Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in academe: race and gender through the tenure pipeline from 1993-2017

Abstract

Increasing faculty diversity is a stated priority across higher education in the United States. The extent to which Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are part of these discussions is unclear as the group is considered faculty of color but not always underrepresented minorities. Using data on all four-year postsecondary institutions, this study examines AAPI faculty representation over more than two decades, focusing on the intersection of race and gender across the tenure pipeline. Results indicate a persistent underrepresentation of AAPI women as full professors similar to other women of color. Through an analysis of past and current faculty representation across rank, this study has implications for initiatives aimed at increasing faculty diversity.