Multipronged Practices to Diversify Faculty Ranks and the Academic Leadership Pipeline
Kenneth Sumner (Manhattan University), Emily J. Isaacs (Montclair State University), and Junius Gonzales (Montclair State University)
This presentation aims to determine what could be done in higher education to address the lack of diversity through creating an internal strategy for recruitment, selection, and development. It is emphasized that these efforts require intentional strategies. This presentation, led by Ken Sumner, Emily Isaacs, and Junius Gonzales, explores practical approaches to building a more inclusive and diverse academic workforce. They addressed three multi-pronged programs to assist in diversification.
The Higher Education Academic Leadership (HEAL) Fellowship helps faculty grow as leaders through mentorship, executive meetings, and hands-on experience. HEAL leads to real, measurable changes including curricular reform and first-gen student initiatives. The Faculty Hiring Best Practices mini-course gives support to faculty members involved in recruitment and search processes. Tools are provided to assist faculty in ensuring that they are being fair and effective, through reducing bias and expanding candidate pools. The Post-Doctoral Teaching and Learning Fellowships (PDTLF) creates opportunities for those interested in teaching careers in higher education, but are on non-traditional doctoral education journeys. Through PDTLF, individuals are provided teaching experience, mentorship, and professional development to ease their transition into academia.
By focusing on these multipronged strategies, institutions can strengthen their faculty pipeline, support diverse perspectives, and create a more inclusive academic environment.
View the presentation material below:
Note from the authors
This poster describes three programs that we implemented across the university to diversify faculty and leadership ranks at our university. One programs provides opportunities for faculty develop into senior leaders in academic affairs. A second program focuses on best practices to hire a diverse faculty workforce and has demonstrable impactful results. A third program helps nontraditional doctoral students develop strong credentials to move into academic positions other roles in academia.
