MICUA

The diversity of faculty and administrators employed by MICUA member institutions has increased in recent years. Based on the most recent IPEDS data, 19 percent of full-time faculty are minorities who have been historically underrepresented in higher education.

MICUA member institutions seek applications for employment from a wide pool and design searches to encourage applicants from underrepresented groups. One successful strategy includes advertising in print and on-line publications that have wide circulation to underrepresented groups, such as Diverse Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Outlook, Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, Women in Higher Education, etc. In addition, campuses use professional networks and professional associations specific to certain disciplines, such as the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science or the National Black Nurses Association, to recruit diverse applicants. Finally, institutional representatives visit historically black and minority-serving institutions to recruit graduate students who may be interested in faculty and administrator positions.

Minority faculty and staff are offered professional development opportunities and encouraged to seek leadership positions. Training opportunities are available on campuses and through outside organizations, such as Leadership Maryland and other leadership institutes for higher education professionals. At most institutions, new faculty are mentored by senior faculty. Each fall, Notre Dame of Maryland University conducts an orientation program for new faculty. The program includes a session about the Notre Dame student profile and relevant issues of culturally diverse students. Senior leaders at Washington College provide individual mentoring to culturally diverse faculty and staff members. In addition, the University has developed customized professional and educational development programs.

Goucher College, Loyola University Maryland, Maryland Institute College of Art, and Notre Dame of Maryland University (along with Towson University and University of Baltimore) just completed the inaugural year of Building Bridges Across Maryland. The leadership-development program fosters collaboration and idea sharing among a diverse group of mid-level supervisors from different backgrounds.

Goucher College participates in the Consortium for Faculty Diversity (CFD), an association of liberal arts colleges committed to strengthening the ethnic diversity of students and faculty members at these institutions. All new full-time faculty at Goucher currently participate in a yearlong development program to provide support with campus acclimation; discussions of classroom and pedagogical challenges; information about the reappointment, promotion, and tenure process; and introductions to other faculty and academic support offices. A formal mentoring program runs concurrently and pairs each new faculty member with a senior faculty member. Those from underrepresented groups are paired with senior faculty from similar backgrounds, and new faculty and their mentors meet formally and informally throughout the year.

Last year, Mount St. Mary’s University launched a five-year effort to increase its minority faculty from five percent to ten percent. The institution created the Horning Fellowship to bring African or African-American doctoral candidates to campus. The Fellows work with the Mount community to enhance its goals to build a truly diverse campus. In addition, the Fellows teach half-time (two courses per semester) in the School of Education and Human Services, while completing their dissertations.

In April 2008, Johns Hopkins Institutions launched the Mosaic Initiative to enhance faculty diversity throughout the campus. The University and Johns Hopkins Medicine committed $6.25 million over five years to assist in the recruitment of the best faculty who will add to the excellence and diversity at Johns Hopkins. This initiative has expanded the pipeline for women and faculty of color and provided matching funds for JHU departments to: (1) invite visiting faculty leaders to campus for lectures and presentations; (2) identify and recruit female and minority graduate students who may be interested in faculty positions upon completion of graduate school; and (3) conduct professional development workshops for current graduate students.

For 20 years, the Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins has offered a Leadership Development Program (LDP) for minority managers. The LDP was the nation’s first graduate development program specifically developed to enhance leadership and decision-making skills for beginning and mid-level managers with demonstrated potential for further advancement. The LDP program enrolls 25-30 underrepresented minority managers annually in the Washington-Baltimore area.

Loyola University Maryland assigns mentors to all new faculty and administrators. In addition, new faculty and administrators are encouraged to participate in affinity groups, such as the Black Faculty, Administrators, and Staff (BFASA) and OUT Loyola. As an administrator becomes comfortable in his/her position and familiar with the University, a supervisor may suggest that he/she join the Next Generation Leadership Program, which is designed to prepare mid-level directors for the next level of leadership.