Academics & Research News

UH faculty’s diversity has increased in recent years, data finds

Juana Garcia/The Cougar

Juana Garcia/The Cougar

In an attempt to have University faculty better parallel diversity nationwide, UH has started taking a data-driven approach to the matter. 

The Center for ADVANCING UH Faculty Success was made in 2014 as a way for UH to increase the number of female faculty in STEM fields, according to the University

With the Natural Science Foundation’s $3.3 million grant donated, the University has been able to increase female faculty in STEM and social and behavioral science disciplines tenured and tenure-track by 20.3 percent within the past five years. 

“We have made great strides in the years since we established the Center for ADVANCING UH Faculty Success,” said senior vice president for Academic Success and Provost Paula Myrick Short in a University news release. “The diversity of our student body makes this work even more critical.”

The five year period from 2014 to 2019 showed significant growth in faculty diversity in a variety of forms. During this time, female African American tenured and tenure-track faculty increased 117 percent while female Hispanic tenured and tenure-track faculty increased 44 percent.

Additionally, overall female tenured and tenure-track faculty grew 23 percent and Hispanic male tenured and tenure-track faculty increased by 27 percent. 

The Center for Advancing UH Faculty Success has started taking new initiatives towards UH faculty. This includes committee training that strives to create a more diverse faculty applicant pool.

Other initiatives can potentially help faculty members after they have been hired. The University hosts workshops to help faculty members, with an emphasis on women, learn the skills and information beneficial to getting promoted as a professor. 

Assistance for faculty members’ families are available through guaranteed spots for their children in the campus Children’s Learning Center and help in the job search process for spouses and partners.

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