Numerous challenges faced by Black women in higher education have an adverse effect on their emotional and mental health. Institutions need to make a commitment to help them now.
At Lincoln University, located in southeast Pennsylvania, Dr. Antoinette “Bonnie” Candia-Bailey served as vice president of student affairs. She tragically committed suicide at the beginning of January.
She had been employed in higher education for over 20 years, spending most of her time on student advocacy and social justice issues.
Regretfully, Dr. Candia-Bailey informed her supervisor and the university’s board of trustees about the mistreatment she was experiencing.
Her requests for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act were reportedly made with specific reference to her mental health, but she did not get the support she needed, according to reports.
President John Moseley, the person in charge of Dr. Candia-Bailey, was put on administrative leave following her tragic death. But after a quick investigation, he was brought back less than three months after she passed away.
It was not a vacuum when Dr. Candia-Bailey passed away. Black women scholars confront a number of challenges that many of their peers do not, such as the devaluation of their research agendas and difficult paths to tenure.
These increased levels of scrutiny and mistreatment frequently have a detrimental impact on their mental health and general well-being.
Black women have quit leadership roles at universities across the country, primarily due to racism on campus.
This occurs at a time when the percentage of Black women faculty members who work full-time on college campuses is currently only 4% nationwide.
Even though I did not know Dr. Candia-Bailey personally, I am aware that her passing has a profound effect on the Black community beyond Lincoln University because so many of them have gone through similar experiences.
In addition to the anecdotal evidence of these difficulties, current data show that Black women’s suicide rates are rising quickly.
The pattern calls for us to acknowledge the gravity of the situation and strive toward a more all-encompassing strategy for assisting Black women leaders in the field of education. Suicide is a complicated phenomenon that typically has several underlying causes.
It is possible for campuses to lower the suicide risk among employees and students by implementing certain significant measures.
Universities must prioritize acting quickly and compassionately when people show the bravery to ask for assistance, as Dr. Candia-Bailey did.
This involves reducing their workload while they take care of their mental health and putting them in touch with mental health resources.
