Chapter 7: Changing The Game: When African American Professors Engage African American Student-Athletes

Most Americans are aware of the United States census statistics that confirm the increase in the diversity the U.S. population. In fact, most population estimates predict that students of color will comprise a majority of our public-school populations by the year 2050 (Futrell, Gomez, & Bedden, 2003). However, this increase in diversity in the nation’s student population is not reflected in the academic institutions of higher education (Turner, Gonzalez, & Wood, 2008). Furthermore, many university campuses claim to make efforts to diversify student enrollments significantly, when there has been no corresponding increase in the diversity of the professorate. African American faculty at selective, public research universities (SPRUs) has remained decidedly static (Trower & Chait, 2002). There remains a persistent under-representation of faculty of color, especially African American faculty in SPRUs (Cross & Slater, 2002; Hodge, Faison-Hodge, & Burden, 2004). Though affirmative action policies have supported opportunities for women and people of color, research suggests African American faculty still face continued discrimination, isolation and exclusion (Anderson, 2002). The lack of diversity in these institutions restricts and devalues the perspectives of African American faculty of color and often leads to feelings of marginalization and isolation (Turner, Myers, & Creswell, 1999).