How Do You Create Inclusive Environments for Faculty of Color at Predominately White Institutions?

Faculty members at colleges and universities are confronted with a host of challenges, but faculty members of color at predominately white institutions have diverse challenges at various stages of their academic careers that often prevent them from ascending the academic ladder.

In this Magna 20-Minute Mentor, Heather Moore Roberson will give faculty leaders actionable ways to professionally support and create communities of belonging for faculty from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Roberson highlights the necessity of equity-minded practices, robust mentorship opportunities, and understanding the distinct challenges faced by faculty of color. Furthermore, she shares her personal experiences and outlines actionable strategies to support faculty of color, including:

• mandatory professional development for faculty leaders,
• assessing department culture,
• and engaging in intentional conversations with faculty about their experiences.

By implementing these strategies, institutions can create environments where all faculty members can thrive, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and supportive academic community.

Learning Goals

After viewing this Magna 20-Minute Mentor, participants will be able to:

• Actively support faculty of color at predominately white institutions
• Identify distinctive challenges that faculty of color face at colleges and universities
• Discuss actionable strategies that will help faculty of color THRIVE as teachers, intellectuals, and professionals in higher education
• Assess the cultural environment of your own academic department for inclusivity
• Develop a support plan for faculty of color, incorporating mentorship and professional development

Topics Covered

• Faculty of color and tenure & promotion
• Professional development for faculty leaders
• Challenges for historically underrepresented faculty in higher education
• Supporting strategies and resources for institutions
• Importance of creating inclusive academic communities

Audience

This program will benefit:

• Department Chairs
• Division Chairs
• Deans
• Faculty
• Tenured faculty with institutional mentoring responsibilities
• Human Resources and Faculty Development Coordinators
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committees

Product Code: OM24DD