External Labor Markets and the Distribution of Black Scientists and Engineers in Academia

To Stay or To Go: A Comparison of Factors Influential in the Decisions of African American Faculty to Remain at Two Elite Southern Research Universities

“…Finally, the finding that three of the non-work related factors-geographic considerations, housing costs, and cultural, recreational, or social opportunities-were influential in the decisions of faculty members to stay at their respective research universities fits reasonably well with the findings of Matier's (1990) study and with the conclusions presented in a study by Kulis, Shaw, and Chong (2000), which investigated the influence of external labor markets on the distribution of African American scientists and engineers in academia and determined that the presence of urban and regional population concentrations of African Americans may influence decisions to accept or reject an appointment. This may also be important in the decisions of African American faculty members to remain in their present position or to actively seek another.…”

Southern Coup: Recruiting African American Faculty Members at an Elite Private Southern Research University

“…The remainder ranked it in the mid-to upper teens. Kulis et al (2000), in their study of the influence of external labor markets on the distribution of Black scientists and engineers in academia, argued that geography may play an important role in the expansion or contraction of Black doctoral recipients on the market: A Black scholar's decision to apply for or accept faculty positions may be influenced by desires to remain close to (or to return to) a community of origin and by lifestyle considerations that favor the presence of a sizable Black community in the vicinity of the institution. (p. 189) Thus, the urban and regional concentrations of Black population and the presence of large concentrations of Black academics in historically Black colleges and universities may play an influential role in a faculty member's decision to accept or reject a job offer at Southern New Ivy.…”

“…Establishing or emphasizing a formal mentorship program with a senior faculty member is another way of stressing the importance the university places on the success of its African American faculty members (Antonio, 2002;Cole et al, 2003;Turner, 2003). Finally, geographic considerations, such as the presence of a community of African American scholars or the proximity of an urban or regional concentration of Black communities, may prove to be a powerful selling point for a university in its recruitment efforts (Kulis et al, 2000).…”

“…Taking a different approach, Kulis, Shaw, and Chong (2000) investigated the influence of external labor markets on the supply of prospective Black faculty members. They identified eight factors that impinge on external labor markets for Black faculty members: (a) the doctoral labor supply, (b) the demand for faculty members in specific disciplinary fields, (c) employment possibilities outside academe, (d) the regional racial representation of Black faculty members, (e) the prevalence of historically Black institutions, (f) the presence of a sizable Black population locally, (g) disciplinary culture differences, and (h) individual and institutional factors.…”

Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research

“…This shift in the market potentially sends a signal that tenured-track lines are valuable assets that need to be reserved for the "most qualified candidate"-which may often be code for the "best fit"-and not sacrificed on diverse faculty who search committee members may perceive as less qualified because of a range of factors that we discuss later in this chapter. It also sends the message that faculty candidates should be geographically mobile while searching for positions; thus, further contributing to a nation wide labor market by discipline and field (Kulis, Shaw, & Chong, 2000).…”