KEEPING OUR FACULTY OF COLOR:
A Seminar for NCSU Department Heads and Deans
June 12, 2013
Juliana Makuchi Nfah-Abbenyi
Professor of English and Comparative Literature
Director of Diversity Programs & Faculty/Staff Diversity
Symposium Theme:
 “Transforming Our Institutions: Advancing Inclusive Excellence
Among Faculty in Higher Education”
Keynote Addresses:
 Kimberly Crenshaw, “Breaking Through and Staying In: The Future
of Faculty Of Color in Higher Education”

Freeman Hrabowski, “Institutional Culture Change: Leadership
and Inclusive Excellence”
Looking Forward:
 Nancy “Rusty” Barcelo & Caroline Sotello Viernes, “A
Retrospective Discussion on Keeping Our Faculty: Lessons
Learned and Ongoing Challenges”
Sample Presentations





Donavan Outten & Adriel Hilton, “How to Identify, Recruit and
Retain FOC in Critical Shortage Teaching Areas When Some
Administrators Say They Cannot Find Qualified Minorities”
Alberto Roca, “Redirecting National Attention to Minority Postdocs
as a Source for Future Faculty of Color”
Chayla Haynes & Frank Truitt, “Campus Climate and Its Impact on
the Experiences of Faculty Committed to Inclusive Excellence: An
Institutional Case Study”
Michael Reis & Charmaine Stewart, “Campus Climate for Faculty
Women of Color: University of Minnesota Survey Findings”
Vichet Chhuon et al, “Community Engagement as Role,
Recruitment, and Retention of Faculty of Color in Higher
Education”
Sample Presentations
 Richard Reddick, “Homecoming Faculty of Color Transforming
Our Institutions: Narratives on Visibility and Cultural Taxation”



Mari Castaneda, “Faculty of Color and the Elusive Promotion to
Full Professor”
Natasha Croom, “The Inherent Rights of Whiteness at the Rank of
Professor”
Holley Locher, “Academic Freedom for Whom? The Experiences
and Perceptions of Faculty of Color and Women Faculty”
NCORE 2013, May 28-June 1
 Pre-Conference Institute: Institute for Chief Diversity Officers and
Affiliates: Essential Procedures for Assessment and Success

Thomandra Sam et al, “Diverse Acts of Development and
Retention: The Impact of Supportive Spaces for Staff and Faculty of
Color”
Preamble




Faculty decide in the first 90 days if they will stay at an institution
“When I come to work I have to leave great pieces of who I am at
the door”
“We love having you here; you have so much to offer; you bring a
wealth of knowledge . . . BUT . . .”
Exit Survey: Departing institution due to “personal reasons”







Value
Scholarly work of FOC assessed by DVF for RPT purposes
Student evaluations of FOC at a PWI a factor in the RPT process
Inadequate recognition of service by FOC in RPT process and in
general
Retain FOC through tenure (the best way)
Create reward systems/systems for growth (pay, support research,
nominate FOC for awards)
Publicize/honor/reward FOC contributions and accomplishments

Create an officially recognized Senior Faculty Mentoring Program
for FOC that is distinct from conventional service activities

Create an Informal Ambassador Program

Encourage FOC to build a network of multiple mentors




Recognize negative effect of overt and/or covert hostile working
environment on FOC
Manage mixed messages regarding invisibility and visibility:
FOC is said to be disconnected (when quiet)
FOC is said to be displeased (when they participate)







Institutional Culture Climate (department, college, university)
FOC isolation and/or burn out
Diversity training must take place for faculty, staff and
administrators
Retaining diverse faculty requires institutional will, human and
financial resources
Diversity not one of the goals of NCSU’s Strategic Plan and this
sends a strong message to FOC
The entire NCSU institution ought to be in charge of diversity—
”This is who we are”
FOC are likely to come to institutions with a diverse faculty and
stay longer