Opinion Editorial: UT must show Hispanic faculty are valued, needed

Check out today's opinion by the editors of the Austin American-Statesman.  I've blogged on this before. An enormous amount of research has gone into the work of the Independent Equity Committee that you can download here.  We all contribute so much to our universities and it is important for this work to get recognized, valued, and reflected in the work of the university itself.

-Angela Valenzuela

Ralph Barrera, Austin American-Statesman

Some of the Hispanic faculty members at the University of Texas feel so disregarded that they have coined a term for the discrimination they face: Hispanopía.

The term covers all kinds of wrongs: The fact that UT’s Hispanic professors earn thousands of dollars a year less than their white counterparts, even when accounting for seniority and area of study. The stunningly low numbers of Hispanics selected to serve as deans or department heads. The fact that very few Hispanics are honored with endowments and other teaching awards. The reports by some Hispanic faculty that some non-Hispanic colleagues fail to even acknowledge them in the hallway.

All too often, a recent report by UT’s Independent Equity Committee found, Hispanic faculty feel invisible.

This cannot stand. We urge the university to take this report as a wake-up call and make clear, in words and deeds, that contributions by all faculty are welcome, valued and necessary to UT’s success. That must start with providing Hispanic faculty members equal pay and equal opportunities for advancement.

The value of cultivating a diverse campus should not be a mystery to UT. The university has fought all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to support diversity by including race with other considerations for student admissions.

UT-Austin President Gregory L. Fenves explained it best in 2015: “UT prepares tomorrow’s leaders for a world that is increasingly global and interconnected. It’s vital that our students have the opportunity to work with students from different backgrounds and experiences — and the freedom to learn from the myriad perspectives, viewpoints and ideas that should flourish on campus.”

A diverse faculty is central to that mission.

Moreover, studies have found that minority students often perform better — earning higher grades and being less likely to drop out — when they have minority teachers who are supportive role models. This is especially important for students pursuing science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) degrees that can lead to high-demand, high-paying careers: A study coauthored by two UT professors found that Latino and African-American students in STEM programs are more likely to switch majors or drop out of college than white students. A stronger representation of minority faculty in those fields could reduce that trend.

Only 7% of the faculty at UT is Hispanic, the Independent Equity Committee report noted, even though Hispanics make up 21% of the students and 39% of the state’s population. Clearly the university needs a robust effort to recruit a more diverse faculty.

It must also ensure proper pay and open pathways to advancement for Hispanic professors already at UT. Consider the fact that only 62.5% of Hispanic applicants received tenure from 2010-18, while nearly 85% of white applicants did. Among the Hispanic professors on a tenure track, only 4 out of 10 chose to stay at UT.

Hispanic academics are woefully under-represented in other groups at UT: Only 18 of the university’s 541 chairs and professorships are held by Hispanic instructors. Only six of the university’s 98 departments are chaired by Hispanics. Only eight of UT’s 220 centers and institutes have Hispanic directors.

The university must examine its selection procedures for these leadership posts and academic honors to ensure minority contenders have a fair shot at them.

UT officials tell us they have directed the deans to look at their subordinates’ salaries and address disparities. The university has also asked the deans to report back on their procedures for selecting leaders and recommend ways to make the process more open.

That’s an encouraging start. But the university must follow through with a regular public accounting on the progress made with new hires, promotions and pay equity — and greater detail on the plans moving forward.

Being a renowned public institution comes with the obligation to serve the interests of all Texans. UT should have a faculty that reflects the diverse, vibrant people of Texas and gives everyone the opportunity to thrive.