Author’s note: Professor Gaines preferred not to have our interview recorded. His responses are paraphrased in italics.
Why are there so few Black professors at the University of Virginia?
In the United States, including all 50 states and Washington D.C, only 7% of professors are Black, despite Black people making up about 13% of the total population. UVA falls slightly behind this average, with only about 4% of its total faculty identifying as Black. With a 9% discrepancy compared to the total Black American population, one might wonder the reason for this scarcity of representation.
adequate support for Black professors in an institution of higher education depends on the commitment of the institution to provide said support to their faculty and staff.
It isn’t because Black professors don’t want to work here. In interviewing multiple faculty members, including Dr. Kevin Gaines (professor of History and African American and African Studies) and Dr. Rosalyn Berne (professor and chair in the Engineering School) I discovered that most Black faculty members enjoy their experiences and feel supported by the University. Dr. Gaines stated that adequate support for Black professors in an institution of higher education depends on the commitment of the institution to provide said support to their faculty and staff. In his view, this support exists at the University. Race is not the only aspect of diversity that the University of Virginia values. They have also made efforts to recruit staff representing gender diversity and diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Dr. Berne corroborated this evident environment of support, stating without hesitation that she felt supported “now more than ever,” largely due to her “wonderful dean.”
If the University has been successful in their efforts to create an inclusive environment for all faculty, not just the historic white male population, there must be another reason for having such skewed demographics.
Lack of Black professors may not be entirely the fault of institutions of higher education. When asked about the under-representation of Black faculty, Dr. Gaines wanted to go deeper than just diversity efforts at UVA. Public education is failing young people, especially Black youth and other young populations of color. This failure limits the available pool of potential Black faculty members, because these young people are not given the resources to increase their chances of continuing their education after high school, and the option to pursue an academic career.
Racial minorities are more likely to live below the poverty line, and are thus more likely to attend underfunded schools. Students in lower income areas attend schools which have low or very few college preparatory courses, and who do not offer the math and science courses most four year colleges expect applicants to have taken. This decreases the chances of students from these areas gaining entry into colleges after high school. For those who do attend a university, success is made all the more difficult due to their lack of preparation during high school years.
Society has been constructed in a way that, if a Black student desires a college degree, they have to fight the system to get it.
There are numerous roadblocks in the path of a Black student gaining an advanced education. Society has been constructed in a way that, if a Black student desires a college degree, they have to fight the system to get it. Yet, success is possible, and professors Berne and Gaines are living proof. Unfortunately, appreciation of diverse perspectives is not valued in the same way across all fields. Dr. Gaines stated that his experience is slightly different as a professor of the humanities, as many STEM fields do not value diversity to the same extent. While it was clear she had much love for her profession, Professor Berne agreed that “STEM fields have some work to do.” There is an attitude in STEM fields “that everything is about the numbers. But as it turns out…a lot of what we do in STEM fields is very much related to our values. I think that’s only been recognized recently.” This lack of appreciation for diversity compounds with “assumptions about…who's good at math and who's not. And that…has to be…addressed so that everybody has a chance to demonstrate their capacity and their interest early on.”
There was a twinge of frustration in Dr. Berne’s voice as she reflected on the obstacles facing young Black learners. Yet, this failed to overshadow her passion for guiding students to success. “I want their voices to be heard,” she cited as a reason for challenging students to speak up in the classroom. Encouraging students to own their space at the University is essential, but Professor Berne believes that changes need to start before college in order to see an increase of Black representation in academia. In preschool and elementary education, “young people who have an affinity for math and science have to be identified really early and cultivated really early.” It is in the hands of the public schools before the university level to cultivate their student’s knowledge and encourage curiosity in a variety of subjects. Young people need to feel like they are cared for, and that they have a chance to continue their education after high school. Eager to consider ways to encourage Black students to pursue academia, Dr. Gaines shared his belief that professors should demystify what it means to be a scholar as a way to educate students on what the profession entails.
It is essential for institutions of higher education to recognize that their students come from a variety of backgrounds, as being less prepared for the rigor of college education is the fault of the system, not the student.
There is much to be done in terms of education reform to eventually increase the presence of Black professors at UVA and beyond. Schools need more money, more resources, and more attentive care for their students to ensure they are receiving equal and adequate treatment. However, there are many students who have made it to college from high schools without an abundance of resources. It is essential for institutions of higher education to recognize that their students come from a variety of backgrounds, as being less prepared for the rigor of college education is the fault of the system, not the student. It is evident through professors Berne and Gaines that faculty at UVA are committed to providing the same care and support to their students they feel is accessible to them. Cultivating such an atmosphere may just be a step in increasing Black representation in academia.
