Recruitment and Retention of Ethnic Minority Counselor Educators: An Exploratory Study of CACREP‐Accredited Counseling Programs

Abstract

This exploratory study sought to determine the strategies used by programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) to recruit and retain ethnic minority faculty. Seventy‐three CACREP liaisons were surveyed, and the results indicated that many programs have not developed specific strategies to recruit and retain ethnic minority faculty. Mentoring was the most frequently reported strategy for retaining ethnic minority faculty. Implications for counselor education are discussed.

Interview Experiences and Diversity Concerns of Counselor Education Faculty From Underrepresented Groups

“…Several participants acknowledged needing help regarding the interview process, not understanding the difference between a clinical interview and an academic interview, and not knowing how to prepare for interviews. Borders et al (), Holcomb‐McCoy and Bradley (), and Salazar, Herring, Cameron, and Nihlen () all reported that underrepresented counselor education faculty did not receive the same level of mentorship as those from majority cultural groups. Gaps in mentorship for students of color applying for academic positions may help the counseling profession to understand and thereby address disparities in representation of faculty from marginalized populations among tenured professors and administrative positions.…”

“…Respondents from 26 (36%) of the surveyed programs articulated a specific plan or strategy for recruiting underrepresented faculty. Thus, the researchers found that most of the programs were not able to produce evidence of particular steps they took in order to attract a wide array of candidates (Holcomb‐McCoy & Bradley, ). Although the Holcomb‐McCoy and Bradley () study is dated, we were unable to locate subsequent investigations and so it remains an important resource.…”

“…Recruitment and retention of faculty that represent a variety of life experiences, backgrounds, and identities is an important part of the diversification process (CACREP, 2015;Holcomb-McCoy & Bradley, 2003;Turner et al, 2008). In recent years, publications about experiences of faculty of color in social sciences have been prevalent (Valantine & Collins, 2015); however, specific processes for effectively recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty in counselor education are less researched (Holcomb-McCoy & Bradley, 2003). In one of the few studies on counselor education hiring practices, Holcomb-McCoy and Bradley (2003) surveyed 73 CACREP liaisons at accredited master's and doctoral programs about their faculty recruitment methods.…”

“…Exposure to various cultures enriches students' learning experiences, introduces them to perspectives outside of their normal sphere of influence (Patitu & Hinton, ), and promotes cognitive development and critical thinking skills (Pascarella et al, ). Thus, diversity within the counselor education field has been a focal point (American Counseling Association [ACA], ; Holcomb‐McCoy & Bradley, ). Professional organizations such as ACA () and CACREP () have emphasized the criticality of cultural competence, citing diversity among faculty members in counselor training programs as a key consideration.…”

Strategies to Survive and Thrive in Academia: The Collective Voices of Counseling Faculty of Color

“…In addition, researchers have surveyed job satisfaction and perceptions of racial climate (Holcomb-McCoy and Addison-Bradley 2005), and recruitment and retention strategies (Holcomb-McCoy and Bradley 2003). Brinson and Kottler (1993) explored cross-cultural mentoring as a retention strategy, providing recommendations to aid minority faculty in gaining support from White colleagues.…”