Exposing the "Culture of Arrogance" in the Academy A Blueprint for Increasing Black Faculty Satisfaction in Higher Education

There generally remains a gulf between the way most Black faculty perceive the racial climate at their institutions and the recognition by non-Black faculty and administrators that there are problems and that these perceptions have merit. This book is intended to promote a productive dialogue.This book weaves the authors’ own experiences with the responses of 136 Black faculty to a questionnaire, and a smaller sample who were interviewed, to identify the factors that determine Black faculty’s satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their jobs and institutions.Recurring themes underscore the importance of a supportive work environment that is built on mutual respect, full inclusion in the decision-making process, and an institutional climate that does not tolerate cultural insensitivity or racism. The qualitative and quantitative information and the authors’ conclusions can help postsecondary institutions improve Black faculty satisfaction levels, and ultimately, retention rates.This book will resonate with any Black faculty who have felt frustrated enough to consider leaving a postsecondary institution and with those who are content at their current institutions. For non-Black faculty and for administrators of all races, the book illuminates the sources of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction, explains the reasons their Black colleagues leave or stay, and offers valuable recommendations for change. For anyone, at any level, interested in the issue of the racial climate at his or her institution, this book offers a constructive framework for discussion and action

INTRODUCTION: HONORING OUR NEED TO SPEAK ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES I. TO REMAIN OR TO LEAVE? THAT IS THE "QUESTION" 2ALL I'M ASKING IS FOR A "LITTLE" RESPECT AT WORK The Importance of Feeling Valued and Respected 3 WANTED: A SUPPORTIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT 4 DID THIS PACKAGE COME WITH INSTRUCTIONS? How the Unwritten "Rules" of the Academy Can Affect Black Faculty 5 COPING WITH CULTURAL INSENSITIVITY AND SOMETIMES JUST PLAIN STUPIDITY IN THE ACADEMY 6 THE "R WORD" Facing Racism's Ugly Reality in the Academy 7 THE BRIGHT SIDE OF THE ACADEMY Sources of Satisfaction and Recommendations from Black Faculty 8 CONCLUSION: CALLING ALL COURAGEOUS LEADERS!

Gail L. Thompson is Associate Professor at the Claremont Graduate University, is the author of the acclaimed Through Ebony Eyes as well as of two other books and numerous journal articles. Angela C. Louque is Department Chair of Educational Leadership and Curriculum at California State University, San Bernardino, and full Professor of Education, is a former school administrator who conducts workshops and gives presentations at local, regional and national education conferences.