“I’ve been teaching for 20 years, and I don’t think I’ve ever been on a search committee where someone … has not said something like, ‘Well, diversity’s fine, but excellence should come first,’” Some science, technology, engineering and mathematics faculty members have expressed fear that a strong commitment to diversity would mean selecting weaker candidates. – Dean Kevin McLaughlin |
Underrepresented minorities currently make up 8.1% of Brown University's faculty. Nationally, 12.6% of the U.S. population identifies as African American or Black, and 16.4% of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latin@. (Data from the 2010 Census). Even compared to these numbers, which account only for the largest racial and ethnic minority groups in the U.S., 8.1% is strikingly small. Faculty of color face an overwhelming number of structural barriers, from bias in the hiring process to unequal demands on time once hired. For a more detailed description of the inequalities faced by faculty of color, read the full Brown Daily Herald article on structural racism at Brown University.