At a recent conference, I met with a friend who ran a university-wide DEI initiative. Their work received national attention, brought together dozens of schools, and shaped the national discourse on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
So, I asked, "when do you go up for Full Professor?"
They replied, "when I have more papers."
I was gobsmacked.
Against the backdrop, of a national conversation about faculty impact and diversity on campuses, it seems incomprehensible that they would not be eligible for promotion to Full Professor.
How can uni's not recognize the leadership required to lead the charge to purposefully, positively change academe?
How can you not promote? A person who leads an interuniversity diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative?
How can you not promote a person who has arguably taken on the most challenging task in academe?
How can you not reward the person? Who fostered a civil conversation? about how to transform the university? and include all of us?
How can you not promote someone? Who has demonstrated such courage? As an Associate Professor? In an increasingly polarized world?
Given faculty promotion committees seem unwilling to change, it's incumbent upon university adminstrations to lead the charge, in redefining how we think about tenure and promotion.
No matter what I hear in meetings, "n" of papers remains the predominant metric for tenure or promotion.
IMHO, such metrics are biased: https://lnkd.in/geG9zaCP
When will universities reward leadership on diversity? equity? and inclusion?
When universities wake up & recognize the full breadth of contributions to academe.
I for one, can't wait to see tenure & promotion standards enacted, that reward every contribution to the academy.
Maybe then, we'll see progress to a truly diverse faculty at universities.
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