Balancing the Passion for Activism with the Demands of Tenure: One Professional's Story from Three Perspectives

Abstract

As a Black assistant professor, April L. Few discusses the challenge of balancing the demands of tenure and her commitment to community, diversity, and social justice. In this story about her journey toward tenure, she reflects upon how racism and sexism within the classroom have defined her professional identity as an activist scholar. She also poses questions for feminist scholars who struggle about whether moving toward the center or mainstream of an institution means having to lose pieces of oneself in the tenure process. In order to provide additional perspective on this issue, Fred P. Piercy, the department head, and Andrew Stremmel, the departmental chair of the tenure and promotion committee, also reflect on this dilemma and suggest ways of turning teaching and service into scholarship that counts for tenure. Although it may be said that all new faculty face transitions, this story discusses additional challenges that are often negotiated by untenured ethnic faculty at predominantly White universities.