Date of Defense

4-21-2021

Date of Graduation

4-2021

Department

Sociology

First Advisor

Jennifer Richardson

Second Advisor

Candy McCorkle

Third Advisor

Staci Perryman-Clark

Abstract

Diversity and representation for faculty in higher education are crucial to cater to the needs of diverse student populations in the 21st century. A significant factor that contributes to faculty diversity is the retention and recruitment of underrepresented minority faculty members. This study aims to provide valuable insights into the current state of racial representation of faculty in higher education institutions and identify solutions to improve the retention of underrepresented faculty. Specifically, this study investigates faculty retention and welfare by comparing data across five public, research institutions in the Midwest. Findings revealed that the racial representation of faculty within the five chosen institutions reflects trends in national data and showed that Black and Hispanic/Latino faculty members remain the least underrepresented at all levels of tenure within the institutions. The results suggest that higher education institutions are progressing towards an increasingly diverse workforce, but numerous barriers continue to affect the retention and welfare of underrepresented faculty members.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

Additional Files
Honors Thesis Defense PowerPoint (June Lim).pdf (886 kB)
Defense Presentation
Download

Share

COinS