The Minority Report 2009
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the CSMGEP The annual news of the AEA’s Committee on the Status of Minority Groups in the Economics Profession, the National Economic Association, Minority and the American Society of winter 2009 report Hispanic Economists Minority Faculty 6 » T is for Teaching 9 » Economics Jobs Representation beyond Academia 10 » Supply and in Academia Demand Marie T. Mora, 14 » Walter Cronkite University of Texas-Pan American Made Me Do It Intellectual environments are enriched by racial and ethnic diversity and 16 » Building the the variety of perspectives such diversity brings. A diverse faculty creates role Next Generation of Poverty Scholars models and mentors for its students. Minority scholars also frequently bring greater personal interest in exploring issues of importance to minority com- 18 » Economics Calls munities. For all these reasons, addressing the underrepresentation of racial and from Across ethnic minorities in their profession is a concern for many. the Globe Hispanics, for example, currently represent more than 15 percent of the total U.S. population, but only 3.1 percent of doctoral degree recipients in the 20 » Announcements 2006-2007 academic year (see Table 1), or approximately one-fifth of their overall population representation. Blacks fare slightly better at 5.7 percent of the new doctorates, but this figure still falls considerably below their 13.1 percent repre- sentation in the population. Native Americans received 0.4 percent of doctoral degrees in 2006-2007 while they made up 1.5 percent of the general population. Asians and Pacific Islanders, in contrast, were slightly overrepresented (at 5.4 percent) among the new doctorates relative to their population share (5.1 percent). Academic Gains in Perspective Such low representation of racial-ethnic minorities among newly mint- ed doctorates has implications for the long-term profile of academics. Consider » Figure 1, which shows the population representation of Hispanics and blacks among adults and among college and university professors since 1950.1 (The shares of Native Americans in these data are too small to observe much varia- tion in Figure 1.) On the surface, it appears that both groups have increased their rep- resentation among academics. However, compared with their representation 2 among the entire adult population, their academic gains are not as dramatic. continued on page 4 1 These figures are based on the author’s estimates using data from U.S. decennial censuses and from the 2007 American Community Survey made available in the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) for individuals ages 21 and above. Sampling weights are employed to maintain the national representation of the data. (To access the IPUMS, see Steven Ruggles et al., Integrated Public Use Microdata Series: Version 4.0 [machine readable database]. Minneapolis: Minnesota Population Center, 2008, available at http://w w w.ipums.org.) 2 The 12.9 percent share of Hispanics among adults is lower than their overall population representation of 15.1 percent because Hispanics represent an even higher share of children. inside: the Minority report The Minority Report: Committee on the Status Advancing Minority Representation of Minority Groups in the in the Economics Field Economics Profession Welcome to the second issue of The Minority Report, a joint publication of CSMGEP was established by the American the American Economic Association’s Committee on the Status of Minority Economic Association in 1968 to increase the Groups in the Economics Profession (CSMGEP), the American Society of representation of minorities in the economics Hispanic Economists (ASHE), and the National Economic Association (NEA). profession, primarily by broadening their Published annually, The Minority Report showcases the people, programs, opportunities for training. research, and activities of the three groups, which together help to increase www.vanderbilt.edu/AEA/CSMGEP/index.html the representation of minorities in the economics profession. [email protected] CSMGEP Members American Society of Kerwin Charles, University of Chicago Hispanic Economists Ngina Chiteji, Skidmore College ASHE, established in 2002, is a professional Susan Collins, University of Michigan association of economists who are concerned Gary A. Dymski, University of California Center Sacramento with the under-representation of Hispanic Mark Hugo Lopez, Pew Hispanic Center Americans in the economics profession at a time when Hispanics represent 15 percent of Marie Mora, University of Texas-Pan American the U.S. population. Cecilia Rouse (Chair), Princeton University Our primary goals include: Janice Shack-Marquez, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 1. Promoting the vitality of Hispanics in the Sue Stockly, Eastern New Mexico University economics profession through education, service, and excellence; ASHE Officers 2. Promoting rigorous research on economic Marie T. Mora (President), University of Texas-Pan American and policy issues affecting U.S. Hispanic Sue K. Stockly (First Vice President), Eastern New Mexico University communities and the nation as a whole; Mark Hugo Lopez (Second Vice President), Pew Hispanic Center 3. Engaging more Hispanic Americans to effectively participate in the economics profession. NEA Officers ASHE is an open membership society; anyone James Peoples (President), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee who is interested in our mission can join. Peter Henry (President-Elect), Stanford University www.asheweb.org Jessica Gordon-Nembhard (Treasurer), University of Maryland Donald Andrews (Secretary), Southern University National Economic Association Newsletter Staff NEA was founded in 1969 as the Caucus of Black Economists to promote the professional lives Editor: Barbara Ray, Hiredpen, inc. of minorities within the profession. Through its [email protected] journal (The Review of Black Political Economy) Design: The Glasoe Group and its annual paper sessions/meeting, the www.glasoegroup.com organization produces and distributes knowledge of economic issues that are of exceptional interest to native and immigrant African Americans, Latinos, and other people of color. www.neaecon.org 2 winter 2009 CSMGEP Pipeline Programs CSMGEP offers A variEty of programs tO Advance yOuR career and viSibility iN the FiEld. the Summer training Program Summer Economic the Mentoring Program The American Economic As- Fellows Program The Mentoring Program sociation Summer Training Program This exciting new program matches African American, Latino, (AEASTP) at the University of Cali- provides an opportunity for senior and Native American economics Ph.D. fornia, Santa Barbara, is an intensive graduate students and junior faculty students and new doctorates with eight-week program to encourage in economics to spend a summer mentors in the field, and also facili- and prepare talented undergradu- (8–12 weeks) in the research depart- tates networking between minority ates for success in economics doc- ment of a sponsoring institution, economics students at all stages of the toral programs. The program and a such as a Federal Reserve Bank or educational and early-career pipeline. related scholarship program fund other public agency. By providing The Mentoring Program also hosts participants who are U.S. citizens or research resources and mentoring, an annual Pipeline Conference for permanent residents; preference for the program helps to promote women all participants and their mentors, as the scholarships is given to members and underrepresented minorities in well as others. The conference, held of underrepresented minority groups economics. Fellowships are open to annually at the AEA Summer Training historically disadvantaged in the U.S. all economists without regard to gen- Program, facilitates contacts among context and who have demonstrated der or minority status, although the minority students in different schools financial need. goal of the program drives the selec- and at different stages in the pipeline. The program is designed for tion process. For more information two summers of participation, al- During their residency, fel- about joining and supporting the though students with strong under- lows participate as members of the mentoring program, contact William graduate training can forgo the first research community while engaged in M. Rodgers III, [email protected] summer. Hands-on research experi- a research project of their own choos- gers.edu or 732-932-4100, x6203. n ence is a central feature of the sum- ing. Fellows are mentored by experi- mer program. The program enables enced economists both on scientific students to solidify their under- and career issues. Fellows are encour- standing of analytic tools, apply their aged to present a research seminar at skills in examining real-world issues the sponsoring agency during their The CSMGEP Pipeline Program is of interest to them, and work closely fellowship. Fellows are typically vital to advancing minorities in the with peers and advisers. Students either junior faculty or graduate stu- economics profession. The success come away with a renewed excitement dents at the dissertation stage. of the Pipeline Program hinges on adequate funding. The AEA welcomes for the everyday relevance of eco- For further information, contributions to one or all of its Pipeline nomics and a better understanding contact Dick Startz at Programs. Contributions can be sent to: of what a career as a research- [email protected]. CSMGEP Pipeline Program oriented economist entails.