by: Jessica Sheridan Assoc. AIA LEED AP
Last week, the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) issued the 2010 Report on Accreditation. It provides data on: accreditation actions taken in 2010; aggregated statistics on NAAB-accredited programs; and an overview of accreditation-related activities in 2010. While some of the report focuses the evaluation of accredited schools and those seeking accreditation, I found that the most interesting studies were centered on ethnicity and gender.
Overall, 52% of architecture students were White and 48% were minorities (14% were Hispanic/Latino, 10% Asian, 10% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 7% Nonresident alien, and 5% Black or African-American, with 0%-1% each of other ethnicities). Males consisted of 59% of the overall enrollment, and 41% were females. Compare this with professors: 79% were White; and 74% were male.
I think that this study reveals a disparity in education. Is the predominance of White and male professors affecting students and their impressions of the profession? Do women and minority students have the role models that they require to be encouraged to pursue architectural careers? As the profession is becoming more diverse, is academia lagging behind?
Of course, the ethnicity and gender of faculty members are not solely responsible for under-representation in education. And professors can be role models to anyone, whether or not they are of the same ethnicity and gender. However, if the profession is to continue to develop and diversify, I think some of the responsibility lies in professorial make-up. And, as I think this study reveals, academic institutions need to address this issue at the faculty level.