Higher Education
Racism in Higher Ed: The Power of Intelligence Myths and Structural Impediments
Lisa Sanon-Jules and Sandra Donnay
The United States is lauded as the world’s leader in higher education research and pedagogy, yet the contribution of Black scholars is elusive.
Blacks represent about 12% of the American population, yet they comprise about 2% of full professors, 3% of associate, and between 3 – 5% of assistant professors 1. Black faculty also earn lower average salaries3 and are less likely to attain tenure or full professorship1.
The data for Black faculty in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines, that are socially considered to be measures of high intelligence, are even more dire such that Black faculty are essentially non-existent (see Table)2. The virulent ideologies of Black lowered intelligence have, arguably, been the most impactful on Black life. The consequences are evident in all areas of education, contributing to the much-discussed racial achievement differences beginning in early childhood through college. The dearth of Black faculty, particularly in STEM fields, is emblematic of the accumulated influences of entrenched and persistent racist ideologies and structural impediments at every level of American education.
Percent US Population and Faculty Diversity by Race/Ethnicity2
| Race/Ethnicity | U.S. Population | Biology | Chemistry | Economics | Education Leadership/ Policy | English | Sociology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Asian |
4.7 |
12.9 |
14.4 |
20.9 |
8.5 |
5.6 |
8.4 |
|
Black |
12.2 |
0.7 |
1.4 |
2.9 |
15.1 |
8.8 |
8.9 |
|
Latinx |
16.3 |
3.0 |
2.5 |
5.1 |
7.8 |
4.2 |
5.9 |
|
White |
63.7 |
83.3 |
81.7 |
70.9 |
68.7 |
79.8 |
76.6 |
|
Other/Unknown |
3.1 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
1.6 |
0.2 |
2 Table adapted from Li & Koebel (2018)
Institutional challenges facing Black scholars are numerous. They experience bias in student4 and administrative evaluations5, inadequate mentoring, hostile and unwelcoming work climates4, discriminatory interactions with senior administration4, as well as a lower ability to attract research funding6. Despite these challenges, Black faculty are expected to engage in student interactions and mentoring at higher rates and to act as diversity representatives on internal and external committees6. Thus, interacting discrimination experiences may deter Blacks from entering and persisting in academic disciplines. This section will examine the contributions to the lower rates of Black faculty and offer corresponding evidence-based solutions.
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1. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2020). The Condition of Education 2020 (NCES 2020-144), Characteristics of Postsecondary Faculty. Full -time Faculty in Degree Granting Postsecondary Institutions.
Retrieved on January 22, 2021 from: nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=6
2. Li, K. & Koedel C. (2018). Representation and salary gaps by race-ethnicity and gender at selective Public Universities. Educational Researcher, 46, 343–354. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X17726535
3. Thomson Jr., R.A., Salazar, E.S., Ecklund, E.H. (2020). The very ivory tower: pathways reproducing racial-ethnic stratification in US academic science. Ethnic and Racial Studies, https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2020.1786144
4. Smith, B.P. & Hawkins, B. (2011). Examining student evaluations of Black college faculty: Does race matter? The Journal of Negro Education, 80, 149-162.
5. McGee, E.O., & Kazembe, L. (2015). Entertainers or education researchers? The challenges associated with presenting while black. Race and Ethnicity Education, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2015.1069263