Dismantling Institutional Whiteness : Emerging Forms of Leadership in Higher Education

Summary: Dismantling Institutional Whiteness: Emerging Forms of Leadership in Higher Education focuses on the experiences of women of color in leadership roles in higher education. Top roles historically have gone to white men, and leadership has not reflected the range of identities and people who make up higher education. Why? And why does this problem continue to this day? Most importantly, what can be done to bring about meaningful change?Dismantling Institutional Whiteness gathers a range of first-person narratives from women of color and examines the challenges they face not only at a systemic level, but also at a deeply personal level. Their experiences combined with research and statistics paint a sobering portrait of higher education’s problems when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Interspersed throughout their stories are practical suggestions for how to address inequity in higher education, and to give a voice to people who have been silenced and excluded. Whether a trustee, university executive, or faculty member at any level, this is essential reading for those interested in diversifying higher education leadership to ensure decisions reflect the priorities of all. Quotes:"This powerful and insightful book brings to light the challenges of women of color in leadership roles, and, in particular, those who occupy the mid-ranks of the academic hierarchy, such as in academic dean positions or as diversity leaders within units. Because few books address the lived realities of women of color leaders, this book boldly breaks new ground through a combination of original research and first-person narratives documenting the challenges faced by these leaders. With the positive and forward-looking strategies it offers, the book is a much-needed, critical resource for colleges and universities seeking to build more inclusive leadership models." —Edna B. Chun, Lecturer, Human Capital Management, Columbia University School of Professional Studies, and Chief Learning Officer, HigherEd Talent"Strong, well-researched, and powerfully articulated, this collection foregrounds the important work being done in higher education by women and people of color in leadership positions. The book brings different voices into the conversation, and coalesces research and arguments from a variety of fields, including sociology, psychology, criticism, and leadership/business texts. The authors argue that leaders with intersectional identities are best placed to provide the kind of disruptive and transformative leadership needed to steer higher education in the future, and to dismantle some of the racist structures and processes at its core. Anyone currently serving as a leader in higher education—or hoping to become one—should read this book." —Amy Cook, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, and Professor of English, Stony Brook UniversityAuthor Bio: M. Cristina Alcalde is vice president for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion and a professor of global and intercultural studies at Miami University. As a scholar-practitioner, her areas of focus include racialization, gender and gender violence, migration, and exclusion and belonging. She has spoken and published widely on these topics, including five books and over thirty articles and book chapters.Mangala Subramaniam is a professor of sociology, serves as Butler chair and director of the Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence at Purdue University, and is the current state codirector of the American Council on Education (ACE) Women's Network of Indiana. Her research is in the areas of gender (and intersections with race, class, nationality), social movements, and higher education. In her current administrative role, she focuses on providing opportunities to enhance leadership skills and professional development for faculty. She has published over forty articles and book chapters in addition to four books, and her work has been highlighted in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and Higher Education Digest.