COLLEGES NEED MORE DIVERSE LEADERS

While the U.S. college student population has become more diverse, college and university leadership has remained primarily White and male. In 2016, according to the American Council of Education, 70 percent of college presidents were men, and less than 20 percent of college presidents were a racial minority. The representation of women among presidents has steadily increased, but it also remains primarily White.

Meanwhile, in California, approximately 44 percent of the community college student population is Latino, yet Latinos represent only about 15 percent of the faculty and senior leadership in California community colleges.

There needs to be a concerted effort to diversify the leadership ranks in higher education, and developing a leadership pipeline includes identifying the pathway to the presidency. Most presidents — 85 percent — came from within higher education.

This is an important consideration because it indicates the need to diversify the faculty ranks as well. A diverse faculty will lead to more diversity in senior administrative positions as the faculty moves up to administrative positions. I was shocked at the lack of faculty diversity when I started working at Cal State University Fullerton (CSUF), though the university is doing a great job at serving the underserved.

Sadly, this is the norm. CSUF is no outlier. I’ve witnessed talented adjunct faculty drive from campus to campus to teach a class here and there, struggling with no pathway to tenure-track. A common response to the lack of diversity in the faculty and staff ranks is that the pool of qualified racial/ ethnic candidates is small or non-existent. Nevertheless, it is worth pointing out that faculty hiring committees tend to be primarily White. To a homogeneous White group, the right “fit” may not include a person of color.

Dr. Ted Martinez Jr. of San Diego has built a Latino pipeline for the nation’s community college presidency. The National Community College Hispanic Council (NCCHC) Leadership Fellows Program, which he founded and has led, was recently renamed “The Dr. Ted Martinez, Jr. NCCHC Leadership Fellows Program.”

Housed at San Diego State University, the program is designed for Latino community college administrators who are interested in upper-level administrative positions, with the ultimate goal of becoming president of a community college. There are now 287 NCCHC fellows in 24 states. The fellowship, which entails culturally tailored seminars, curriculum and mentorship, has helped make a significant dent in the equity gap.

Dr. Martinez’s legacy in building the pipeline for future Latino college presidents is inspiring, especially considering his humble beginnings. He was born and raised in Asherton, Texas, the oldest of seven, and neither of his parents spoke English. The family lived in a one-bedroom house with a dirt floor kitchen.

At 9 years old, he began working with his father in the fields picking cotton, onions, corn, melons and carrots. At 14, he started driving his family to Michigan to work in the fields for the summer months. The family would follow the farmworker stream to California, North Dakota and Colorado. His parents were committed to their children’s education, so the kids never missed school. Only after the school year ended did they head to work in the fields across the country, and they always came back the day before the new school year started.

Dr. Martinez remembers certain teachers, primarily Latino teachers, mentoring and guiding him towards college. There, he was inspired by a professor who taught in community college and had earned his Ph.D. before he was 30. Dr. Martinez was committed to following this role model’s path, and he earned his own Ph.D. at the age of 29. Now he inspires others to get their doctoral degree. I am one of those he inspired.

In San Diego County, we can be proud of our track record of hiring college presidents of color. Dr. Constance M. Carroll, who recently retired, a prominent African American, was the chancellor of San Diego Community College for 17 years. Her successor is Dr. Carlos O. Cortez. The City College president is Dr. Ricky Shabazz, and the new Grossmont College president is Denise Whisenhunt. Both are African American. Southwestern College is now led by Superintendent/President Dr. Mark Sanchez, an NCCHC mentor who grew up in Barrio Logan. Palomar College also has a new superintendent/president, Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey, a 2018 NCCHC fellow, and Cuyamaca College is being led by Dr. Julianna Barnes. Both are Latinas. Then there is Dr. Adela de la Torre, the first woman and first Latina to serve as a permanently appointed president of San Diego State University. And the chancellor at UC San Diego, Pradeep K. Khosla.

Universities and colleges genuinely interested in diversifying their leadership to reflect the Latino students they serve should reach out to The Dr. Ted Martinez, Jr. NCCHC Leadership Fellows Program, based in San Diego. Visit ncchc.com for more information.

González Perezchica is the executive director of MANA de San Diego. She lives in University Heights.