Working group founded by Deborah Rivas-Drake and Rosario Ceballo featured in Diverse Issues in Higher Education

Diverse Issues in Higher Education cites a 2019 study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics which showed that Latinx men and women make up only 6% of all full-time faculty, despite making up almost 20% of the American population.

Rosario Ceballo, associate dean of social studies and professor of women’s and gender studies and psychology at the University of Michigan, says being a Latinx scholar in the academy can be lonely. Deborah Rivas-Drake, professor of psychology and education, noted that the feeling of isolation can be more extreme because Latinx scholars are spread out in their institutions across different disciplines, working in silos. To combat the feeling of being disconnected, Rivas-Drake and Ceballo established the U-M Working Group to Advance Social Science Scholarship and Teaching on Latinx Youth and Families in the fall of 2018. 

The group, open to those in and outside of U-M, unites grad students and faculty across disciplines to discuss research, share advice, and form a strong community of Latinx scholars. It is funded in part by U-M’s National Center for Institutional Diversity (NCID) Think-Act Tank Grants program.

“More than ever, we need to ensure that our Latinx faculty across all ranks are supported and valued, as their work is critical to the future of our communities, society, and world,” said Tabbye Chavous, director of NCID.