Abstract
Purpose. This study addressed issues of social equity in California Community Colleges. Social equity is identified as the umbrella used to describe the topics of affirmative action, the glass ceiling, and workforce diversity in the 71 California Community College districts. Theoretical framework. The theoretical framework for this study was based on social equity. Theories of social equity associated with class structure, conflict, social stratification, inequality of man, and the compound theory of social equity. The theory of social equity is complex because it deals with the assumption that this is a just democratic society as a whole. Methodology. An investigation of secondary data from 1982 to 2002 was employed using a time-series design. The study examines the change in hiring and promotions of females and minorities in academic administrative positions pre and post Assembly Bill 1725 and Proposition 209. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize and organize the data into a manageable form (Babbie, 2004). Findings and conclusion. This study found that in California the majority is the minority as it relates to ethnicity. While there has been some increase in executive administrators among women, minorities have actually declined. The study further indicated that in years following passage of legislation 1989—AB1725 women and minority administrators increased slightly. After the passage of Proposition of 209 in 1996 the increase in Anglo-American Women continued to increase while other ethnicities seemed to decline or remain the same. The study also found that over 45% of the academic administrators who are leaving the workforce are of retirement age. Recommendations. Legislation cannot dictate fairness; processes should be enforced to ensure that institutions make every effort to prepare future executives who represent the population in their institutions. Business should focus on integrating diverse employees in the workforce. The Integration Paradigm Transcends assimilation and differentiation—promotes equal opportunity and values cultural differences. Eliminate all forms of dominance that inhibit full contributions or organization trust. The point is when employees' believe that their contributions are valued; they give more of themselves to the company. If companies sincerely want to embrace diversity, they must include diverse people on teams that would not necessarily feel comfortable in those settings (Thomas, 2001).