The Path to Academic Tenure: Does It Portray a Diverse Democracy?

• In Event: Roundtable Session 3
  In Roundtable Session: Ties to the Outside, Free Speech, and Tenure

Abstract

Today’s uneven distribution of faculty by gender and race prompts us to question the diversity and perhaps democracy of postsecondary education. Using data from the 1999-2013 Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR) and relying on multi-state, multi-risk transition probability models, this study examines individual, institutional, and early employment factors that contribute to career paths of women for a decade or more after degree completion. Results show disparate numbers and career paths for doctoral recipients who enter postsecondary education. Implications for organizational policy and possible effects on diverse student populations, especially in STEM fields, are discussed.

Authors

• Karen Webber, University of Georgia

• Manuel S. Gonzalez Canche, University of Georgia