William A. Smith, Ph.D. Associate Professor 379 MBH, 587-7809 William.Smith@utah.edu

Background & Research Interests

Dr. William A. Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education, Culture & Society and the Ethnic Studies Program at the University of Utah.  In addition, he is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Education, Leadership, & Policy and a Faculty Research Associate in the Utah Education Policy Center.  In July 2007, Dr. Smith returned to administration after an 18 year hiatus.  He now serves as the Associate Dean for Diversity, Access, & Equity in the College of Education and he has a Presidential Appointment as the Special Assistant to the President & Faculty Athletics Representative.  Professor Smith teaches four graduate classes: (a) Sociology of Higher Education, (b) Social Inequality in Higher Education, (c) Impact of College on Students, and (d) Affirmative Action and Diversity in Higher Education. His primary undergraduate classes are: (a) African American Experiences and (b) American Racism. Dr. Smith's professional career in higher education extends over 10 years prior to receiving his Ph.D. from the Educational Policy Studies Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1996. In 1993, Dr. Smith joined the African American Studies program and the Sociology Department at Western Illinois University as an assistant professor.  In 1997, Smith was awarded a two-year postdoctoral research fellow at the Center for Urban Educational Research and Development (CUERD) on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago.  His research efforts at CUERD were essential in the development of his research on affirmative action attitudes, race-related stress, numerous presentations, papers, and his co-edited book, The Racial Crisis in American Higher Education: Continuing Challenges to the 21st Century (2nd edition, SUNY Press, 2002), which has been overwhelmingly received since its publication release.

After completing his research fellowship at CUERD, Dr. Smith joined the faculty in the Ethnic Studies program and the Department of Education, Culture, and Society at the University of Utah.  In 2003, Dr. Smith was awarded the Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to further develop his theoretical concept of Racial Battle Fatigue. Racial Battle Fatigue is an interdisciplinary theoretical framework that provides a clearer method for understanding the race-related experiences of People of Color. In general, Racial Battle Fatigue explains how the social environment (e.g., institutions, policies, practices, traditions, groups and individuals) perpetuates race-related stressors that adversely affect the health and academic achievement of Students of Color and the health, professional productivity, and retention among Faculty of Color. Whether it is from the constant stereotyping that Students of Color face on campus or the epistemological racism that Faculty of Color endure as they seek tenure and promotion, People of Color are chronically having race-related stress-responses in historically white institutions and environments that consumes valuable time and energy. Dr. Smith's fellowship year (2003-2004) was also spent working on collaborative projects at the UCLA with Dr. Walter R. Allen and Dr. Daniel Solórzano. Professor Smith's additional research interests are inter-ethnic relations, racial attitudes, racial identity & socialization, academic colonialism, affirmative action attitudes, and the impact of student diversity on university and college campuses.

Teaching

Professor Smith's teaching effectiveness has been exemplified by the respect and interest his classes have received since he began teaching at Western Illinois University.  Smith "cut his teeth" as a professor in the African American Studies program in 1993.  However, it did not take long before students recognized his efforts in the classroom.  The Beta Phi Pi Fraternity, Inc. recognized and awarded Dr. Smith as their Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year during their 1995 National Convention.  One year later, Professor Smith was chosen by the WIU Greek Council as their Inaugural Faculty of the Year for 1996-97 as well as receiving recognition by the WIU Student Senate for Exceptional Teaching.  Smith believes that his classes have been well received for specific reasons.  "My teaching style is student-oriented. My classes are rich with common-day examples from the student's own experiences. I find this to be one of the best ways to connect the course information to the student. I also pride myself on my ability to communicate with students from diverse backgrounds. In addition, I employ focused discussion to include the student in the topic. I also utilize videos, guest lecturers, and out of class assignments to increase awareness to course readings and lectures. For these reasons, among others, I feel that I have been and I am currently a successful educator."  Smith has already made an impact in his classes at the University of Utah.  His student evaluations are ranked amongst the highest in the both Ethnic Studies program and the Department of Education, Culture, & Society each year.

Courses Taught:

For Education, Culture, & Society
    ECS 6641: Sociology of U.S. Higher Education
    ECS 6642: Social Inequality in U.S. Higher Education
    ECS 6643: Impact of College on Students
    ECS 6644: Affirmative Action & Diversity Policies in U.S Higher Education
For Ethnic Studies
    ETHNC 2550: African American Experiences
    ETHNC 4010: Black Popular Culture
    ETHNC 5850: Ethnicity in U.S. Higher Education 

Selected Publications:

Book:

Smith, W. A., Altbach, Philip. G., & Lomotey, K. (Eds.). (2002).  The Racial Crisis in American Higher Education: Continuing Challenges for the twenty-first Century. (2nd ed.).  Albany, NY: SUNY Press.

Journal Articles (refereed)

Smith, W. A., Allen, W. R., & Danley, L. L. (December 2007). "Assume the Position . . . You Fit the Description": Campus Racial Climate and the Psychoeducational Experiences and Racial Battle fatigue among African American Male College Students. American Behavioral Scientist 51(4), 551-578.

Smith, W. A., Yosso, Tara. J., & Solórzano, Daniel. G. (2007). Racial Primes and Black Misandry on Historically White Campuses: Toward Critical Race Accountability in Educational Administration. Educational Administration Quarterly, 43(5), 559-585.

Smith, W. A. (2006). Racial Ideology and Affirmative Action Support in a Diverse College Student Population. Journal of Negro Education, 75(4), 589-605.

Smith, P. & Smith, W. A. (2005). Experiencing Community Through the Eyes of Young Female Offenders.  Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 21(4), 314-335.

Smith, W. A. (1998).  "Gender and Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Affirmative Action Attitudes of U.S. College Students."  Journal of Negro Education, 67(1), 1-22.

Book Chapters

Smith, W. A., Pierce, C., Hung, M. (in press). From Stereotypes to Racism, Racial Battle Fatigue, and toward Coping. In R. Hampton, R. L. Crowel, T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of African American Health Psychology: Evidence-Based Treatment and Prevention Practice. New York: Guilford Press.

Smith, W. A. (in press-a). Campus Wide Climate: Implications for African American Students. In L. Tillman (Ed.), A Handbook of African American Education. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Smith, W. A. (in press-b). Higher Education: Racial Battle Fatigue. In R. T. Schaefer (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Society. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Smith, W. A. (in press). Toward an Understanding of Black Misandric Microaggressions and Racial Battle Fatigue in Historically White Institutions. In Vernon C. Polite (Ed.), The State of the African American Male in Michigan: A Courageous Conversation. East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University Press.

Smith, W. A., Yosso, Tara. J., & Solórzano, Daniel. G., (2006). Challenging Racial Battle Fatigue on Historically White Campuses: A Critical Race Examination of Race-related Stress. In C. A. Stanley (Ed.), Faculty of Color Teaching in Predominantly White Colleges and Universities (pp. 299-327). Bolton, Massachusetts: Anker Publishing Company, Inc.

Smith, W. A. (2004). Black Faculty Coping with Racial Battle Fatigue: The Campus Racial Climate in a Post-Civil Rights Era.In Darrell Cleveland (Ed.), A Long Way to Go: Conversations About Race By African American Faculty and Graduate Students at Predominately White Institutions (pp. 171-190). New York: Peter Lang Publishers.

Bowman, Phillip J. & Smith, W. A. (2002). Racial Ideology in the Campus Community: Emerging Cross-Ethnic Differences and Challenges.  In W. A. Smith, P. G. Altbach, & K. Lomotey (Eds.),  The Racial Crisis in American Higher Education: Continuing Challenges for the twenty-first Century. (Rev. ed., pp. 103-120). Albany, NY: SUNY Press.

Recent Presentations

National Conferences (Refereed Paper Presentation)

Smith, W. A. (with Walter R. Allen & Lynette Danley Land) (2005, August). Who's Really Scared of ‘Big Black Men'?: The Impact of Racial Battle Fatigue on Black Male Collegians. Contemporary Racism and Discrimination II: Racial Ideology and Race Relations Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the Association of Black Sociologist, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Smith, W. A. (with Walter R. Allen & Lynette Danley Land) (2005, April). "Assume the Position . . . You Fit the Description": Campus Racial Climate and the Psychoeducational Experiences of African American Male College Students. Paper accepted for presentation to the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada.

Smith, W. A. (2004, November). Fatigue on the Front Line of Race: Teaching about Race and Racism in Historically White Institutions. In D. Cleveland (Chair), Higher Education and Brown: Conversations About Race by African Americans in Higher Education. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Educational Studies Association, Kansas City, Missouri.

Smith, W. A. (2004, November). An Examination of Plessy-like Environments on post-Brown campuses: Racial Battle Fatigue, Academic Achievement, and the Perception of Blocked Opportunities for People of Color.  In W. A. Smith (Chair), A "Brown" Experience in Plessy Environments: Racial Battle Fatigue on Students and Faculty of Color in Historically White Institutions. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Kansas City, Missouri.

Smith, W. A. (with Walter R. Allen) (October, 2004). "Assume the Position!!": Hostile Campus Race/Gender Climate and the Educational Experiences of African American Males. Paper presented at the International Conference, How Race Issues Impact the Health and Well Being of Black Males: International Comparisons, Rockefeller Conference Center, Bellagio, Italy.

Smith, W. A. (2004, September). Historically White Campuses after Fifty Years of Brown v. Board of Education: The Campus Racial Climate, Racial Microaggressions, and Racial Battle Fatigue on African American Students. In W. A. Smith & W. R. Allen (Chair/Organizers), The Lingering Effects of Plessy on Historically White Campuses: The Causes and Consequences of Racial Battle Fatigue for African Americans.  Symposium conducted at the Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute of the United Negro College Fund's conference on Still Not Equal: Expanding Opportunity in Global Societies, Washington DC.

Smith, W. A. (2004, August). Why Plessy Really Remains on post-Brown Campuses: African Americans Fighting Racial Microaggressions in Academic and Social Domains. In W. A. Smith & W. R. Allen (Chair/Organizers), Surviving with Racial Battle Fatigue: African Americans Fighting Weapons of Mass Destruction on Historically White Campuses. Symposium conducted at the Annual meeting of the Association of Black Sociologists, San Francisco, CA. (Refereed).

Smith, W. A. (2004, April). Race-related Stressors and Educational Outcomes of African American College Students: Racial Battle Fatigue and Coping Strategies. In A. Lewis (Chair), Researching African Americans' Educational Experiences: Theoretical and Practical Considerations. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, California.

Ulibarri, Crystal S., and Smith, W. A. (2004, April). Examining Classroom Racial Climate: A Study of Racial Priming, Racial Microaggressions and Racial Battle Fatigue. Poster session presented in Division G at the annual meeting of American Educational Research Association, San Diego, California.

Smith, W. A. (2003, November). The Impact of Racial Battle Fatigue on Black Faculty in Historically White Institutions. In D. Cleveland (Chair),  A Long Way to Go: Conversations about Race by African American faculty and graduate students in Higher Education. Symposium conducted at the 28th annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Portland, Oregon.

Smith, W. A. (2003, November). Using Critical Race Theory as a Racial Lens for Examining Racial Battle Fatigue on Faculty and Students of Color. In O. Villalpando and D. Solórzano (Chairs), Critical Race Theories in Education.  Symposium conducted at the 28th Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Portland, Oregon.

Smith, W. A. (2003, April). Racial Battle Fatigue: Teaching about Race and Racism at Predominantly White Institutions." In D. Cleveland (Chair), Broken Silence: Conversations about Race by African Americans at Predominately White Institutions.  Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, Illinois.

Smith, W. A. (2002, April). Expanding Notions of Advocacy in a Multicultural Society. (with Nancy Ares, Edward Buendia, Douglas J. Hacker, & Brenda Juarez).  Paper accepted in the Restructuring Public Education SIG at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Smith, W. A. (2001, April). College Student Opposition to Affirmative Action: An Integrative Social Psychological Perspective. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Seattle, Washington.

Smith, W. A. (2000, March/April). Racial Segregation, Identity, and  Opposition to Affirmative Action: A Cross-Ethnic Study of Adolescents. (with Phillip J. Bowman). Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence Session: Race and Adolescent Development: Emerging Trends and Issues, Chicago, Illinois.

Professional Panels & Symposia (Chair/Discussant/Respondent, Panelist, and/or Organizer)

Smith, William A. (Symposium Organizer and Chair with Walter R. Allen) (2005, April). "Post-Brown Universities with Plessy Legacies: Black Students and Faculty Strategies for Surviving Racial Battle Fatigue." Annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada. (Refereed).

Smith, William A. (Symposium Organizer) (2004, November). "A ‘Brown' Experience in Plessy Environments: Racial Battle Fatigue on Students and Faculty of Color in Historically White Institutions." Annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Kansas City, Missouri. (Refereed).

Smith, William A. (Symposium Organizer with Dr. Walter R. Allen) (2004, September). "The Lingering Effects of Plessy on Historically White Campuses: The Causes and Consequences of Racial Battle Fatigue for African Americans."  Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute of the United Negro College Fund's conference on Still Not Equal: Expanding Opportunity in Global Societies, Washington DC. (Refereed).

Smith, William A. (Symposium Organizer with Dr. Walter R. Allen) (2004, August). "Surviving with Racial Battle Fatigue: African Americans Fighting Weapons of Mass Destruction on Historically White Campuses." Annual meeting of the Association of Black Sociologists, San Francisco, CA. (Refereed).

Smith, William A. (Chair/Discussant) (2003, January). (participants: Aguilar, Reyes, Brayboy, Bryan, Flores, Lisa, Harper, Loretta, and Margonis, Frank). Deferring the Dream: The Impact of Anti-Diversity Initiatives, Panel Discussion, Gould Auditorium, Marriott Library, University of Utah, January 14, 2003.

Smith, W. A. (Chair/Discussant) (2000, October). (participants: Thompson, Audrey, Lester, Neal, A., Lane, R, and Tolson, M). Children's Literature session.  Annual meeting of the African American Literature and Culture Society. Salt Lake City, UT. (Refereed).

PROFESSIONAL AND SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

Association of Black Psychologist (ABPsi), member.
Association of Black Sociologists (ABS), member.
American Educational Research Association (AERA), member.
American Educational Studies Association (AESA), member.
American Sociological Association (ASA), member.
Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), member
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity (Life Member), member.