ABSTRACT
A cademe can be an exclusionary, dehumanizing, and silencing space for Black women (Henry, 2010; Patitu & Hinton, 2003; Patton & Croom, 2017). Research suggests that only 2.86% of full professors are Black women (Croom & Patton Davis, 2011) whereas 10% of all executive/administrative/managerial staff were Black women in 2011 (NCES, 2012). The percentage of Black women in leadership drops further at the collegiate president level. Despite Black women’s lower levels of professional advancement in higher education, rates of degree completion continue in an upward trajectory (NCES, 2012). In fact, Black women obtain a majority of higher education degrees earned by all Black students, accounting for 68% of associate’s degrees, 66% of bachelor’s degrees, 71% of master’s degrees, and 65% percent of doctoral degrees (NCES, 2012). Despite increases in degree attainment for Black women, disparities remain for Black women aspiring to university leadership and tenured faculty roles.
