). Gender inclusion has progressed throughout academic plastic surgery; parity among trainees anticipates further shifts.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB): a snapshot in hospitality and tourism academia job openings

ABSTRACT Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) has gained popularity in academia as universities have found that the student body and faculty representation is vastly different, which leads to poor student performance. Universities have begun to ask job candidates to include diversity statements when applying for positions and/or universities require diverse candidates for positions. This research explores job advertisements in hospitality and tourism academic job openings and how universities are searching to create DEIB with their hiring practices by requiring or signaling to potential applicants about how the university itself is practicing DEIB within their institutions. Ph.D. candidates and current faculty seeking roles elsewhere were also interviewed to understand how the DEIB signals are received and to learn what job applicants think about these signals. The findings of this study can help human resources departments seeking to enhance their recruitment strategies and the diversity of the applicant pool.

Faculty Characteristics and Surgery Trainee Attrition

This cohort study examines correlations between underrepresented-in-medicine and female faculty representation, retention, and promotion and general surgery resident attrition at a national level.

Trends in Faculty Tenure Status and Diversity in Academic Radiology Departments in the United States

Trends in Faculty Tenure Status and Diversity in Academic Radiology Departments in the United States

Institutional characteristics, faculty rank and URM faculty representation.

Institutional characteristics, faculty rank and URM faculty representation.

Trend of Representation of Women in Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endoscopy Conferences in Asia.

Despite progress in promoting gender equality, gender bias remains a significant obstacle for women and hinders their academic advancement. We aim to survey and critically analyze women's representation in conferences and changes over time in various regions of Asian countries. An international survey was conducted with representatives from East Asia (Hong Kong, China, and Japan), South Asia (India and Pakistan), and Southeast Asia (Vietnam and Thailand). The survey collected data on faculty members serving as chairpersons, moderators, speakers, and organizing committee members of annual scientific meetings held between 2018 and 2022. A total of 33 conferences were held between 2018 and 2022: 24 in gastroenterology, 5 in hepatology, and 4 in endoscopy across East, South, and Southeast Asia, respectively. The total number of invited faculty members was 4106. Out of 4106, the number of women involved as chairperson, moderator, speakers, and organizing committee was 105, 78, 290, and 146, respectively. The representation of women faculty ranged from 3.8% to 25% in East Asia, 9.2% to 13.5% in South Asia, and 11.8% to 34.3% in Southeast Asia. Overall, the increase in women's participation was minor and statistically non-significant. However, there was an increase of women's participation as chairpersons, moderators, speakers, and organizing committee members from 14.1% in 2018 to 15.2% in 2022. Participation of women in Asian annual conferences in the capacity of chairperson, moderator, speaker, and/or organizing committee member was significantly under-represented. This under-representation necessitates targeted measures to enhance women's roles in these meetings, thereby supporting their career advancement.

A Cross-Sectional Public Data Study of Female Leaders in Surgical Critical Care Fellowships.

A Cross-Sectional Public Data Study of Female Leaders in Surgical Critical Care Fellowships.

WHY NOT LONG-TERM CARE? EXPLORING STUDENT NURSES’ PERSPECTIVES ON CAREERS CARING FOR OLDER ADULTS

Abstract The aging population and growing numbers of people living with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD) are increasing the demand for licensed nurses, especially in the long-term care (LTC) sector. More than 89% of long-term care facilities in the United States (US) report ongoing staffing shortages that persist despite recruitment and retention efforts, directly impacting quality of care and outcomes for people with ADRD. Existing evidence describes factors influencing nursing staff retention in LTC but there is a paucity of information related to factors that impact nursing students’ decision-making related to entering careers in LTC. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand student nurses’ perceptions of LTC as a career path. The first of four focus groups was conducted with five individuals. Interviews revealed that most participants plan to work in the hospital following graduation. Themes related to lack of plans to work in LTC included limitations in career advancement, past experiences with LTC culture, and perceptions of the care provided in LTC. Pay was a mixed factor, with quality of the work environment being more important to participants. Participants felt that faculty representation of LTC careers was positive, but participants described limited exposure to gerontologic nursing and LTC as part of their training, indicating that modification of these factors might have changed their perspective of careers in LTC. These early results identify key areas where crafting and delivering positive messaging and implementing educational interventions could boost nursing students’ interest in LTC careers.

Diversity of HBCUs’ Institutional Human Capital: A Cross-Discipline, Longitudinal Analysis of Faculty Hiring and Placement at HBCUs

This study examines the diversity of institutional human capital at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by analyzing faculty educational backgrounds using a large data set on faculty hiring and placement. The analysis includes approximately four thousand faculty members employed at 10 research-intensive R2 HBCUs between 2011 and 2020. The results reveal that the 10 R2 HBCUs primarily hired tenure-track faculty from predominantly White R1 institutions. In contrast, HBCUs hired approximately 20% of their own graduates, while less than 10% of hires came from other HBCUs. Regarding placement, about 60% of HBCU graduates sought employment at HBCUs, while only a small number found employment at R1 institutions. Notably, Howard University placed 30 graduates at R1 institutions. This downward placement pattern underscores a significant trend: most HBCU hires are from R1 institutions, while HBCU graduates primarily find employment at institutions with lower research intensity. Understanding these patterns is crucial for addressing disparities in faculty representation and supporting the growth of Black professionals in academia.

Female Faculty Representation in Anesthesiology: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis

Female Faculty Representation in Anesthesiology: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis

Hispanic Faculty Trends in U.S. Medical Schools: A 50-Year Perspective

The U.S. Hispanic population has grown substantially over the past 50 years, and simultaneously, the number of U.S. medical schools and medical school faculty has increased. This study examines the trends for Hispanic faculty in clinical and basic science departments at U.S. medical schools. Method This retrospective, cross-sectional observational study analyzed data from the Association of American Medical Colleges Faculty Roster for faculty at all LCME-accredited medical schools from 1973 to 2022. Proportions of faculty were compared according to department, sex, rank, and Hispanic status using a 2-independent-sample t-test and simple linear regressions. Results The percentage of Hispanic medical school faculty increased from 1.7% in 1973 to 5.4% in 2022, with similar rates of increase in basic science and clinical departments. In 2022, departments with the highest representation of Hispanic faculty included family medicine and obstetrics and gynecology. The departments with the lowest representation of Hispanic faculty were orthopedic surgery and otolaryngology. In 2022, only 1.5% and 3.1% of all full professors were Hispanic females and males, respectively. Conclusion There was a minimal increase in the percentage of Hispanic faculty in medical schools over the last 50 years, and the rank was disproportionally higher at the Assistant Professor level, particularly for females. The combination of a rapid increase in the U.S. Hispanic population and a slow increase in Hispanic faculty has resulted in Hispanic medical school faculty being more underrepresented in academic medicine in 2022 than in 1973.

Native Faculty in Library and Information Science, 1990–2022

We assessed the representation of Native faculty in LIS programs from 1990 to 2022. We comparative representation in LIS against trends in postsecondary education in the U.S. We utilized ALISE and federal data sources. We found that in both fields, Native faculty held lower ranking positions, predominantly as assistant professors. We also revealed that the quantity of Native LIS faculty was extremely low throughout the period assessed, with the possibility of a very few outlier LIS programs driving national statistics. Our study suggests that factors affecting representation of Native faculty in LIS might be similar to those in postsecondary education.

A Critical Systematic Review of Cultural and Community Practices in Integrated Reading and Writing Courses in Two-Year Colleges

ABSTRACT This study aimed to synthesize and critically analyze 24 empirical studies that focused on Students of Color (SOC) in Integrated Reading and Writing (IRW) classrooms in U.S. community colleges. Our review, through the cultural and community practices framing, examined IRW studies and how SOC, curriculum/institutional reform, and wise pedagogical practices for culturally diverse learning communities were portrayed. Our cultural and community practices framework was informed by culturally sustaining pedagogy and community cultural wealth framework in literacy. Through narratively reviewing studies, we generated the following six themes using our framework of cultural and community practices in classroom settings: ways to culturally diversify reading and writing text, strengthening students’ identity through curriculum, fostering community in the postsecondary classroom, supporting students’ mother tongue in the classroom, the need for diverse faculty representation, and the need for asset-based narratives in developmental education. Implications for asset-focused research and practice are discussed in postsecondary literacy spaces.

Sex, Race, and Ethnicity of Faculty and Department Chairs in Orthopaedic Surgery and Comparable Fields: 2015 to 2022.

The field of orthopaedic surgery has disproportionately low numbers of women and underrepresented in medicine (URM) groups. Although the representation of women and URM in orthopaedics has increased over the past several years, the growth has not kept up with other surgical specialties. This is a retrospective review of data presented by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) regarding US medical school faculty and department chair makeup in 2018 to 2022 and 2015 data from the AAMC Group on Women in Medicine and Sciences reports. Data regarding the sex and race/ethnicity of faculty and department chairs in orthopaedic surgery, a comparable surgical specialty (otolaryngology), surgery, and all medical fields were assessed. Otolaryngology was chosen as a comparable specialty because orthopaedic surgery and otolaryngology are the only two surgical specialties classified within the AAMC faculty report, separate from any medical counterpart. Among orthopaedic surgery, otolaryngology, surgery, and all clinical sciences, the representation of women and individuals from URM groups increased between 2015 and 2022. During this time, orthopaedic surgery had the lowest growth rate of the four groups in female faculty (+0.63%/year), URM faculty (+0.32%/year), and URM department chairs (+0.11%/year). However, orthopaedic surgery did have an increase in female department chairs (0.96%/year to 7% in 2022), similar to increases seen in surgery and all clinical sciences. The increase in representation in female and URM faculty and department chairs in orthopaedic surgery lags behind comparable fields and medicine as a whole. In addition, orthopaedic surgery had the lowest representation of female and URM faculty in 2015 and 2022. Improving the representation of female and URM orthopaedic faculty and department chairs is critical because this may encourage more diverse medical students to consider pursuing a career in the field.

Racial and ethnic diversity in academic nursing leadership: A cross-sectional analysis

Racial and ethnic diversity in academic nursing leadership: A cross-sectional analysis

Are We Really Retaining URiM Faculty in Academic Medicine?

Previous studies have identified the need to improve recruitment and retention of faculty who are underrepresented in medicine (URiM); however, it is unclear to what extent medical schools have been able to sustain growth and retain URiM faculty representation. Numbers of URiM faculty at each AAMC medical school from 2012 to 2021 were obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges Faculty Administrative Management Online User System database. Year-over-year percent change was calculated for each school and year of the study period for all URiM faculty, junior URiM faculty, and senior URiM faculty. Pearson's correlation was used to compare percent change in 1 year to the previous and subsequent years for all three groups. Pearson's correlation coefficients were also used to compare percent change between junior and senior URiM faculty for the same, previous, and subsequent years. The percentage change for URiM faculty at all ranks between adjacent years occurring from 2012 to 2021 was weakly and negatively associated (r = - 0.06, p value = 0.03). There was significant positive correlation between the percent change in junior URiM faculty and senior URiM faculty in the same year (r = 0.11) and previous year (r = 0.09). URiM faculty growth in 1 year is not sustained in the next year. More research is needed to better understand efforts at retention of URiM faculty in academic medicine.

The case of tenure and promotion: an examination of Title VII and minoritized faculty representation

ABSTRACT This quantitative study examines all discrimination lawsuits filed against institutions of higher education by faculty in the United States involving tenure and promotion throughout 1977–2022. Using institutional faculty gender and race data, we examine the association between Title VII tenure and promotion lawsuits and representation of minoritized faculty in academia. We find an association between institutions involved with a discrimination lawsuit and greater disparities for women and intersectional minoritized faculty. The results underscore that while gender remains an important variable for understanding the minoritized experiences of faculty in higher education, the perception of fairness is further skewed for individuals with an intersection of gender and race to their person. This study contributes to research examining tenure and promotion denial lawsuits to better understand the barriers of career progression for minoritized faculty in academia.

Mixed reviews on diversity initiatives: toward an institutional change model for Black faculty in engineering and computing

IntroductionUniversities across the United States have implemented initiatives to enhance diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, focusing on improving outcomes for racially minoritized students. While many diversity initiatives target undergraduate programs, there is a gap in support for STEM graduate students. Recognizing the persistent underrepresentation of racially diverse populations in STEM, the Biden-Harris Administration launched the “Raise the Bar: STEM Excellence for All Students” initiative, aiming to bolster STEM education nationwide. Foundations like the Sloan Foundation have developed pathways programs for STEM students, extending support into graduate school and the professoriate. The success of diversity initiatives often hinges on the participation and endorsement of underrepresented STEM faculty.MethodsThis study investigates the perspectives of twenty-nine Black engineering and computing faculty regarding diversity initiatives within their respective departments. Grounded theory methodology guided the qualitative analysis, enabling a deeper understanding of the racialized diversity management framework. Drawing on institutional racism perspectives, the study aimed to develop a theoretical framework elucidating institutional engagement with and implementation of diversity initiatives in engineering education.ResultsThe participants’ perspectives on diversity initiatives reflected features of organizational change. Three types of organizational environments emerged: 1) stagnant, characterized by aspirational commitments to diversity; 2) moderate, where underrepresented populations are recruited but expected to assimilate into the dominant culture; and 3) transformational, representing organizations taking significant steps towards creating equitable environments. The narratives of the study participants shed light on the varying effectiveness of efforts to increase the representation of successful Black students and faculty in engineering academia.DiscussionThe findings underscore the importance of understanding organizational contexts and dynamics in shaping the outcomes of diversity initiatives. By delineating the racialized diversity management framework, this study provides insights into the complexities of institutional engagement with diversity in engineering education. Addressing the challenges identified, particularly in environments characterized as stagnant or moderate, is crucial for advancing equity and inclusion in STEM fields. Effective diversity initiatives must go beyond recruitment efforts to create transformative, equitable environments conducive to the success of racially minoritized students and faculty in engineering academia.