Reconceptualizing Chilly Climate: Minority Faculty in North American Academ

Kamau, Njoki M.

English

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Third Annual National Conference (1998) People of Color in Predominantly White Institutions April 1998 Reconceptualizing Chilly Climate: Minority Faculty in North American Academe Njoki M. Kamau University of Minnesota, Duluth Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/pocpwi3  Part of the Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies Commons Kamau, Njoki M., "Reconceptualizing Chilly Climate: Minority Faculty in North American Academe" (1998). Third Annual National Conference (1998). 8. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/pocpwi3/8 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the People of Color in Predominantly White Institutions at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Third Annual National Conference (1998) by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Reconceptualizing Chilly Climate: Minority Faculty in North American Academe  Njoki M. Kamau University of Minnesota, Duluth  In spite of the fact that faculty of color open up new areas of investigation, provide new and unique perspectives on traditional curriculum, and effectively serve as role models and mentors, they continue to be isolated, unsupported and marginalized in the institutions in which they work.  The metaphor "chilly climate" is a relatively new term which entered higher education in the last fourteen years. It was coined by Roberta M. Hall and Bernice Sandler in their widely acclaimed chilly "Climate Report" in 1986. They used the term to describe the subtle ambiance in which many small inequities can create a negative atmosphere for learning, teaching and for fulfilling professional roles on campus.  My paper is a qualitative feminist analysis of the daily lived experiences of minority faculty who teach, conduct research and do administrative work in the United States' universities. The central arguments in this paper are that over recent years, there has been a concerted effort to diversify the students and faculty, as well as the curriculum in the U.S. academe; and a growing recognition by mainstream faculty and administrators of the crucial role faculty of color do play in enriching both the cultural and academic life in the United States' universities. Faculty of color, for example, open up new areas of investigation, provide new and unique perspectives on traditional curriculum, serve as role models, mentors not only to students of color, but to mainstream faculty and students.  In spite of these important contributions to the U.S. academe, it is ironical that the majority of the faculty of color continue to be isolated, unsupported and marginalized. They continue to experience status ambiguity, contradictions and dilemmas, and loneliness in the sacred grove. They continue to be treated as outsiders (strangers) and indeed experience chilling climate not only from their majority academic colleagues, but also from students who undermine and challenge their authority. Gender, ethnicity, racial background, geographical location of the university, students and faculty composition and age, as well as sexual orientation, are important variables in determining the extent to which chilly climate is experienced.  As knowing, resilient, social actors, minority faculty endowed with a double vision consciously adopt certain strategies for survival and success within a somewhat hostile academic climate.  PRESENTER Njoki M. Kamau, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Duluth  

Reconceptualizing Chilly Climate: Minority Faculty in North American Academe

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University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Third Annual National Conference (1998) People of Color in Predominantly White Institutions 
April 1998 
Reconceptualizing Chilly Climate: Minority Faculty in North 
American Academe 
Njoki M. Kamau 
University of Minnesota, Duluth 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/pocpwi3 
 Part of the Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies Commons 
Kamau, Njoki M., "Reconceptualizing Chilly Climate: Minority Faculty in North American Academe" (1998). 
Third Annual National Conference (1998). 8. 
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/pocpwi3/8 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the People of Color in Predominantly White Institutions at 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Third Annual National 
Conference (1998) by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 
Reconceptualizing Chilly Climate: Minority Faculty in North 
American Academe 
 
Njoki M. Kamau 
University of Minnesota, Duluth 
 
In spite of the fact that faculty of color open up new areas of investigation, provide 
new and unique perspectives on traditional curriculum, and effectively serve as role 
models and mentors, they continue to be isolated, unsupported and marginalized in 
the institutions in which they work. 
 
The metaphor "chilly climate" is a relatively new term which entered higher education in 
the last fourteen years. It was coined by Roberta M. Hall and Bernice Sandler in their 
widely acclaimed chilly "Climate Report" in 1986. They used the term to describe the 
subtle ambiance in which many small inequities can create a negative atmosphere for 
learning, teaching and for fulfilling professional roles on campus. 
 
My paper is a qualitative feminist analysis of the daily lived experiences of minority 
faculty who teach, conduct research and do administrative work in the United States' 
universities. The central arguments in this paper are that over recent years, there has been 
a concerted effort to diversify the students and faculty, as well as the curriculum in the 
U.S. academe; and a growing recognition by mainstream faculty and administrators of the 
crucial role faculty of color do play in enriching both the cultural and academic life in the 
United States' universities. Faculty of color, for example, open up new areas of 
investigation, provide new and unique perspectives on traditional curriculum, serve as 
role models, mentors not only to students of color, but to mainstream faculty and 
students. 
 
In spite of these important contributions to the U.S. academe, it is ironical that the 
majority of the faculty of color continue to be isolated, unsupported and marginalized. 
They continue to experience status ambiguity, contradictions and dilemmas, and 
loneliness in the sacred grove. They continue to be treated as outsiders (strangers) and 
indeed experience chilling climate not only from their majority academic colleagues, but 
also from students who undermine and challenge their authority. Gender, ethnicity, racial 
background, geographical location of the university, students and faculty composition 
and age, as well as sexual orientation, are important variables in determining the extent to 
which chilly climate is experienced. 
 
As knowing, resilient, social actors, minority faculty endowed with a double vision 
consciously adopt certain strategies for survival and success within a somewhat hostile 
academic climate. 
 
PRESENTER 
Njoki M. Kamau, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Duluth 
 


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Reconceptualizing Chilly Climate: Minority Faculty in North American Academe

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