Book Description

Given the impending shortage of prospective college faculty that will exist by the year 2000, the topics of faculty job satisfaction, recruitment, and retention must be given priority attention. Moreover, the faculty of the future must reflect the diversity of the population to be served; consequently, immediate actions must be taken to ensure that faculty positions are made attractive to women and minorities alike. Numerous internal stressors uniquely affecting women and minorities must be recognized and dealt with to enhance job satisfaction and create a better fit between the faculty role and the person involved. It has been shown that women faculty members are less satisfied with their positions than their male counterparts because they are often forced to sacrifice more in terms of their personal lives in order to meet the demands of their jobs, as well as their families. As for minority faculty members, they generally find themselves less likely to be tenured compared to whites, are often concerned about lower salaries, feel isolated and less supported, and often encounter prejudice and racism. Leaders and faculty in higher education must implement a variety of recruiting and retention strategies if a faculty representing a diverse culture is to become a reality. Actions include: (1) recruiting women and minorities into undergraduate and graduate programs in sufficient numbers to fill the pool for faculty positions; (2) attracting women into disciplines where they are currently underrepresented; and (3) using incentives for departments to diversify. Contains an index and over 200 references. (GLR).