Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Faculty Body: The Role of Microaggressions & Incivility

Abstract

Are we doing enough to recruit and retain a diverse faculty body? Despite a variety of efforts to increase underrepresented populations within the professoriate, diversity gains remain minimal. Presenters will introduce two concepts that they propose may be affecting our diversity efforts: microaggressions and incivility. Microaggressions are subtle, denigrating messages delivered to people based on their group affiliations; incivility can refer to a variety of behaviors, including camouflaged aggression, neglect, intimidation, and can lead to a culture of bullying and mobbing. Both microaggressions and incivility can negatively affect an organization’s environment, even though participants may not be consciously aware of them.