Critical Examination of White Faculty Maladjustment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

• In Event: Facing Current Issues in Urban Education: Race, Class, and Gender

Abstract

Purpose
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in many ways are the template for diversity and multiculturalism. Yet, somehow they have been, for the most part, excluded from the discourse on diversity in higher education. This current study focused on levels of adjustment to minority status for white faculty at these institutions, using the backdrop of a study conducted twenty years prior.
Theoretical Framework
This contact zone as coined by Mary Louise Pratt (cited in Bartholomae and Petrosky, 1996) is defined as “social spaces where cultures meet, clash and grapple with each other… in contexts of highly asymmetrical relations of power (p.530)”. Pratt (cited in Bartholomae and Petrosky, 1996) also speculates that it is these polarized environments that can profoundly develop greater cross-cultural communication and awareness within individuals.
Data Source
Ninety-eight (98) faculty members from four (4) HBCUs were involved in the study. A 75-item Likert scale questionnaire, developed by Smith and Borgstedt (1985), was used to collect the data.
Results
A General Linear Model (GLM) Univariate Analysis of Variance was performed to indicate any differences between groups. The independent variables were (a) academic rank (b) tenure status (c) age (d) gender (e) parents’ attitude of minorities and (f) friends’ attitude of minorities. The dependent variables were (a) stereotyping (b) social acceptance and equality in relationships (c) commitment to Black education (d) racial identity self-report (e) perception of family and friend’s attitude towards minorities and employment at an HBCU (f) career restriction based on being white (g) comfort level with addressing racial differences (h) openness with discussing racial differences (i) comfort level in grading Black students and (j) trust: feeling trusted by Blacks and being able to trust Blacks.
The adjustment scores for each category of faculty were calculated and categories ranked. Contrary to what an extrapolation of the Smith and Borgstedt (1985) study results may have predicted, none of the white faculty categories received an adjustment score of 4.0 or greater. These findings infer that the HBCU environment was not the most amiable and/or conducive for white faculty and propagated a sentiment that inclined towards the negative.
Scholarly Significant
The major issue that arises is the response of HBCUs to their white faculty’s maladjustment. Developing a proactive and sustained effort to orient and integrate white faculty to the HBCU environment is key to addressing the maladjustment. The development of strategies to improve the experiences, the facilitation of discussions on pertinent issues and creation of support systems that assist the white faculty at HBCUs during their transitional period and beyond is one of the major benefits of the results of this study.
Scholarly Significance
Utilizing the knowledge, perceptions and experiences of both the white and Black faculty to create an open dialogue is important. These discussions can result in the development of relationships, programs and/or events that can assist the white faculty understand the nuances, culture and mores of the HBCU and the Black faculty, staff and students.

Author

• Dave A. Louis, Western Michigan University