Diversity in academia: some reflections

How close does academia come to mirroring America? Like other societal institutions, higher education has overcome obstacles to cultural diversity with varying degrees of success. Changes in faculty composition and development of more inclusive curricula have been slow taking place in some instances, but there is reason to be optimistic. This paper discusses the historical context of racism and prejudice in American society and how institutions of higher education compare with current trends in overcoming obstacles affecting parity.