Oct 9, 2018, 2:53 PM
(from the Hechinger Report) Predominantly white colleges and universities have promised for years to improve the diversity of their teaching ranks, but they have made little progress in doing so. In the 10 years ending in 2016, in fact, the proportion of annual faculty hires who are black fell from 7 percent to 6.6 percent, according to federal data analyzed by The Hechinger Report. While black students comprise about 12 percent of college and university enrollment, fewer than half that proportion of faculty are black. Fewer than 5 percent of faculty are Hispanic, compared to 16 percent of students.
Among the challenges schools face is getting diverse candidates past the interview process. Is the candidate the only nonwhite person in the room? Are the walls full of photographs of white people? "It does take proactive steps," said Abigail Stewart, a University of Michigan professor who co-wrote "An Inclusive Academy: Achieving Diversity and Excellence."
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