Several Black Faculty Members Quit The University Of Missouri
At least nine Black faculty members quit the University of Missouri this year. .
According to The Colombia Missourian, data from Latha Ramchand, MU provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs reveals last year there were 92 Black faculty members. In 2022, that number dropped to 83. Additionally, Black faculty dropped to 3.73% from 4.16% in 2021.
There are a variety of reasons Black staff report leaving the university, which have ranged from better opportunities to denied promotions to frustration with the administration.
Maurice Gipson, MU vice chancellor of inclusion, diversity and equity, stated that he was “excited” about faculty, especially tenured faculty, exiting the university to “do incredible things elsewhere.” However, Charles Munter, an associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development and the chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee, said, “I don’t know if this is a ‘Hooray for us’ for sending great faculty of color out there in the world away from Mizzou’s campus.”
He also added, “We’ve lost 20 people in my college in less than two years. twenty faculty members have announced their departures, and only one was a white man. I just kind of bristle when people say, ‘It’s because they have great opportunities.’ It just doesn’t capture everything and the reasons why they left.”
The university says it is working on recruiting more diverse staff which includes the Preparing Future Faculty Postdoctoral Program for Faculty Diversity, a program that gives three years of support for postdoctoral students to be recruited as faculty. Also, a program called the Huddle, which is where junior faculty can “gain wisdom and advice from a diverse group of senior and retired faculty on issues and topics of special concern to faculty of color.”
