Educating the Academe- How Academic Homogeneity Stifles Racial Diversity

Abstract

Although there is a wealth of research to support the notion that the American professoriate is not as racially and ethnically diverse as it could and should be, very little research has focused on the particular academic backgrounds of Higher Education faculty members in American universities. The purpose of the study is to examine the academic backgrounds of higher education administration faculty members (all ranks of professors, lecturers, and clinical staff; n = 119) employed at America’s top 10 universities for Higher Education Administration according to the 2016 list compiled by U.S. News & World Report. Findings suggest that Liberal Arts (62% of Bachelor’s degrees) produce the most faculty members, while Education (5%) produces nearly the fewest amounts. Findings also suggest that Psychology, Sociology, Economics, and English are the most common undergraduate academic fields producing higher education faculty members, yet these are academic pathways that Black/African-American and Hispanic/Latino undergraduates rarely take, possibly contributing to the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in the higher education professoriate and other related fields. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are addressed.