Faculty of Color: The Effects of Minimal Structural Diversity on College Campuses

Messy Middle Musings Track

Kristine Cody, Associate Director, Student Center for Reconciliation and Diversity

James Whitfield, Undergraduate, Physics

Talia Barraza, Undergraduate, Liberal Studies

Andrew Boyd, Undergraduate, Kinesiology

Kasandra Gomez, Undergraduate, Applied Exercise Science

Diversity is more than a buzzword; rather, it needs to be actualized in actions. In its diversity action plan, APU states it will recruit, support, and retain faculty who integrate intercultural perspectives and other diversity issues into their curriculum and research. According to Azusa Pacific’s Campus Climate Report, undergraduate students of color indicate 13% less often than white undergraduate students that APU appreciates cultural differences, and many have identified that the greatest lack of diversity and cultural awareness is in the classroom. APU’s student demographic breakdown is often referenced to indicate institutional progress in diversification, but while 52 percent of the undergraduate student body comprises students of color, only 22 percent of faculty identify as people of color. Does this disparity reflect a value for diversity? This presentation investigates the concerns of students and faculty of color in regard to APU’s commitment to structural diversity.