Saleem Badat writes a response to an article in our October edition titled “A Need for Racial Reform in Academia in South Africa”.
Advancing equity, creating meaningful development opportunities, and cultivating high quality academics have been key issues post-1994 with respect to the academic workforce at universities.
Racism and patriarchy profoundly shaped the social composition of academic staff. In 1994, academics at South African universities were overwhelmingly white (83%) and male (68%). The sheer inequality of representation is highlighted by the fact that, although black South Africans constituted 89% of the population, they comprised 17% of academics. The under-representation of black Africans was especially severe: making up almost 80% of the population, they constituted 10% of the academic workforce.
Since 1994, the academic workforce has become more equitable, though in 2014 the full-time permanent academic staff of 18 250 academics remained disproportionately white (50%) and male (54%) according to a 2016 report by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). Black professors made up 27.9% of a total of 4 073 associate and senior professors, and 24.8% of a total of 2 175 senior professors (Van Wyk, 2014). In 2012, women constituted 29.6% of associate and senior professors, and 24.6 of senior professors (ibid.).
The distribution of academics across universities has continued to follow the historical contours of ‘race’; in 2014, the proportions of black academic staff at universities ranged from 22% (Universities of Free State and Stellenbosch) to 94% (University of Venda). At the historically white universities, according to DHET white academic staff made up between 61% and 78% of the workforce; put differently, black South African academics continue to be strongly under-represented at the historically white universities, especially at the senior levels, making up between 5% and 23% of senior professors. The representation of women at universities varied between 34% and 50%.
Post-1994, South African universities have had to confront three challenges. The first challenge has been to reproduce and retain the next generations of academics. The large increase in student enrolments over the past twenty years and the establishment of new universities “has not been accompanied by an equivalent expansion in the number of academics,” according to a 2013 DHET report.
The second challenge has been to transform the historical social composition of the academic workforce through equity and redress measures for black and female South Africans. These two challenges are contemporaneous, as reproducing the next generation of academics without attention to equity and redress would reproduce the previous inequalities.
The third challenge has been that a necessary condition of transforming South Africa’s universities and enhancing their academic capabilities is that the next generations of academics possess the intellectual and academic capabilities related to teaching and learning, research, and community engagement.
Failures in these regards would compromise equity and redress and the deracialisation and degendering of the academic workforce, and have negative implications for much needed epistemological, curriculum, and institutional cultural transformations. There would also be major consequences for the quality of academic provision, the production of high-quality graduates and knowledge, the transformation of South African universities, and their ability to contribute to development and democracy.
The decision of the DHET to fund a next generation programme motivated by Higher Education South Africa (now Universities South Africa) is welcome, and a good example of an imaginative initiative predicated on the simultaneous pursuit of equity and development/quality. It will, however, require considerably more resources and need to be supplemented by institution-level initiatives.
Creative and bold programmes to facilitate the development of black academics at the senior levels at historically white universities are long overdue. It requires tackling conventional wisdoms that have become self-fulfilling prophecies: there are no black academics available, there are not enough black applicants, those blacks who apply are not ‘suitably’ qualified, and qualified black South Africans prefer the larger remuneration offered by the private and public sectors.
There tend to be similar wisdoms about the supposed dearth of ‘suitable’ black postgraduate students.
Yet, the recruitment of new black academics and their retention cannot be divorced in some cases from the problems of institutional racism and ‘whiteness’, and the question of institutional culture: the experience of historically white universities as discomforting and disempowering cultural environments that exact a considerable personal, psychological, and academic toll; the general assumption that black appointments, no matter how outstanding their academic records, are ‘affirmative action’ candidates, and being deemed not ‘suitable’ enough despite meeting the necessary criteria. Suitability is conflated with notions of the ‘best,’ defined in decontextualized ways, and is often a quest for those whose biographies are similar academically and culturally to be the dominant academic social group.
This website really has all the info I wanted about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Magnificent goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you’re just too fantastic.
I actually like what you’ve acquired here, certainly like what you’re saying and the way in which you say it.
You make it enjoyable and you still care for to keep
it wise. I can not wait to read far more from you.
This is actually a tremendous website.
Undeniably imagine that that you stated. Your favourite reason seemed to be at the internet the simplest thing to consider of.
I say to you, I definitely get irked whilst folks consider
worries that they just don’t know about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the highest
and also defined out the whole thing without having side effect ,
other folks can take a signal. Will probably be back to get more.
Thank you
Application developers can earn $30-$60 per hour on typical,
based on the company’s location, knowledge, and size.
my blog post :: 요정 알바
Plus, we substantially contribute to the cost of positive aspects for yyou andd
your loved ones.
Also visit my web pagte :: 미수다알바
Across the hall, Nikki Bond, 32, was chatting with thhe West Georgia
Technical alumna Andrea Laminack, 39, about what it is like to bbe a womasn welder.
my blog post: misooda.in
Quebec’s universal low‑fee childcare plan initially price all parents
$5.00 per day, with this fee getting raised to $7.00 per
dayy iin 2004.
my web-site; 미수다알바
Check out extra good games including Live Casino and Slots by award winning brands in the Evolution Group.
Here is my web site; http://j.x.d.7.89.z.x.c.v.5.5.6.6bnm.4.3.2.1@www.ruriruri.net/2005/houhu/g_book.cgi/a/g_book.cgi,cakrawalasehat.blogspot.com/japan/g_book.cgi%3erelevant%20web-site%3c/g_book.cgi
Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate you
penning this post and also the rest of the site is really good.
Oh my goodness! Incredible article dude! Thanks, However I am encountering
troubles with your RSS. I don’t know the reason why I can’t subscribe to it.
Is there anybody else having the same RSS issues?
Anyone who knows the answer will you kindly respond?
Thanx!!
Admiring the dedication you put into your blog and in depth information you present.
It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of
date rehashed material. Fantastic read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Right away I am going away to do my breakfast, later than having my breakfast coming over
again to read additional news.
Because the admin of this web site is working, no question very shortly
it will be famous, due to its quality contents.
That is really interesting, You are a very professional blogger. I have joined your feed and look forward to in quest of more of your magnificent post. Additionally, I’ve shared your website in my social networks
Also visit my site … https://igrozavod.ru/go/?url=aHR0cHM6Ly9NdGdtdC5jb20v
Amazing data, Thank you!
Wonderful info, Thanks.
I needed to thank you for this very good read!! I absolutely enjoyed every little bit of it.
I have you saved as a favorite to look at new stuff you post…
I think the admin of this web site is actually working hard in favor
of his site, because here every data is quality based information.
I simply could not leave your web site before suggesting that I actually loved
the usual info an individual provide in your guests? Is
going to be again regularly in order to investigate cross-check new
posts
I really like what you guys are up too. This type of
clever work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I’ve included you
guys to our blogroll.
Woah! I’m really digging the template/theme of this site.
It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very hard to get that “perfect balance” between user friendliness and visual
appeal. I must say that you’ve done a excellent job with this.
Also, the blog loads extremely quick for me on Firefox.
Outstanding Blog!
With thanks, An abundance of data!
Hi! I just would like to offer you a huge thumbs
up for your excellent information you’ve got right
here on this post. I will be returning to your website for more
soon.
When I initially commented I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now
whenever a comment is added I get four emails with the exact
same comment. Is there an easy method you can remove me from that service?
Thanks!
When some one searches for his essential thing, so
he/she desires to be available that in detail, therefore that
thing is maintained over here.
When someone writes an paragraph he/she keeps the idea of a user in his/her brain that how a user can be
aware of it. Therefore that’s why this post is perfect.
Thanks!
I enjoy what you guys are usually up too. This type of clever work and reporting!
Keep up the fantastic works guys I’ve included
you guys to my own blogroll.
Hey there, I think your website might be
having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your blog
site in Ie, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping.
I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, great blog!
Hello, for all time i used to check web site posts here early in the dawn, because i enjoy to gain knowledge of more and more.
I visited many blogs except the audio feature for audio songs
existing at this web site is in fact marvelous.
Hi! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a team of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a
community in the same niche. Your blog provided us valuable information to work on. You
have done a marvellous job!
I really like what you guys are up too. This
type of clever work and reporting! Keep up the excellent
works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to blogroll.
I think this is one of the most vital info for me. And i am glad reading your article.
But want to remark on few general things, The web site style is perfect, the articles is really great : D.
Good job, cheers
You’re so cool! I do not suppose I’ve truly read through something like
this before. So good to find somebody with genuine thoughts on this
issue. Really.. thank you for starting this up.
This website is something that is needed on the web, someone with a little originality!
I’m really enjoying the theme/design of your website.
Do you ever run into any internet browser compatibility
issues? A couple of my blog audience have complained about my
website not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Chrome.
Do you have any advice to help fix this issue?
PGSoft adalah provider situs judi Slot Online terpercaya dan selagi ini terlalu kondang sebab kerap sekali memberikan bocoran pola
slot gacor yang bakal beri tambahan kemenangan besar bagi para pecinta setianya seperti:
slot online Hawaiian Tiki
bocoran slot admin agus Rave Party Fever
MahjongWays bocoran slot admin riki
MahjongWays2 bocoran slot gacor admin jarwo
rtp live slot online Treasures Of Aztec
bocoran main slot hari ini Lucky Neko
It’s hard to find educated people about this topic, however,
you sound like you know what you’re talking about!
Thanks
Selamat mampir di web formal sbobet online sukabet yang sediakan beragam permainan judi bola onlineterlengkap dan termurah karena
hanya bersama dengan lakukan pembayaran deposit terasa berasal dari 10.000 saja kamu udah bisa bergabung login sbobet atau sbobet88 menggunakan 1
user account id resmi.
Sbobet88 online menjadi tidak benar satu permainan taruhan terbesar
dan terpopuler yang selagi ini sedang jadi percakapan para
pecinta judi bola, sudah banyak member yang daftar sbobet lewat link
alternatif sbobet mobile, link alternatif sbobet wap sampai link alternatif sbobet desktop.
Tak hanya itu saja agen sbobet juga telah sediakan fasilitas cs online 24 jam yang bakal selalu bersikap ramah kepada para calon pemain dan membantu member baru Sukabet kala kebingungan untuk meraih anjuran daftar sbobet88.
Hey! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a team of volunteers and starting
a new project in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us beneficial
information to work on. You have done a extraordinary job!
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you
make this website yourself or did you hire someone to
do it for you? Plz respond as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know
where u got this from. thank you
Great post, I think blog owners should larn a lot from this blog its very user pleasant. So much excellent info on here :D.
My web page: http://Wiki.Iurium.cz/w/U%C5%BEivatel:FatimaDanielson
Hey would you mind letting me know which web host you’re
using? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different browsers and I
must say this blog loads a lot faster then most.
Can you suggest a good internet hosting provider at a fair price?
Kudos, I appreciate it!
Visit my web-site … Unlocking Essential Mental Health Knowledge for Adults Over 40
Hi thejournalist.org.za admin, You always provide great examples and case studies.
If you want to take a good deal from this paragraph then you have to
apply such techniques to your won website.