The increase in minority student enrollment in colleges and universities has raised the question of whether diversity among college and university faculty is important in terms of student graduation rates. With a larger number of minority students, an increase in the percentage of minority professors that are employed may increase student outcomes. However, increasing diversity among faculty may not be as important as acknowledgment and respect of student diversity among faculty regardless of their race. One way of addressing this issue is to examine data from all colleges and universities in the country as compared to historically black colleges and universities.
Only 20% of all college faculty in the United States are minoritioes. Only about 7% of college faculty are Black while the other 13% are Asian, Hispanic, American Indian, and other ethnic backgrounds (Fast Facts, 2010). In comparison, 72% of faculty at historically black colleges and universities in the United States are minority with 62% of the minorities being Black (Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 2010). However, even with larger percentages of minority faculty being employed at historically black colleges and universities, the graduation rates of students at these institutions is lower than at all colleges and universities in the country. The average college graduation rate in the United States is 57%. For Black students, the average college graduation rate is 43%. However, the average graduation rate for historically black colleges and universities is only 37% (National Public Radio, 2010).
The average graduation rate at historically black colleges and universities does not provide a complete picture of what is occurring at these institutions. The graduation rate of black students at historically black colleges and universities varies dramatically in the United States. For example, predominately female Spelman College in Atlanta, GA has a black student graduation rate of 77%. In contrast, Alabama State University has a black student graduation rate of 22%, Tuskegee University has a black student graduation rate of 47%, and Morehouse College has a Black student graduation rate of 55% (Black Student College Graduation Rates, 2007).
Overall, the graduation rate of Black students at historically black colleges and universities is not higher than the graduation rate of Black students at predominately white colleges and universities. The question then arises as to the role of faculty diversity with regards to student achievement and outcomes. Interestingly, a survey taken in 2001 of students attending an historically black college in Texas actually found that the students did not perceive that the race of faculty members to be important. Instead, the students that took part in the survey stated that having faculty members that are engaged in their learning and that care about the outcomes of their students is more important than their race. The students also stated that they felt that it was important to have a faculty member that could be a mentor to them. Once again, the actual race of the person acting as the mentor was not perceived to be important (Hickson, 2002).
Cabrera, Colbeck and Terenzini (2001) have argued that while college faculty may not reflect the diversity of the students they are teaching, a respect for diversity and different cultural backgrounds is vital to help students achieve success. The researchers state that it is the efforts and interactions between faculty and students in the classroom that are important factors in overall students achievement. In these interactions and the types of classroom instruction that are provided, faculty should take into account student diversity and provide instruction and interactions that will benefit a diverse student population.
Finally, it is important to recognize that even with the data that have been reviewed, colleges and universities should give up on efforts to create more diversity among their faculties. Hochel and Wilson (2007) explain that universities should reflect the communities and student populations that they serve. A university that has a 50% rate of minority students with a faculty that is only compromised of 3% minorities does not reflect the students that it serves. They explain that having faculty members that reflect the diversity of the students that are served creates a welcoming environment, as well as an environment in which they can feel more comfortable to pursue the full range of educational opportunities that are available.
It is noted that many colleges and universities have difficulty diversifying their faculties. The general feeling among many colleges and universities is that with low numbers of Blacks and other minorities obtain Ph.Ds, it is simply impossible to have a truly diverse faculty. In addition, smaller and less prestigious colleges and universities often believe that they cannot compete with larger and more prestigious institutions for the pool of Black and minority individuals possessing Ph.Ds. However, Hochel and Wilson (2007) argue that this is not always the case at all. Instead, colleges and universities will use the excuse of an inability to compete with larger and more prestigious universities as a way to avoid doing the hard work of diversifying existing faculties.
The information and data that have been reviewed suggest that the diversity of college and university faculty may not play a direct role in the graduation rates of Black students in the United States. Instead, other factors are present that impact the graduation rates of Blacks and minorities from college and university. However, this should not be used to stop efforts to create more diversity among college faculty. While diversity of faculty members may not play a direct role in Black student achievement, it does have an impact on how these students feel about the opportunities that are available to them on college and university campuses.
References
National Public Radio. (2010). Black Colleges Struggle with Graduation Rates.
Black Student College Graduation Rates inch Higher But a Large Racial Gap Persists.
(2007). The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.
Cabrera, A. F., Colbeck, C. L. & Terenzini, P. T. (2001). Developing Performance
Indicators for Assessing Classroom Teaching Practices and Student Learning: The Case of Engineering. Research in Higher Education, 43(3), 327-352.
Fast Facts. (2010). National Center for Education Statistics.
Hickson, M. G. (2002). What Role Does the Race of Professors Have on the Retention of
Students Attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities? Education, 123(1), 186-189.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities. (2010). National Center for Education
Statistics.
Hochel, S. & Wilson, C. E. (2007). Hiring Right: Conducting Successful Searches in
Higher Education. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Finally, it is important to recognize that even with the data that have been reviewed, colleges and universities should give up on efforts to create more diversity among their faculties.
I think you are missing a word in this sentence... is this what you meant to write?
I have difficulty following the essay, and I often feel uncertain about what point you are trying to make. One way to improve it will be like this:
One way of addressing this issue is to examine data from all colleges and universities in the country as compared to historically black colleges and universities. (add another sentence that tells the general conclusion you come to in the paper. Add this sentence, and then end paragraph one.)
:-)
