Academe's Secret Problem: The Tug of War between Privilege and Equal Opportunity

Argues that, in spite of the outward promotion of multiculturalism in academics, there is still considerable discrimination against minority faculty. Drawing on government statistics & anecdotal experiences of bias, it is contended that minority faculty must not only be aware of the inequities, but also of the resistance to change spurred by unwillingness to give up a share of the pie. In addition, the belief of image-conscious administrators that controversy equates with financial loss has helped to maintain the struggle between privilege & equal opportunity that has minimized minority gains. Strategies used by the educational system to deal with charges of discrimination are discussed, including countersuits, nonperformance criteria, laundered data, bureaucratic quicksand, & administrative tag team. Suggestions are offered for how minority faculty can both recognize & combat discrimination. 3 References. J. Lindroth