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[windchimes]

Still clicking around on the site, I am beginning to think that the "empirical" evidence is based solely on names, having found a very visible, non asian minority in Mass Communications.

You mean that faculty member of middle-eastern ethnicity that changed his last name in order to blend in more into this society (particularly helpful and altruistic in post 9/11 America)? Can one be called a visible minority if one tries everything in one's power not to stick like a sore thumb? Technically yes, but practically maybe no. And of less concern, in this case, is person's ethnicity by itself (not all "ethnicities" are created and/or considered as "equal" anyway. Not practically, not philosophically) -- and of more is their race and their ethnicity combined and as reflected on the streets of America.

In other words, a dark-skinned Guatemalan or Indian (not to mention African American) more accurately reflects society's diversity than say a blue eyed, light-skinned Egyptian that actively tries to pass himself as an American born.

And based on name and education, I am willing to bet one of those asians is NOT foreign born.

It does not matter at all whether one of those Asian faculty members is not foreign born (birthplace does not matter). What it positively matters is that he is there.

Minorities of three major races and related ethnicities (African American, Asian, and Latin) comprise nearly 40% of american population (that is about 120 million give or take).

Boston University College of Comm. only features about 5% among their faculty members.

There's a big practical and more importantly human difference between 5% and 40%. Especially in a place that is supposedly acutely aware of and/or sensitive to such issues -- so much so -- that the "commitment to diversity" is always on the forefront of their public relations material.

[jonesey]

You mean that faculty member of middle-eastern ethnicity that changed his last name in order to blend in more into this society (particularly helpful and altruistic in post 9/11 America)?

Oh, so you know this person?  You know that he changed his name for this reason?  And yet, you don't know anything about BU?  Something's wrong here.

Minorities of three major races and related ethnicities (African American, Asian, and Latin) comprise nearly 40% of american population (that is about 120 million give or take).Boston University College of Comm. only features about 5% among their faculty members.

But...do minorities account for 40% of people with PhDs?  That's the question here.  Were 40% of the qualified applicants minorities?  This is basic quantitative analysis we're talking about. 

[windchimes]

The OP's agenda is obvious-- s/he feels there should be quotas for non-white faculty, and BU should enforce these.   I will support such quotas myself, when quotas for Baptists at places like BU are also instituted.  Till then, let's try to hire the best available applicants.

Let's. Let's talk about how one of the their implicit suggestions is that there is no single black or latino suitable candidate in such a widely ranging and popular professional field?

Let's talk about how you just "incriminated" your own attitude by implying that the best available candidates are explicitly always white.

[neutralname]

Sounds like BU is more diverse than my school, although we have a few native Spanish speakers.  We've tried and mostly failed to hire minority people.  The minorities we have hired have left quickly.   I'd guess that BU is doing pretty well.

Are people from India minorities?

[prof_mom]

I'm laughing hard as I type. This is such a great post. I particularly love the part I copied below.

Yes people, particularly American people are very ignorant. Ignorance of all sorts is ingrained in our DNA. It is American as an apple pie or flying Elvises.

So I am/was not set to start a serious and thoughtful discussion here, not only because of the prevalent attitudes of the most posters here, but because I lack stamina of "discussing" serious issues with a bunch of double-faced career elitists.

Part of American's DNA? Apple pie? Flying Elvis? Double-faced career elitists?

Where to begin?

[windchimes]

Oh, so you know this person?  You know that he changed his name for this reason?  And yet, you don't know anything about BU?  Something's wrong here.

No I don't know that person, but I can perform a basic Google (re)search. Forgive me for being so "deep".

But...do minorities account for 40% of people with PhDs?  That's the question here.  Were 40% of the qualified applicants minorities?  This is basic quantitative analysis we're talking about. 

Another ignorant comment that only shows your reading/comprehension skills and the level of the careful asessment you are exhibiting here. This is basic qualitative analysis we're talking about.

Three times and in in three different posts I have specifically stated that this place is a (semi)professional school and as such does not require PhD for their faculty members. They don't require even master's. All they ask for is bachelor's and a few years of experience in mass media/communication.

Of course, I don't expect that this major and crucial difference changes anything in your attitude.

[locutus]

Three times and in in three different posts I have specifically stated that this place is a (semi)professional school and as such does not require PhD for their faculty members. They don't require even master's. All they ask for is bachelor's and a few years of experience in mass media/communication.

Of course, I don't expect that this major and crucial difference changes anything in your attitude.

A quick look shows that the vast majority have some sort of advanced degree. I counted maybe 10 that didn't. The basic requirements are less relevant than the typical qualification level of the applicant pool in communications.

Also, do other schools communication departments look much different? I'm curious as to if BU is such a huge outlier.

[sciencephd]

posted to wrong thread.

[jonesey]

You're right.  BU is racist.  You should go chain yourself to the HR department's door in protest. 

Right now.

[concordancia]

Oh, so you know this person?  You know that he changed his name for this reason?  And yet, you don't know anything about BU?  Something's wrong here.

No I don't know that person, but I can perform a basic Google (re)search. Forgive me for being so "deep".

But...do minorities account for 40% of people with PhDs?  That's the question here.  Were 40% of the qualified applicants minorities?  This is basic quantitative analysis we're talking about. 

Another ignorant comment that only shows your reading/comprehension skills and the level of the careful asessment you are exhibiting here. This is basic qualitative analysis we're talking about.

Three times and in in three different posts I have specifically stated that this place is a (semi)professional school and as such does not require PhD for their faculty members. They don't require even master's. All they ask for is bachelor's and a few years of experience in mass media/communication.

Of course, I don't expect that this major and crucial difference changes anything in your attitude.

The person I found isn't a "he," so no, it is not your middle easterner. Your analysis doesn't hold up as qualitative nor quantitative. This is starting to feel like a classroom discussion. I am not particularly concerned about your conclusions and agree with them on the most general skills, although if you look at Boston statistics and faculty statistics (ie Boston is 84% caucasian, US current faculty is also overwhelmingly caucasian) this particular college at BU seems to be doing better than average. However,  the manner of arriving there has some huge discrepancies - your numbers don't quite hold up; you argue that the three visible minorities that you have identified are probably foreign born then argue that this is immaterial. Basically, despite your insistence that the issue needs to be engaged as an issue, rather than in relation to this particular sample, you refuse to engage and insist that your numbers speak for themselves. Even correct numbers rarely speak for themselves.

Or, you could go chain yourself to the doors.

[sciencephd]

I have another cat that consistently veers a bit to the right.

[takapa]

I have another cat that consistently veers a bit to the right.

A friend of the family brought us a cat which, as he said, is "as deaf as you are Takapa".  But the cat still meows when he wants something and can't seem to understand why I don't respond.  I've tried to tell him the deal, but of course he doesn't sign....

Which brings me to a somewhat serious point.  Diversity IMHO means many, many things.  Some of it is visible.  Some of it is not.  My picture says nothing of the 55+ million people with disabilities in the U.S. (which can be viewed as the largest "minority" group BTW). Wonder how many of those mean white guys at BU are part of that overlooked and historically oppressed group?  On the whole, I think BU is pretty diverse and very open minded. 

Now if I could only get the cat some opposable thumbs and teach him ASL.

[dr_dre]

Well, former President Silber was certainly no friend of the GLBT community. BU is fairly average on many diversity issues, but by no means as diverse as one might expect given its location. The campus LGBT student group is just now getting back into the swing of things, though, so I predict good things for the school on that front.
http://www.bu.edu/today/campus-life/2008/02/04/lgbt-community-relies-rainbow-connection

[minnesotan]

Yes people, particularly American people are very ignorant. Ignorance of all sorts is ingrained in our DNA. It is American as an apple pie or flying Elvises.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Oh, and be sure to send us a postcard from Utopia.

[eddean]

I am still waiting for some real data on BU and on the cats