Reflections from a Black female in the promotion and tenure process

Abstract

Purpose Navigating the tenure and promotion process can be a daunting task for faculty members regardless of race or gender at institutions of higher learning. The purpose of this paper is to reflect the experiences of a Black female as she navigates the tenure and promotion process at a predominantly White institution (PWI), most of which have an organizational culture dominated by males. Design/methodology/approach The author describes the process that many faculty members undertake, identifies three levels of peer involvement, and discusses some of the issues that she faced during her efforts to advance from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor to Full Professor and the lessons learnt along the way. Findings The goal is to illuminate: the impact of personality and communication style on career advancement for Black women in academe, the feelings of apprehension that some Black female faculty at PWIs have regarding the impact of speaking candidly about their experiences and about diversity issues impacting the work environment, and the need for peer coaching to gain tenure and promotion. Practical implications There are no guarantees that peer involvement will make the process less daunting or improve the chances of success for Black female faculty members at PWIs. However, this reflexive account provides insights into the process that can be useful to other Black females at PWIs, as well as, the faculty who mentor them and the administrators who seek to retain them. Originality/value Six tips for Black females who are going through the promotion and tenure process are set forth. Additionally, a model is proposed that describes peer involvement in faculty development.