Education is never without its controversies, and some of the more recent debates seem directly tied to the lack of diverse voices at all levels of our educational system in this country. Terms like Critical Race Theory are reduced to polarizing buzzwords as some fight to prevent an honest examination of our society and its roots. In my view, debating subjects of historical and social significance from varying perspectives can help us reach a common understanding of our shared history and move forward together.
Since I became President of Kean University in July of 2020, I have been actively seeking ways to elevate diverse voices and promote inclusivity and belonging within the Kean community. A key moment occurred early in my tenure when I was talking to students about their academic experiences. Their request was clear: Hire more faculty who look like us. Hire faculty who can represent, and relate to, our life experiences. 
Dr. Lamont Repollet
People of color make up 63% of the student body at Kean University. Several years ago, we were designated by the federal government as a Hispanic-serving institution because more than 25% of our student body identifies as Hispanic. Many of our students are immigrants, or children of immigrants, and are the first in their families to attend college.
I have long celebrated our diverse student body. In fact, it was a big part of why I fell in love with Kean in the first place as a graduate student. But that pivotal conversation with students led me to examine the diversity of our faculty at Kean, and the results left me unsatisfied. While our student population at Kean is incredibly diverse, only 8% of our faculty are Black and only 9% are Hispanic.
Sadly, this dilemma is not unique to Kean. A 2019 study by the Pew Research Center found that in the United States only 5% of faculty members were Hispanic as compared to 20% of undergraduates overall. African Americans made up 6% of faculty while 14% of students were African American. And we know that race is just one aspect of equity work— for our faculty to truly reflect the diversity of our student body and our world, we must welcome faculty members who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, who are disabled, and who break traditional barriers, like women in STEM fields, to name just a few.
