Retention of Black Social Work Faculty: What Matters and What Comes Next?

Overview: This presentation will examine the data from a qualitative research study identifying the internal and external factors that impact job satisfaction and retention of Black social work faculty. It will also recommend strategies to transform diversity initiatives within social work programs and their corresponding universities.Proposal text: Despite the social work profession’s commitment to diversity over the past five decades, schools of social work continue to encounter challenges with increasing the racial diversity of the faculty. While initiatives might exist to recruit diverse faculty members, social work programs and their corresponding institutions continue to struggle with retaining diverse faculty including Blacks. According to the educational standards of the Council on Social Work Education, diversity should be reflected in a program’s learning environment which consists of the totality of the program including faculty. CSWE expects social work programs to uphold these diversity standards; however, minimal efforts have been made to address to the totality of the campus which significantly impacts advancements in diversity and inclusion including retention of Black faculty. Furthermore, Black faculty within academia continue to experience a myriad of challenges that impact their job satisfaction and retention within academia. Despite these barriers, some faculty do persist and achieve job satisfaction. Thus, questions arise about the influential factors for Black social work faculty that contribute to job satisfaction and a desire to remain at their institutions. Through a qualitative research study, these questions are explored further. Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT) can assist with the analysis and interpretation of the experiences of Black social work faculty and the pathways to job satisfaction and retention. Utilizing the basic tenets of CRT, this theory can provide the framework for critically evaluating the experiences of Black faculty unpacking the racial inequities and injustices that they experience. Additionally, the primary concepts of RCT including authenticity, mutual empathy, growth-fostering relationships, and relational exchange can also enhance the understanding of the experiences of Black faculty and the instrumental factors of job satisfaction and retention

Thus, this presentation will briefly discuss the obstacles that Black social work faculty encounter within academia and review the results from a quantitative research study which outlines the internal and external factors that lead to job satisfaction and retention for these faculty. It will discuss the application of CRT and RCT to the findings and provide insight into the comprehensive strategies necessary to adequately address diversity within institutions including the retention of Black social work faculty. By the end of the presentation, the following objectives will be achieved:
1.) The attendees will be able to further understand the experience of Black social work faculty within academia by articulating the impediments that they can encounter.
2.) The attendees will be able to identify the factors that can impact job satisfaction and retention for Black social work faculty.
3.) The attendees will be able to identify next steps for helping social work programs and institutions move beyond recruitment and expand diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Through the e-poster, the presenter will be highlighting key aspects in the identified areas above, helping to inform social work educators and administrators of the current state of Black social work faculty and the necessity to fully transform and tackle the racism that is often embedded within various aspects of higher education.