As the American professoriate ages, it is increasingly important for colleges and universities to recruit more diverse candidates to fill faculty positions. Data show that although the proportions of female and minority faculty have been growing in the last decade, they are still under-represented, especially in higher academic ranks such as full professor and associate professor.
Two TIAA-CREF Institute Fellows discussed issues related to the recruitment and retention of female and minority faculty in a webcast that took place on May 11, 2005. One presenter focused on the under-representation of women in academia, pointing out that women are particularly under-represented at research universities. One reason for this is the difficulty that many female faculty face in combining family and career. The other presenter focused on the under-representation of minority faculty in academia, especially in science and technology fields, noting that the under-representation of minority in these fields is more of a pipeline issue. Both presenters also discussed examples of institutional policies that are aimed to recruit and retain female and minority faculty.
This report summarizes the conference, focusing on main issues facing the recruitment and retention of female faculty and policies that have been implemented by some campuses to address these issues.
