African American administrators at PWIs: Enablers of and barriers to career success.

Abstract

Despite literature emphasizing the importance of their presence on college campuses to minority student success, African American administrators are severely underrepresented in higher education. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of successful African American student affairs administrators at predominantly White institutions and factors that serve as enablers of and barriers to their career success. Beginning with a conceptual framework derived from the scholarly literature, 3 constructs were identified: (a) adjustment issues, (b) institutional factors, and (c) career dynamics. Following IRB approval, the authors identified a purposive sample of 14 successful African American student affairs administrators-4 women and 10 men-from predominantly White institutions. Length of experience in the field ranged from 5 to 27 years. Long semistructured interviews were conducted with the research participants. Data were coded to the conceptual framework with a phenomenological approach used to account for unanticipated and emerging issues. Findings for adjustment issues/enablers included the importance of mentoring relationships, healthy self-image and motivation, and social networks and family support. Adjustment issues/barriers included perceptions of prejudice and feelings of separateness or difference. Institutional factor/enablers are commitment to diversity (including recruitment strategies) and compensation/work conditions/resources. The institutional factor/barrier was discrimination. Career dynamics/enablers included professional preparation and undergraduate involvement in student affairs. The career dynamics/barrier was advancement opportunity. Implications for institutions wishing to increase African American administrator representation are presented.

Professional staff in universities: Career needs, values, attitudes and behaviours

“…The literature that does exist has often been concerned with particular issues or cohorts of staff, such as women moving to senior management positions, the careers of African-American staff or staff in, for example, athletic administration (see for example, Gardner, Barrett, & Pearson, 2014). There is a dearth of literature on the broader professional staff cohort, and that which has been published has used a quantitative methodology to test predicted relationships between certain variables related to, for example, career success, well-being or attrition (see for example, Nabi, 1999; Rosser, 2004).…”

Minority Women in Educational Leadership

“…PWIs need established practices for recruiting and hiring faculty of color with financial support from higher administration (Gardner, Barret, & Pearson, 2014). Institutional commitment to diversity should include educational components about diversity within and among all levels of institutional training programs (Gardner et al, 2014). The structures of race, class, gender, etc.…”

“…intersect with power (positively or negatively) for Black faculty. Promotion and advancement of minorities often requires the individual to leave their current institution (Gardner et al, 2014). Therefore, intentional attention must be given to incorporating social-cultural support within the community for Black faculty hires.…”

“…Mentoring that leads to explicit sponsorship is a method that can facilitate retention of minority students and promote professional growth and development of minority faculty (Gardner et al, 2014). Social networks (family, community, and church) are essential to sustaining a healthy self-image, decreasing stress, and maintaining racial identity to enable African American faculty to be successful at PWIs (Gardner et al, 2014).…”

“…Mentoring that leads to explicit sponsorship is a method that can facilitate retention of minority students and promote professional growth and development of minority faculty (Gardner et al, 2014). Social networks (family, community, and church) are essential to sustaining a healthy self-image, decreasing stress, and maintaining racial identity to enable African American faculty to be successful at PWIs (Gardner et al, 2014). As the role of intersectionality mediates between multiple identities within larger constructs, women of color in academia need to: acknowledge who we are; define ourselves; claim unambiguous empowerment; create discourses addressing our realities; and affirm our intellectual contributions across identities and within multiple contexts (Turner, 2002).…”