Higher Education in Prison Programs need more Faculty of Color and Faculty who are Legal System Impacted

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Lisette Bamenga

Abstract

Program administrators must be intentional when hiring faculty and selecting electives in order to hire faculty the students will be able to relate to, perceive as role models, and who will be able to provide students in higher education in prison (HEP) programs with knowledge about racial issues in our society often from personal experience. Having White allies teach in HEP programs is significant, but the impact of seeing Black faculty who possess post-secondary degrees and prominent positions in the community (Turner & Grauerholz, 2017) is especially imperative and can be inspiring for this student population. As a former Academic Coordinator for a HEP program where the majority of the student body is comprised of people of color, I believe faculty of color, as well as faculty who are directly impacted by the legal system, need to be recruited on a larger scale. 

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References

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