A Seat at the Table: Strategic Engagement in Service Activities for Early-Career Faculty From Underrepresented Groups in the Academy

Abstract

About this report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering provides statistical information about the participation of these three groups in science and engineering education and employment. Its primary purpose is to serve as a statistical abstract with no endorsement of or recommendations about policies or programs. National Science Foundation reporting on this topic is mandated by the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act (Public Law 96-516). This digest highlights key statistics drawn from a wide variety of data sources. Data and figures in this digest are organized into five topical areas-enrollment, field of degree, occupation, employment status, and early career doctorate holders. Surveys conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) at the National Science Foundation provided a large portion of the data used in this report. NCSES has a central role in the collection, interpretation, analysis, and dissemination of objective data on the science and engineering enterprise.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts at a Departmental Level: Building a Committee as a Vehicle for Advancing Progress

“…We were granted departmental funds and additionally applied for institutional small grant funding. DEI work can be expensive, time consuming, and labor intensive, especially for marginalized individuals who often bear the brunt of such work e.g., the "Minority Tax" (Campbell & Rodríguez, 2019;Carson et al, 2019;Mustapha & Eyssallenne, 2020;Rodríguez et al, 2015). Specifically, financial support allowed for funding speakers as DEI-related experts are often invited to give talks without appropriate compensation (e.g., Mustapha & Eyssallenne, 2020), covering clinical time or other responsibilities to attend training sessions, providing productivity time/credit to those leading or working on DEI efforts, supporting DEI events which have logistical costs, and more.…”

Mentoring as a Buffer for the Syndemic Impact of Racism and COVID-19 among Diverse Faculty within Academic Medicine

“…A majority of formal programs within academic medicine tend to take the form of traditional one-to-one mentoring. However, some researchers argue that the decline in the number and diversity of clinical and research faculty causes a significant reduction of the available pool of senior mentors that are needed using this traditional approach [ 50 ]. Few early career faculties will have access to a senior mentor for one-to-one matching within a formal program, and a lack of willingness may further limit access to informal mentoring relationships.…”

Equity for excellence in academic institutions: a manifesto for change

“…Individuals who take on roles to promote EDI are often already disadvantaged as members of minoritised groups themselves, and typically do so in their own time without compensation, and at a detriment to other personal and professional responsibilities; this phenomenon has been coined the 'minority tax' 40 .…”

“…Individuals who take on roles to promote EDI are often already disadvantaged as members of minoritised groups themselves, and typically do so in their own time without compensation, and at a detriment to other personal and professional responsibilities; this phenomenon has been coined the ‘minority tax’ 40 . University funds are needed to support flexible work arrangements, administrative and research staff, IT, travel, and carers’ and hardship funds.…”