Changes made as a result of the University's Kaleidoscope Report, released last Spring, are essential to correct Tufts' poor retention of minority and women faculty. The report, which detailed retention rates for minorities and females far below their Caucasian male peers, prompted quite a bit of soul searching on the part of the administration. Recent steps taken by the University, including transitional housing for junior faculty and a trans-departmental mentoring program, are essential first steps towards establishing Tufts as a welcoming place for faculty of all colors and genders.
Part of the problem, simply put, is one of resources. Many of the problems experienced by younger faculty of color and women have to do with housing or salary, and these issues require substantial investment on Tufts' part to solve. Some of the faculty studied in the Kaleidoscope report were hired over ten years ago, at a time when Tufts had far fewer resources to devote towards faculty retention. As a result, with a growing endowment Jumbo faculty and students should expect and demand that more resources be devoted towards programs targeting minorities and females for hiring and retention.
A deeper problem is an institutional one, wherein historical racism and sexism in certain fields has made it very difficult for females and scholors of color to advance. One prominent example is in the School of Engineering (SOE), a study which has traditionally been viewed as a male province. This is a problem that will not be solved overnight: even today, the vast majority of undergraduates and their professors in the SOE are men. Aggressive work, however, by SOE Dean Linda Abriola has been specifically targeted at drawing more females and minorities towards the school. It is initiatives like hers that will ultimately prove successful in bringing diverse perspectives to departments throughout the University.
A persistent demon, for minority faculty in particular, has been the view of Boston as a metropolitan area generally inhospitable to people of color. Although much of the punditry today would have Beantown branded as the heart of liberal America, the area does not seem as liberal to minorities. While students today gleefully point at the laughingstock of Alabama when talking about institutionalized racism, they rarely if ever discuss the substantial busing riots that took place some thirty years ago in the Hub. We on the Hill must devote extra effort to avoid the devil of complacency and instead be proactive in our efforts to make our own slice of Beantown a good place for all colors.
In the end, what is good for retaining minority and female faculty is good for the University as a whole. Keeping scholars from a diverse range of backgrounds on campus will enhance the educational experience for all Jumbos on multiple levels. Perhaps most importantly, it will produce graduates who themselves are more sensitive to the needs and realities of all people - a Jumbo worldview, indeed.
