Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine differences among California community colleges that have adopted the Faculty and Staff Diversity Internship Program in regard to recruiting minority graduate students. The study will determine: (1) the degree to which recruitment strategies have increased the number of underrepresented faculty interns; (2) perceptions of chief personnel officers concerning barriers to recruiting underrepresented faculty interns; (3) differences in the number of minority faculty interns that are currently employed in California community colleges, which have adopted the Faculty and Staff Diversity Internship Program; and (4) perceptions between the groups of minority faculty interns concerning an institution's ability to act affirmatively in recruiting minorities for the Faculty and Staff Diversity Internship Program. Methodology. One questionnaire measured perceptions of chief personnel officers concerning the different recruitment strategies and perceived barriers in recruiting of underrepresented faculty interns. A second questionnaire evaluated perceptions of minority faculty interns concerning community colleges' ability to act affirmatively regarding support and recruitment of minority graduate students. Findings. The study found that there were 101 faculty interns participating in the Faculty and Staff Diversity Internship Program. There were significant differences found among Chief Personnel Officers concerning strategies and barriers to recruit minority graduate students to their institutions. The study found no significant differences in perceptions among minority faculty interns concerning recruitment strategies. There were significant differences found in the perceptions of faculty interns concerning the level of support provided by an institution. Recommendations. Community colleges' key administrators should take a proactive role in providing opportunities to integrate minority faculty interns into social networks. All faculty should be required to attend a program on intergroup relations. Racial/ethnic awareness workshops are needed for all faculty. High schools should give more attention to identification and preparation of minority students for higher education with college teaching as a goal. Both public and private four-year institutions should encourage minority graduate students to enroll into Engineering, Physical Science, and Life Science disciplines with college teaching as a primary goal. Furthermore, those California community colleges that have adopted the Faculty and Staff Diversity Internship Program should encourage other community colleges to adopt the Faculty and Staff Diversity Internship Program.