| Author:
George Johnston |
Degree:
Ph.D. |
Date Graduated: May
1997 |
Title: PIECING
TOGETHER THE "MOSAIC CALLED DIVERSITY":
ONE COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S
ON-GOING EXPERIENCE WITH HIRING A MORE
DIVERSE FACULTY (AFFIRMATIVE ACTION)
Abstract
This study is an in-depth case study of how one community college,
thought to be exemplary, has experienced hiring a more diverse full-time
faculty. The major findings include past hiring decisions were made
by Department Chairs. The hiring practices have changed to reflect
more participation by faculty at all stages of the process. Present
practices include a clear commitment by senior administration for
hiring a more diverse faculty. Two innovative procedure were the provision
for certain faculty and staff members, who had volunteered for additional
training, to be responsible for enforcing the affirmative action policies
of the college and a "grow your own" minority internship
program to increase the number of available, classroom-experienced
minority faculty. Despite procedural changes, the number of minority
full-time faculty has not changed and the number of full-time female
faculty members has declined. Two factors emerged from the analysis
as possible contributors to the lack of change, namely preparation
(experience) and fit.
There was a general belief that the loss of affirmative action
would not alter the faculty hiring process. The lack of knowledge
about the impact of labor market effects on minority faculty pools
in community colleges made it difficult to draw conclusions about
such effects.
A software package, The Concept System (Trochim, 1996), was used
to provide insights into how the participants thought about the
hiring process. The group sorted and rated 48 statements related
to the strategies that either were in place or could be put in place
in the future for the purpose of hiring a more diverse faculty.
There was a strong consensus in how the statements were grouped.
The participants rated each of the statements on a five point Likert-type
scale of importance. The three groups of statements judged to be
most important were the selection process, recruitment package,
and communications.
Implications for policy and practice along with recommendations
for future research are provided.
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