2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

As of 2020, there were 1.5 million faculty members in post-secondary institutions (NCES, 2022). There is only seven percent Black faculty and six percent Hispanic faculty (NCES, 2022). Black and Hispanic faculty are not only underrepresented at selective public universities but especially so in the areas of science and math (Li & Koedel, 2017). Engineering departments have slim or even zero numbers of underrepresented minority faculty members (Nelson & Brammer, 2010). While some of these problems can be attributed to the challenges of the recruitment of faculty of color, scholars have increasingly pointed to faculty attrition as a core problem (Whitaker, Montgomery, & Acosta, 2015).

This research study explores on two major areas. First, we aim to understand how engineering demographic characteristics are associated with those perceptions of Black and Hispanic engineering faculty (BHEF). Secondly, the team focused on how service affects BHEF as they are navigating the tenure process. These questions were investigated by a survey and longitudinal qualitative interviews. Through a national cross-sectional survey, we analyzed 1,161 engineering faculty responses. From this survey we focused on the open-ended responses of the survey portion of the study, 26 Black faculty members and 51 Hispanic faculty members responded. Looking at the breakdown more in-depth, the respondents were 21 Black men, 5 Black women, 35 Hispanic men, and 16 Hispanic women. On the qualitative side, we conducted two rounds of interviews, the first including 14 BHEF members and the second including nine to follow-up a year later. These interviews are used to further understand the survey information.

From the qualitative data, the open-ended questions and the two interviews, we highlight three themes 1) Service Overload, 2) Racial Battle Fatigue, and 3) Cultural Tax

Service Overload. The “Service Overload” theme refers to how BHEF often feels obligated to provide service work even though the institution undervalues it despite its centrality to the mission.

Racial Battle Fatigue. In this section, participants detailed how various racial and professional pressures tax and overwhelm BHEF. In one of the highlighted instances, the racial climate was known to be hostile. In the second example, the environment was thought to be inclusive until the participant was able to gain more experience.

Cultural Tax. Lastly, participants further encompassed how their identities added that extra level of responsibility to support Students of Color and be present at event that center their experiences. This extra tax is underlying through the work they do as well as wanting to give back through the service and self-need to be present.

Finally, we conclude by integrating our results to interpret the survey open-ended questions and the two qualitative interviews findings together.