Building Positive Mentoring Experiences for Black Male Faculty at a Historically Black College and University

This chapter outlines how historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have served an important role in promoting access to higher education for Black faculty when other venues were closed to them. During their inception, HBCUs were far from equal in terms of infrastructure, resources, and operating budgets; these inequities persist to the present day. HBCUs have a rich legacy of producing charismatic leaders. For example, W. E. B. Du Bois, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Ella Baker, Barbara Jordan, and Stokely Carmichael who all valiantly advocated for societal change for all and served as positive role models to many African Americans. Black colleges also provide a rich source of social networks to students, fostering an empowering educational climate (Palmer & Gasman, 2008).

Strategies to Mentor Female Faculty

Historically, the percentage of women in higher education has been small. It is important for women to receive mentoring in order to stay in higher education. Mentoring is one of the key determining and empowering factors for measuring whether women faculty stay in higher education positions or decide to leave. This chapter will include the following objectives: 1) provide a review of research on mentoring women in general; 2) provide a review of conceptual and empirical research available on the mentoring experiences of women; 3) discuss the global implications of mentoring women in these careers; 4) provide suggestions and recommendations related to future opportunities that may assist women in becoming empowered to obtain more career and professional development opportunities globally; and 5) provide solutions and recommendations as positive strategies for women to consider at any academic institution, e.g. HBCU, PWI, private, or public universities. Mentoring can assist women in becoming successful both personally and professionally.

The “Art” in Mentoring Women Faculty at Historically Black Colleges/Universities

The literature on mentoring women in certain fields like Fine Arts is scant. Therefore, in this chapter the authors shed light on personal mentoring opportunities at an HBCU environment. The purpose of this effort is to do the following: 1) review the mentoring literature; 2) provide the research available on mentoring women in Fine Arts; 3) provide solutions, recommendations, and future directions to administrators, faculty, stakeholders, that can impact mentoring opportunities and initiatives provided to women and minorities in the academy.

Organizational Change and Online Education at HBCUs

This chapter examines how mentoring pre-tenured and tenured faculty during organizational change of implementing fully online academic programs impacts resistant and/or supportive faculty. By using a case of an experience of some faculty at HBCUs, the authors examine how mentorship is necessary to engender a supportive and successful transition in the face of faculty members' resistance to including online education. Influence on faculty becoming adept experts of online teaching and education, prioritizing online teaching and its impact on how they approach live instruction, and anticipating how a designated mentor(s) affects teaching evaluations and research scholarship necessary to achieve rank and tenure promotion will be delineated.

The Double-Edged Sword of “Othermothering” for African American Women Faculty With Families

Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs) have historically been both vital and beneficial as they have educated, trained, and nurtured many African Americans throughout the years. Research indicates that there are some disparities between men and women faculty at HBCUs. The chapter will review research which discusses factors that may impact African American (AA) women faculty specifically AA women faculty with families (AAWFWF) within the academy at HBCUs. AA women faculty report spending a great amount of their time supporting, mentoring and nurturing students on academic and personal matters also called “othermothering.” While HBCUs have been a haven for students, some challenges and barriers arise for AAWFWF including bias toward caregiving, bias avoidance, unequal pay, collegial incivility, and difficulty maintaining work/life balance. Formal mentoring has been shown to be beneficial for AA faculty. Strategies to create a healthy environment for AAWFWF are presented and recommendations for an AAWFWF mentoring program at HBCUs are given.

Mentoring Faculty Through the Glass Ceiling at HBCUs

The mission of this chapter is to discuss the glass ceiling and the contributing factors that seem to impact faculty members at HBCUs continuously; provide insight on effective strategies to avoid pitfalls, and to provide helpful recommendations to advance to new grounds once the glass ceiling becomes unbreakable. While steps have been made to examine the impact of a positive environment, the individual is ultimately responsible for personal growth in their chosen environment.

Mentoring Faculty

This chapter provides the importance of mentoring faculty at HBCUs. Past research on mentoring and the positive professional interactions that can spring forth from mentoring faculty are noted. Faculty at HBCUs are working at a gem institution as these institutions provide much value to the socialization of students and were often the only institution of higher education where some cultures could work, obtain promotions, and successfully obtain tenure. With the continued survival of these institutions, it is equally important to provide mentorship to a diverse faculty body. The mission of the book is introduced and the rich, unique value that the HBCU provides is noted.

Intricacies of Cross-Cultural Mentoring

This chapter describes how novice international faculty and scholars in American universities may face formidable challenges related to their new responsibilities and the cultural demands as they begin their tenure-track careers in the academe. Upon completion of the doctorate programs, some find themselves in organizations that have unfamiliar cultures and expectations. Regardless of their background, nationality or experience, they are expected to maintain the trademarks of teaching, scholarship, advisement, and community service in order to survive the rigor of academe. Unfortunately, the reality is often more overwhelming for international faculty and scholars because of multifaceted acculturation issues that are related to their new country and organization. Mentors can serve as facilitators for novice faculty. Through teamwork, mentors and novice faculty members can construct knowledge and create a culture of collaboration. It is envisioned that cross- culturally sensitive mentoring can help to ease the challenges of the new faculty as they navigate their unfamiliar environment in the academe.

Mentoring African American Women at Historically Black Colleges/Universities

This chapter describes how a considerable milestone for new faculty entering academia has been awarding tenure by the institution of higher education. This is often referred to as the Academy. Tenure-track faculty working towards tenure spend several years honing their craft in the areas of teaching, research, and service. Senior colleagues assume the lead in determining activities, and others who are considered authorities and leaders in the chosen field of scholarship. While HBCUs have provided an enormous source of support for African-American women who are tenure-track faculty, they continue to be underrepresented in the academy and are adversely impacted by the tenure process. Barriers that impede the tenure process of African-American women faculty include societal biases, stereotypes, systemic oppression, and lack of mentorship. This chapter seeks to provide awareness, discuss unique challenges specific to African American women faculty, and existing strategies to negotiating the tenure and promotion processes.

The Future of Faculty Mentorship at Historically Black Colleges/Universities

This book explored faculty members' perceptions of mentorship at certain HBCUs. This chapter of the book seeks to briefly review the broad concepts outlined in the chapters. This last chapter provides positive enlightenment on how the HBCU can continue to provide mentoring to faculty which gives the faculty member a sense of belonging, a reason to remain at the university, and a true sense of collegiality. The last points identified in this chapter are to review pertinent questions that can shape the future of mentoring programs at HBCUs.