One year ago, Black Issues began a column designed to give advice to help you advance or just to develop more expertise as you start or continue your career in higher education. Through this first year, we have received insightful and helpful information for both faculty and administrators.
What has made it so valuable is that it has come from you, the practitioners out there who know what it’s like in the halls of academia. We thank you for the input and encourage you to keep the questions as well as the answers coming.
For this year’s special report on Careers, we decided to reprint a few highlights from the past year.
— Joan Morgan
Nov. 12, 1998:
Question: I am contemplating accepting a position as a minority affairs coordinator at a traditionally White institution. It is rumored that such positions can be dead-end career busters. Are there conditions or considerations that I should insist on before accepting the position?
Dr. Charles Moody Sr.
Vice Provost Emeritus
University of Michigan
Founder
National Alliance of Black School Educators
Any position has the potential of being a dead-end career buster. Your effectiveness in any position and the development of a constituency base will do more to advance your career than the position itself.
However, some questions you may want to ask include: Are you viewed as a gatekeeper or a gate opener? Are you to justify the actions of the institution in dealing with issues of equity and diversity or are you an advocate for people of color?
It also is important to understand the principles of planned change because you will be an agent of change. Change is painful and part of the job will involve changing the institutional culture.
Finally, you should never become more concerned with keeping the job or “moving up” than you are with doing the job.
Beth J. Wilson
Associate Provost
Columbia University
President
American Association for Affirmative Action
Although you should have one major career path, you always should foster alternative routes that can move you in a somewhat different direction.
In negotiating the terms of your responsibilities and working conditions, discuss support for professional training and development including travel.
Keep good records of all you do.
Paul Bayless
Assistant Affirmative Action Officer
Indiana University-Purdue University
These don’t have to be dead-end jobs. I’ve seen smart, ambitious people move from minority programs into student affairs, community relations, business management and myriad other areas. Your future options depend primarily on the initiative and energy you bring to the job, and how you master it.
Finally, take time to assess the general environment into which you will be going. If the entire institution demonstrates a vibrant commitment to enhancing diversity, you are more likely to find open doors when the time comes to move to new pastures.
