“Are You Going to Get in Line?”: Black Administrators Navigating White Cultural Norms

Overview: In this presentation, African American administrators share their experiences navigating and negotiating White patriarchy at predominately White institutions. We will identify White cultural norms, explore the consequences of failing to adhere to them, and examine strategies Black administrators, faculty, and staff can use to navigate higher education successfully.Proposal text: Less than 10% of all professionals working in higher education are Black people (Fuesting et al., 2021). This disparity is even worse at the administrative and executive levels, as Black administrators make up less than 8% of all administrators while more than 80% are White (Fuesting et al., 2021).

Low numbers of Black doctoral students, faculty, and staff in the pipeline is often used to justify why there are so few Black administrators (Whitford, 2020). Studies have identified several reasons for the low numbers of Black administrators (Flaherty, 2016). Hostility stemming from racism and microaggressions, coupled with structural racism, often limit Black people's ability to become administrators. Other explanations include amorphous tenure and promotion processes, lack of institutional fit, and a lack of available mentorship and other supports that can help Black administrators navigate the higher education landscape (Whitford, 2020). Finally, another reason for the low numbers of Black administrators is a lack of understanding of white cultural norms (Whitford, 2020, para 13). White cultural norms are the "explicit and implicit privileging and centering of Whiteness" (Gray, 2019, para. 1) in organizations that "dictate that White ways of behaving, dressing, talking, working, and being are normal and superior to all other ethnic, racial, and regional identities and customs" (para. 2) often leading to reprimanding, isolation, demotion, minimization, or termination of anyone operating outside these norms.

In this presentation, two Black administrators share their experiences in higher education and examine the predominant white cultural norms at play, such as: 1) Paternalism Versus Partnership, 2) Power Hoarding Versus Power Sharing, 3) Competition versus Collaboration, 4) Defensiveness Versus Vulnerability, 5) Equity washing versus Real Equity, 6) Perfectionism over Appreciation and 7) Process over Relationships.
In this presentation, we will examine the consequences that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color experience when they fail to completely adhere to White Cultural norms and discuss the physical and mental toll that being a Black administrator in predominantly White institutions has on their overall health and well-being.

Finally, we will explore strategies based on the literature and personal experience to navigate administration and remain successful despite challenges. Some strategies include: 1) talk to people who came before you, 2) seek support from other Black administrators, 3) understand the difference between responsibility and accountability, 4) know your leadership style, as well as the styles of your boss and peers, 5) decide what is important and the price you are willing to pay, and 6) be courageous.

White supremacy culture is a powerful force that affects Black administrators' relationships, interactions, and even defines important concepts such as success and power. As black administrators, faculty, and/or staff in higher education, these experiences can be challenging and rewarding. This presentation will provide a space for Black faculty, staff, current and aspiring administrators to make sense of their shared experiences, illuminate the unspoken rules for engagement, and examine the structural inequities that often interfere with and limit Black administrators' success (Okun, 2021).