Abstract
This Banded Dissertation focuses on examining the internal and external factors that contribute to job satisfaction and retention of African American social work faculty. The purpose of this Banded Dissertation is to explore the experiences of these faculty and identify key internal and external factors that can contribute to their job satisfaction and retention and strengthen anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) initiatives throughout the academy. Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT) are utilized as an integrated theoretical framework to assess the experiences of African American social work faculty and identify pathways to their job satisfaction and retention. The first product of this banded dissertation is a conceptual paper titled, “Exploring Job Satisfaction and Retention of African American Social Work Faculty and the Application of Critical Race and Relational-Cultural Theories.” This paper explores the experiences of these faculty and applies CRT and RCT to unpack them and provide recommendations. The second product is a qualitative research study titled, “’What is Their Commitment’: Assessing the Job Satisfaction and Retention of African American Social Work Faculty.” Findings implied that ADEI initiatives, supervision and mentoring, creating supportive communities, connections with students, the geographical location, and diversity of the community contributed to job satisfaction and retention. The third product is an eposter presentation titled, “Job Satisfaction and Retention of Black Social Work Faculty: What Matters and What Comes Next?” The workshop highlighted the experiences of these faculty, identified internal and external factors for job satisfaction and retention, and discussed recommendations.