Doing the Right Thing

Mehr zum Buch

This book offers a candid examination of systemic racism in faculty hiring at colleges and universities, highlighting the stark contrast between increasing student diversity and the lack of similar progress among faculty. In 2017, only 3 percent of full-time, tenure-track and tenured faculty were Black or Hispanic, with even lower representation for Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native individuals. Marybeth Gasman explores the reasons behind these dismal statistics by analyzing national data and conducting interviews with university leaders. She identifies institutional barriers that hinder faculty diversification, despite a public commitment to inclusive excellence and a growing number of doctoral students of color. Key impediments include the perceived trade-off between quality and diversity, the influence of pedigree, rigid academic pipelines, ineffective administrative leadership, and a lack of accountability in recruitment processes. Gasman argues that university leaders must confront these institutional failures and acknowledge the pervasive systemic racism and biases that limit opportunities for people of color in academia. Emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives in knowledge creation and teaching, the book calls for actionable steps to improve faculty diversity and foster a more inclusive academic environment.