The firing of Kimberly McLeod, Clayton State University’s first Black female provost, over inaccurate citations on her CV, has sparked debate. Some view it as a genuine concern for academic integrity, while others see it as part of a larger trend targeting Black scholars. Similar instances, such as the forced resignation of Harvard’s first Black president, Claudine Gay, have raised questions about the scrutiny faced by minority academics. McLeod’s supporters argue her qualifications and contributions outweigh minor CV discrepancies, while critics question her integrity. The incident reflects broader issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in academia, with implications for Black women administrators and the scrutiny they face.

Below is an excerpt from an article on Inside Higher Ed:

“Poisonous Patriarchy”

Jabari Simama, former president of Georgia Piedmont Technical College, cited McLeod’s firing, Claudine Gay’s resignation, and the suicide of Antoinette Candia-Bailey, an administrator at Lincoln University of Missouri, in a February article for Governing Magazine and described their experiences as examples of “the poisonous patriarchy of higher education” that targets Black women in particular.

“In too many cases, African American women, who constitute only a tiny percentage of college administrators and instructors, say they face hostile environments and complain that they are subject to microaggressions, racism and sexism,” Simama wrote. “The loss of Black female talent has even larger implications for African American students at places like Clayton State where African American women constitute a majority of those enrolled.”