Marzbanrad Ameneh, Niaghi Farhad, Tiwana Sabeen, Siddiqi Javed, Ding Jeffrey, Tanvir Imrana, Khosa Faisal
Nutrition, McGill University, Montreal, CAN.
Emergency Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, CAN.
Cureus. 2024 Jan 18;16(1):e52528. doi: 10.7759/cureus.52528. eCollection 2024 Jan.
Background For over 50 years, affirmative action helped advance equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in educational institutions in the United States (U.S.). However, the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to end affirmative action in college admissions threatens the progress toward EDI. Objective This study aimed to assess the progress in promoting gender and racial diversity within the discipline of microbiology over a 55-year period. We sought to analyze the representation of women and minority groups in faculty ranks, tenure positions, and leadership to identify disparities and trends and determine who will likely be impacted most with the end of affirmative action. Materials and methods This longitudinal retrospective study utilized publicly available and non-identifiable Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) data on full-time microbiology faculty from 1967 to 2021. Faculty members were categorized based on academic ranks and tenure status, while gender and racial data were also considered. Results The analysis revealed a consistent dominance of white faculty, with over 60% representation across all academic ranks throughout the study period. The Asian and female faculty representation decreased in senior academic ranks. We observed a positive trend in the annual increase of women in faculty positions, academic ranks, chairs, and tenure positions. Furthermore, Asian faculty demonstrated the most robust surge in representation. However, disparities persisted for black, Hispanic, and Native American faculty members, reflecting broader challenges in their representation. Discussion Although efforts to enhance diversity within microbiology have yielded positive results, underrepresented minority groups still face obstacles in attaining leadership positions and senior academic ranks. The diminishing proportion of women at higher academic ranks raises concerns about potential attrition or lack of promotion opportunities. The end of affirmative action poses a risk of perpetuating this trend, leading to a decline in diversity among microbiology faculty.
背景 五十多年来，平权行动推动了美国教育机构的公平、多样性和包容性（EDI）发展。然而，美国最高法院最近关于终止大学招生中平权行动的决定，威胁到了在EDI方面取得的进展。
目的 本研究旨在评估微生物学学科在55年期间促进性别和种族多样性方面的进展。我们试图分析女性和少数群体在教师队伍、终身职位和领导层中的代表性，以识别差距和趋势，并确定平权行动结束后可能受影响最大的群体。
材料和方法 这项纵向回顾性研究利用了美国医学院协会（AAMC）1967年至2021年全职微生物学教师的公开且不可识别的数据。教师成员根据学术级别和终身职位状况进行分类，同时也考虑了性别和种族数据。
结果 分析显示，白人教师一直占据主导地位，在整个研究期间，所有学术级别中的占比均超过60%。亚洲裔和女性教师在高级学术级别中的代表性有所下降。我们观察到担任教师职位、学术级别、系主任和终身职位中的女性数量呈逐年上升的积极趋势。此外，亚洲裔教师的代表性增长最为显著。然而，黑人、西班牙裔和美国原住民教师成员仍存在差距，这反映出他们在代表性方面面临更广泛的挑战。
讨论 尽管在微生物学领域增强多样性的努力取得了积极成果，但代表性不足的少数群体在获得领导职位和高级学术级别方面仍面临障碍。高级学术级别中女性比例的下降引发了对潜在人员流失或缺乏晋升机会的担忧。平权行动的结束有可能使这一趋势持续下去，导致微生物学教师队伍的多样性下降。
