ABSTRACT
African born professors have been conceptualized in this chapter to mean any professor of African descent who are from the “Motherland” Africa or any diaspora country who migrates to the United States and secures a job as a professor (Adjunct, Assistant, Associate, or Full) in any institution of higher learning whether at HBCU or a PWI. The tenure and promotion processes are harrowing and uncertain. In some cases, merely securing a tenure-track position is enormously problematic. While this is difficult for most foreign born, African female faculty face several key challenges in higher education related to obtaining tenure-track positions. Similarly, professors of African origin (those born outside of the US) also face several challenges. Commenting on these challenges Ngwainmbi suggests that African-born professors must confront issues of previous research that suggests that in some instances obtaining these tenure-track positions is made more difficult because of gender, ethnicity, racial prejudice, and biases. The tenure and promotion processes are often described as being full of unequal treatment as one tries to navigate and break the glass ceiling to advance to the full professor level. Using previous research this chapter will explore the views of professors on the topic. Professors' responses gathered from these studies along with other existing data, books, and journal articles will be used to support the discussion. This chapter will report on the findings of previous studies on the matter of tenure promotion and the impact and relationship between the two processes and race, ethnicity, and gender. The promotion and tenure process and the obstacles they overcame will be discussed. The chapter will offer recommendations, discuss hurdles, propose suggestions, and raise awareness so that present and future navigators can be informed.
