Factors Affecting Retention Plan Among Faculty of Color in Rehabilitation Counselor Education Programs

Abstract

Although many institutions of higher education have become committed to diversity and have made efforts to recruit faculty of color, the counseling profession has had a long history of underrepresentation of students and faculty of color. This study investigated the relationships between demographic characteristics, perceptions of the academic climate, and the employment continuation plans of tenured and tenure-track faculty of color in accredited, rehabilitation counselor education (RCE) programs. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify which factors best predict the employment continuation plans for this population. Participants were administered the Faculty Retention Questionnaire (FRQ) to examine these relationships. The sample consisted of 63 tenure-track and tenured faculty of color employed by accredited RCE programs. A univariate general linear model found that the demographic characteristics (race, ethnicity, gender, country of origin, and tenure status) did not predict the employment continuation plans of tenure-track and tenured faculty of color in accredited RCE programs. Multiple linear regression analysis was utilized to determine if the regression scores for the perception of academic climate components (role as researcher, tenure/promotion opportunities, workplace conditions, social climate, faculty/student relationships, role clarity, inter-role conflict, and person/role conflict) predicted 28.5% of the variance in the employment continuation plans of faculty of color in RCE programs. Among these, inter-role conflict was the only statistically significant predictor. Findings add to the literature pertaining to the retention of faculty of color in counselor education and suggest retention strategies supportive of faculty of color.