Faculty members on the tenure track have to endure campus politics while producing research that earns notoriety and the respect of their colleagues and the tenure review committee. It can take years, and there are no guarantees. For racially minoritized faculty at Predominately White Institutions the tenure review process is embedded with systemic bias that puts their candidacy for tenure at a disadvantage. As a result of these systemic inequities that racially minoritized faculty endure they develop what scholars Wright- Mail & Ramos term “resource deficit consciousness” of time, money, and prestige. This concept describes faculty members’ internalized negative perceptions of their ability to meet and exceed traditional metrics for tenure and promotion.
On this latest episode of “Office Hours with Dr. De Veau” our panelists guided us through some of the key issues facing campuses. We dove into the research of Dr. Raquel Wright-Mair and Dr. Delma Ramos, and started asking tough questions about the systemic inequities that exist within the tenure process.
Guest bios (in alphabetical order):
Dr. Susan Marine is Professor of Higher Education and Vice Provost of graduate education at Merrimack College. Her research examines the intersection of queer and feminist transformational praxis, which is actualized through institutional change-work to end sexual violence, and the flourishing of LGBTQ+ students, staff, and faculty. She recently co-authored a study with Dr. Wright-Mair on the experiences of LGBTQ+ racially minoritized faculty, and has co-edited two recent books: Collaborating for change: Transforming cultures to end gender-based violence in higher education (Oxford UP) and Critical Praxis in Student Affairs: Social Justice in Action (Stylus). [Connect on Instagram at: @susmarine or via Linked-In]
Dr. Delma Ramos, is an assistant professor of Higher Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dr. Ramos' work examines the experiences of historically minoritized populations in higher education from an equity and social justice lens. Particularly, she studies issues at the intersection of race, class, and gender. Her research is unified by a focus on interrogating paradigms and ideologies that sustain inequity in higher education while highlighting the assets, agency, and resistance of historically minoritized communities. Dr. Ramos’ work is informed by her methodological training grounded in Qualitative and Mixed-Methods approaches and paired with critical theory. [Connect on Twitter at: @DraDelmaRamos]
Dr. Frank Tuitt is the University of Connecticut’s Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer and Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs in the NEAG School of Education. In 2019, he received the National Association of Chief Diversity Officers in Higher Education Individual Leadership Award in recognition of “outstanding contributions to research, administration, practice, advocacy, and/or policy, and whose work informs and advances understanding of diversity and inclusive excellence in higher education.” He is a coeditor and contributing author of five books including Plantation Politics and Campus Rebellions: Power, Diversity, and the Emancipatory Struggle in Higher Education (SUNY Press).
Dr. Raquel Wright-Mair is Assistant Professor of Higher Education at Rowan University. Dr. Wright-Mair conducts research that is grounded in social justice, equity, and inclusion in higher education. Dr. Wright-Mair’s research agenda seeks to transform and advocate for the creation of more equitable and inclusive campus environments for underrepresented populations, specifically racially minoritized faculty members. Dr. Wright-Mair works collaboratively with the National Institute for Transformation and Equity (NITE) as a faculty researcher, conducting work focused on cultivating supportive campus environments that maximize success among diverse populations. Dr. Wright-Mair has produced several conference presentations and publications focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. She is also co-editor and contributing author for the book: College Students and Their Environments, and is actively involved in several national organizations. [Connect on Twitter at: @DrRaquelWrightM]
Racially Minoritized Faculty & Tenure Inequities