HIGHER EDUCATION PHYSICAL EDUCATION AVAILABILITY POOLS FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLANNING.

Abstract

This study was undertaken to assess and describe a unique aspect of affirmative action planning in disciplines of higher education physical education. The two major purposes of the study were to (1) identify by sex, ethnic origin, and area of specialization faculty and doctoral students who were available for teaching and research in higher education disciplines of physical education, and (2) to develop a model for predicting future availability of faculty and doctoral students for teaching and research in higher education disciplines of physical education. The review of the literature indicated that there were a number of inflow and outflow parameters which must be considered in determining present availability and in predicting future availability. Research questions were formulated to address the academic workforce inflow and outflow parameters identified. Data were obtained from chairpersons of physical education departments at institutions offering advanced degrees in the disciplines of physical education and from the literature relating to the career patterns of doctoral recipients and to the academic workforce. Findings were based upon a descriptive analysis of the data with respect to each research question. A model for predicting current and future availability pools of all individuals for teaching and research in higher education disciplines of physical education was developed. Also, models were developed for predicting current and future availability pools of all white females and all male and female minorities for teaching and research in higher education disciplines of physical education. The models were based upon the inflow and outflow parameters as reported by the respondents to the questionnaire and in the literature. The currently predicted availability pool of individuals for teaching and research in higher education disciplines of physical education was found to be 3,160 faculty and doctoral students. The predicted availability pool of all individuals for teaching and research in higher education disciplines of physical education within the next two years was found to be 2,987 of the 3,448 faculty and doctoral students reported in the current availability pool.