Running head: CRITICAL ANALYSIS PAPER 1

Critical Analysis Paper

James Gilbert

Georgia Southern University

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Abstract

The ASHE Higher Education report chapter titled Factors Influencing Engagement, Retention,

and Advancement for Administrators of Color, as the title implies, presented several issues that

impact the engagement, retention, and advancement of administrators of color and describes

some actions that can be taken to address the issue. This writing is an analysis some of those

issues and suggested action steps and offers both support for some issues and alternative

suggestions.
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Leadership and Mentoring

Leadership Development

The report state that leadership and mentoring play a pivotal role in the career

advancement of administrator of color (p. 52). Concerning leadership development the report

made some significant points that are worth highlighting. The literature on leaders of color often

focuses on recruitment and retention and not on the actual preparation of leaders and even

though leadership programs were indicated as pivotal in the literature, little is written about the

implementation of those programs (p. 53). Furthermore, although the research indicates that most

successful people of color in leadership positions have participated in leadership development

programs, leadership programs in colleges have been mostly results of reactions to a growing

number of student of color (p. 53).

The report indicates that two-year colleges do a better job of implementing leadership

development programs than four-year (p. 53), but it does not offer specific details about those

programs. However, Jackson & Phelps (2004) noted that collaborative efforts between two-year

colleges and state higher education authorities, several states have launched leadership

development programs over the past decade such as Minnesotas Leadership Academy and

Iowas Leadership Institute for a New Century. These programs use a cohort-based approach in

which participants engaged in weekend seminars, internships, distance learning interactions, and

in-depth field studies leading to advanced degrees in the field of higher education (Jackson &

Phelps, 2004).

Jackson and Phelps (2004) suggest that leaders at both the state and institutional level

should examine the effectiveness and impact of leadership development programs for
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administrators and faculty of color in other states, and launch similar efforts. The structure of

these programs would provide flexibility and customization that would aid in their

implementation and adjustment to fit institutional needs and challenges.

Mentoring

The report noted that, Cokley, Dreher, and Stockdale (2004) indicated that mentoring is

important to the success of African-Americans, but there is a differential access to same-race

mentors because of the dearth of African American leaders in many organizations (p. 55). ASHE

report, (Barriers Encountered by Administrators of Color in Higher and Postsecondary

Education, 2009), cited institutional and organizational barriers that hinder people of color from

advancing into positions of senior or executive leadership by the lack of access to professional

networks for particular racial groups, a lack of appropriate role models, segregated networks of

professionals, and a lack of mentors for individuals of specific racial and ethnic groups. Research

appears to support this finding as indicated by Quezada & Louque (2004) who noted that

Professors of color often have fewer mentoring opportunities than non-minority counterparts as

indicated by the many faculties that do not have senior faculty of color to provide mentoring with

junior faculty of color.

What Universities Can Do

The report outlined some actions that universities could take to improve the engagement,

retention, and advancement of administrators of color. This section describes and evaluates some

of those actions and offer either alternatives or more detailed actions.

Mentoring and Support Groups

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The report indicates that institutions should do all they can to provide support for

mentoring programs for aspiring leaders of color and even suggest the development or support of

mentoring opportunities to keep African American student affairs administrators at

predominantly White institutions (p. 57). Mentoring programs are important, but they must be

tailored to meet the specific needs of administrators of color.

For example, Dancy, T. I., & Brown, M. I. (2011) suggests that some faculty, teachers,

and professionals of color have critical identity questions about exclusion and worthiness and

suggest modes of mentoring relationships between mentors and scholars of color. These modes

include: (1) academic midwifery which describes a mentoring relationship in which senior

professionals (teachers, faculty, administrators) assist junior professionals in producing new

ideas and scholarly insights; (2) role molding in which the focus shifts from theoretical, abstract,

and cognitive to practical, pragmatic, and applied and suggests that the mentor serve as a

symbolic figure of what is possible or aspired; and (3) frientoring which addresses the

asymmetrical nature of mentor-mentee relationships and allows moments in which each party

can contribute as equals.

A Multicultural and Diverse Campus Environment

The report suggested that the successful recruitment of African American scholars and

administrative leaders has been linked with having a healthy multicultural environment on

campus and Recommendations for the successful recruitment of administrators of color include

the presence of campus- and system-wide campaigns which highlight the benefits of diversity (p.

57).
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Although this approach could be somewhat effective. There are other strategies that may

be more effective. For example, Quezada & Louque (2004) suggests developing mentoring

programs with K-12 administrators of color already enrolled in graduate and advanced degrees,

campaigning target schools, districts, and colleges where there are high concentrations of

students and teachers of color, or providing financial incentives to departments who are

successful in their efforts to recruit candidates of color.

Also worthy of consideration are suggestions by Jackson & Phelps (2004) who suggested

developing partnerships with scholars of higher education or educational administration in

Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-Serving Institutions and employing

consulting organizations that specialize in minority recruitment.

Finally, Jackson (2001) suggests some retention methods that could prove to be very

effective. Some of those include: ensuring that the administrator is given the authority to make

decisions within the stated job description, providing release time and funding for research and

scholarship and professional development activities, providing financial support to join and

attend national meetings and professional organizations, and providing monthly release time for

the administrator as a substitute for additional hours worked with the underrepresented student

populations.

Conclusion

The challenge of engaging, recruiting and advancing administrator of color is a complex

endeavor. All approaches must be evaluated and benchmarked. The issue is multi-faceted and has

multiples layers of difficulties. Therefore, not only method presented should be explored, but

more research is need to address the issue in a more comprehensive manner.

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References

Barriers Encountered by Administrators of Color in Higher and Postsecondary Education.

(2009). ASHE Higher Education Report, 35(3), 31-46.
Dancy, T. I., & Brown, M. I. (2011). The Mentoring and Induction of Educators of Color:
Addressing the Impostor Syndrome in Academe. Journal Of School Leadership, 21(4),
607-634.
Jackson, J. L. (2001). Retention of African American Administrators at Predominantly White
Institutions: Using Professional Growth Factors To Inform the Discussion
Jackson, J. L., & Phelps, L. A. (2004). Diversity in the Two-Year College Academic Workforce.
New Directions For Community Colleges, (127), 79-88.
Quezada, R. L., & Louque, A. (2004). The Absence of Diversity in the Academy: Faculty of
Color in Educational Administration Programs. Education, 125(2), 213.