Degree Name

EdD (Doctor of Education)

Program

Educational Leadership

Date of Award

12-2019

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Dr. Hal Knight

Committee Members

Pam Evanshen, Don Good, Jasmine Renner

Abstract

African Americans are underrepresented in full-time faculty and administrative positions at Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) institutions. This study examined the perceptions of 11 Maxine Smith Fellows on the underrepresentation at TBR institutions and provides recommendations that could assist in increasing representation of African Americans in full-time faculty and administrative positions.

A qualitative method was used for the study. Each participant was required to participate in a recorded SKYPE interview. The researcher transcribed the interviews and analyzed the data using coding to derive overarching themes that provided findings based upon the research questions.

Based upon the analysis of data, the researcher found that participants perceived a lack of intentional efforts, lack of recruitment, racism, and the devaluing of diversity in the workforce to be contributing factors to the underrepresentation. The researcher further determined that participants perceived the trainings and the program’s ability to prepare individuals for future positions as two factors that separated their success from individuals who did not participate in the program.

Document Type

Dissertation - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the author

Share

COinS