Blatant, Subtle, and Insidious: URM Faculty Perceptions of Discriminatory Practices in Predominantly White Institutions

Abstract

Although modest gains are observed in the number of African American, Mexican American, and Puerto Rican faculty in higher education institutions, systemic issues of underrepresentation and retention remain problematic. This article describes how historically underrepresented minority (URM) faculty in Predominantly White Institutions perceive discrimination and illustrates the ways in which discriminatory institutional practices-such as microaggressions-manifest and contribute to unwelcoming institutional climates and workplace stress. Using a mixed methods approach, including survey data and individual and group interviews, findings show that respondents (n = 543) encounter racial discrimination from colleagues and administrators; experience discrimination differently based on their race/ethnicity and gender; and report difficulties in describing racist encounters. Qualitative data reveal three themes that inform the survey results on perceived discrimination: (1) blatant, outright, subtle, and insidious racism;(2) devaluation of scholarly contributions, merit, and skillset by colleagues and administrators; and (3) the burden of "representing minorities," or a "racial/ethnic tax." Propositions for how to change unwelcoming environments and create safe spaces for professional development to reduce the adverse effects of discrimination among URM faculty are discussed.

Who Climbs the Academic Ladder? Race and Gender Stratification in a World of Whiteness

“…Recent figures from the U.S. Department of Education (2017) show that White male faculty are the most likely to be full professors, and therefore are more likely to set agendas for departments and institutions and receive the highest salaries. Universities pursue diversity policies to mitigate the White patriarchal hegemony of academia, but do not seem to have made a great deal of progress (Zambrana et al, 2017). Many "implicit bias" studies show preferences for White male faculty (Baker, 2015), while "publish or perish" has historically been the major criterion for White male academic careers (Wilson, 1942).…”

Georgia Journal of College Student Affairs

“…The analysis of these data also explored growth in the number of minority faculty from 1993 to 2009. Underrepresented minority faculty grew from 7.3% to 9.9% in this time frame, and Black faculty increased by one percentage point (Smith et al, 2012 which are not rewarded in the tenure process (Zambrana et al, 2017). These themes show the existing issues surrounding bias among professionals in higher education, and additional studies revealed similar themes (Salvucci & Lawless, 2016;Turner & Grauerholz, 2017).…”

“…This essay has demonstrated that both Black male students as well as minority faculty and staff experience microaggressions on some college campuses (Barker & Avery, 2012;Brooms & Davis, 2017;Harper, 2015;Parker et al, 2016;Salvucci & Lawless, 2016;Turner & Grauerholz, 2017). Biases among professionals has been linked to the underrepresentation of minority faculty (Salvucci & Lawless, 2016;Zambrana et al, 2017), and this underrepresentation serves as a contributing factor to the climate issues experienced by Black male students (Barker & Avery, 2012;Brooms & Davis, 2017;Parker et al, 2016).…”

“…(Brooms and Davis, 2017). Brooms and Davis (2017) best summarized the student voice on this is- Evidence supports the need for their inclusion as mentors for minority students, and yet at the same time studies also show they are overtaxed in these roles as well as in other diversity initiatives (Brooms and Davis, 2017;Turner & Grauerholz, 2017;Zambrana et al, 2017). This is a difficult reality, and these contributions should be better recognized for their value in the tenure process.…”

Racial microaggressions: Bridging psychology and sociology and future research considerations

“…Hughey et al (2015), using an experimental vignette design, found that exposure to microaggressions are correlated with racial attitudes associated with various forms of repression of people of color. Moreover, Zambrana et al (2017), using a mixedmethods approach, found that faculty of color in historically white institutions regularly encounter racial discrimination from colleagues and administrators. While this news is refreshing, the number of social scientists still neglecting the structural and institutional side of the racial microaggressions equation is far too many.…”