Remembering to Reimagine: Black and Hispanic Engineering Faculty Experiences with the Tenure and Promotion Process

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 7:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Understanding and Supporting Black and Hispanic Faculty

Abstract

To build a more equitable academic future, we must directly confront the tenure and promotion (T&P) process, is a structural gatekeeper that disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic engineering faculty. In engineering, where diversity remains minimal, the T&P process serves as both a symbol and a mechanism of exclusion. We conducted two rounds of in-depth interviews over two years with 15 Black and Hispanic pre-tenure engineering faculty. Participants shared how the tenure journey amplified racial inequities through biased evaluation, cultural taxation, and insufficient mentorship. Our findings illuminate how engineering’s culture of "objectivity" reinforces inequity and obscures bias. By centering these voices, we argue for reimagining the tenure system itself toward one that equitably recognizes the diverse contributions of marginalized scholars in STEM.

Authors

• Henry Tran, University of South Carolina

• Spencer Platt, University of South Carolina

• Maria L. Espino, University of California - Los Angeles

• Ta'lia Gordon, University of South Carolina

• Brian Le, University of California - Los Angeles