Digital Commons Network^™

Surprise, Sensemaking, And Success In The First College Year: Black Undergraduate Men’S Academic Adjustment Experiences, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., Christopher B. Newman

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Black Male College Achievers And Resistant Responses To Racist Stereotypes At Predominantly White Colleges And Universities, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

In this article, Shaun R. Harper investigates how Black undergraduate men respond to and resist the internalization of racist stereotypes at predominantly White colleges and universities. Prior studies consistently show that racial stereotypes are commonplace on many campuses, that their effects are usually psychologically and academically hazardous, and that Black undergraduate men are often among the most stereotyped populations in higher education and society. The threat of confirming stereotypes has been shown to undermine academic performance and persistence for Blacks and other minoritized students. To learn more about those who succeed in postsecondary contexts where they are routinely stereotyped, Harper …

Success In These Schools? Visual Counternarratives Of Young Men Of Color And Urban High Schools They Attend, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

The overwhelming majority of published scholarship on urban high schools in the United States focuses on problems of inadequacy, instability, underperformance, and violence. Similarly, across all schooling contexts, most of what has been written about young men of color continually reinforces deficit narratives about their educational possibility. Taken together, images of Black and Latino male students in inner-city schools often manufacture dark, hopeless visualizations of imperiled youth and educational environments. Using photographic data from a study of 325 college-bound juniors and seniors attending 40 public New York City high schools, this article counterbalances one-sided mischaracterizations of young men of color …

Matriculating Masculinity: Understanding Undergraduate Men’S Precollege Gender Socialization, Frank Harris Iii, Ed.D., Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Social scientists, educational researchers, postsecondary educators (including student affairs professionals), and others have attempted to understand problematic behavioral trends and developmental outcomes among undergraduate men. Little attention has been devoted to examining the masculine identities and ideals about manhood that these students bring to college contexts, hence the purpose of this study. The sample comprised 68 undergraduate men representing a range of backgrounds and subgroups. Findings indicate that parental influences, interactions with same-sex peers, and involvement in youth sports were socializing factors informing ideas about masculinity that students brought with them to college. Recommendations for supporting the college transitions and …

Beyond Bad Behaving Brothers: Productive Performances Of Masculinities Among College Fraternity Men, Frank Harris Iii, Ed.D., Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Research on fraternity men focuses almost exclusively on problematic behaviors such as homophobia and sexism, alcohol abuse, violence against women, sexual promiscuity, and the overrepresentation of members among campus judicial offenders. Consequently, little is known about those who perform masculinities in healthy and productive ways. Presented in this article are findings from a qualitative study of productive masculinities and behaviors among 50 undergraduate fraternity men from 44 chapters across the U.S. and Canada. Findings offer insights into participants’ steadfast commitments to the fraternity’s espoused values; their acceptance and appreciation of members from a range of diverse backgrounds; strategies they employed …

Black Men As College Athletes: The Real Win-Loss Record, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Point of view published on the back cover of The Chronicle of Higher Education, January 24, 2014.

(Re)Setting The Agenda For College Men Of Color: Lessons Learned From A 15-Year Movement To Improve Black Male Student Success, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Between 1997 and 2012, much was done on college campuses and elsewhere to improve Black male student achievement. Notwithstanding, their enrollments, academic performance, and rates of baccalaureate degree attainment remain just as troublesome now as they were 15 years ago. But why? And what can be learned as various stakeholders introduce future initiatives in response to issues affecting Black undergraduate men, as well as Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI), Latino, and Native American male collegians? In this chapter, I chronicle the 15-year emphasis on Black male students in U.S. higher education. I first catalogue a range of efforts enacted between 1997 …

In Search Of Progressive Black Masculinities: Critical Self-Reflections On Gender Identity Development Among Black Undergraduate Men, Keon M. Mcguire, Ph.D., Jonathan Berhanu, Charles H.F. Davis Iii, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

During the last several decades, research concerning the developmental trajectories, experiences, and behaviors of college men as ‘‘gendered’’ persons has emerged. In this article, we first critically review literature on Black men’s gender development and expressions within college contexts to highlight certain knowledge gaps. We then conceptualize and discuss progressive Black masculinities by relying on Mutua’s germinal work on the subject. Further, we engage Black feminist scholarship, both to firmly situate our more pressing argument for conceptual innovation and to address knowledge gaps in the literature on Black men’s gender experiences. It is our belief that scholars who study gender …

Am I My Brother’S Teacher? Black Undergraduates, Racial Socialization, And Peer Pedagogies In Predominantly White Postsecondary Contexts, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Introduced in this article is the term “peer pedagogies,” which are methods students of color use to teach each other about the racial realities of predominantly white colleges and universities, as well as how to respond most effectively to racism, stereotypes, and racial microaggressions they are likely to encounter in classrooms and elsewhere on campus. The article synthesizes an extensive body of research that focuses almost exclusively on racial problems Black students face at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), and provides insights into how they manage to productively navigate racist college and university environments. Hardly anything has been published about the …

Five Things Student Affairs Administrators Can Do To Improve Success Among College Men Of Color, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

They are outnumbered at most colleges and universities, their grade point averages are among the lowest of all undergraduate students, their engagement in classrooms and enriching out-of-class experiences is alarmingly low, and their attrition rates are comparatively higher than those of White students in U.S. higher education. Their same-race female peers earn larger shares of degrees at all levels, from associate's through doctoral. Encounters with racism, racial stereotypes, microaggressions, and low expectations from professors and others undermine their academic outcomes, sense of belonging, and willingness to seek help and utilize campus resources. At predominantly White institutions, they are often in …

Black Male Student-Athletes And Racial Inequities In Ncaa Division I Revenue-Generating College Sports, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., Collin D. Williams Jr., Horatio Blackman

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

The purpose of this report is to make transparent racial inequities in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Big East Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Pac 12 Conference, and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Data from the NCAA and the U.S. Department of Education are presented for the 76 institutional members of these six athletic conferences. Specifically, we offer a four-year analysis of Black men's representation on football and basketball teams versus their representation in the undergraduate student body on each campus. We also compare Black male student-athletes’ six-year graduation rates (across four cohorts) to student-athletes overall, undergraduate students overall, …

They (Don’T) Care About Education: A Counternarrative On Black Male Students’ Responses To Inequitable Schooling, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., Charles H.F. Davis Iii

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Presented in this article is a counternarrative concerning one particular message that is consistently reinforced in academic and public discourse about Black male students: they don’t care about education. Little is known about those who graduate from high school, enroll in college, and subsequently commit themselves to various career pathways in education fields (K-12 teaching and administration, the postsecondary professoriate, education policy, etc.). What compels these men to care so much about education, despite what is routinely reported in the literature regarding their gradual disinvestment in schooling? This question is explored in the article using data from 304 Black male …

Bibliography On Black Undergraduate Men: Books, Reports, And Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

This comprehensive bibliography includes 62 books, reports, and peer-reviewed journal articles pertaining to Black undergraduate men. It includes research published since 2001 on students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, predominantly white institutions, and community colleges. Topics include college access, achievement, masculinities and identity development, and the experiences of Black gay men, student-athletes, and fraternity members, to name a few. DISCLAIMER: The list is extensive, but perhaps not exhaustive. Some publications may have been inadvertently overlooked and not included in this bibliography.

Race Without Racism: How Higher Education Researchers Minimize Racist Institutional Norms, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Presented in this article are examples of how higher education researchers undertake the study of campus racial climates; racial differences in access, outcomes, and attainment; and the experiential realities of students, faculty, and administrators of color on predominantly white campuses without explicitly considering racism or attributing quantified racial inequities to racist institutional practices. Articles on these topics (n=255) published in seven peer-reviewed higher education, student affairs, and community college journals over a 10-year period comprise the data source for this paper. Analyses of article titles and abstracts, as well as discussion and implications sections, reveal three consistent trends: (1) racial …

His Experience: Toward A Phenomenological Understanding Of Academic Capital Formation Among Black And Latino Male Students, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., Collin D. Williams Jr., David Pérez Ii, Ph.D., Demetri L. Morgan

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

St. John, Hu, and Fisher (2011) define academic capital formation as “social processes that build family knowledge of educational and career options and support navigation through educational systems.” The authors suggest that particular interventions, programs, and services can equip students from lower-income backgrounds and their families with knowledge of and membership in networks that ultimately help them access colleges and universities, attain postsecondary degrees, and transition into the middle class. This chapter focuses on academic capital formation among Black and Latino male students, with a particular emphasis on giving voice to their navigational experiences along various dimensions of the St. …

A Role For Policymakers In Improving The Status Of Black Male Students In U.S. Higher Education, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., Frank Harris Iii, Ed.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Given the systemic nature of racial achievement and opportunity gaps in education and their disproportionate impact on Black men, postsecondary institutions alone cannot close them. Participation from multiple stakeholder groups is necessary. This report calls for greater involvement by federal and state policymakers, high school counselors, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA, the policymaking organization for intercollegiate athletics), community–based organizations, and other groups in ongoing efforts to improve the status of Black undergraduate men. In support of this goal, this report presents policy–relevant data from the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Justice, NCAA Federal Graduation Rates Database, and …

Attracting Black Male Students To Research Careers In Education: A Report From The Grad Prep Academy Project, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., Andrew C. Porter, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

This report is about the University of Pennsylvania’s Grad Prep Academy, a project that prepares Black undergraduate men for graduate study and research-related careers in the field of education. The project is also a longitudinal research study that enables us to analyze Black men’s trajectories from undergraduate study through graduate degree programs and eventually into their careers. Eighteen students participated in our first two cohorts of Academy Scholars. The project described in this report, as well as the recommendations we offer, can be instructive for other schools of education and a range of stakeholders who are concerned about the diversity …

Black Male Student Success In Higher Education: A Report From The National Black Male College Achievement Study, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

This report is the inaugural publication from the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education (www.gse.upenn.edu/equity)

Black men’s dismal college enrollments, disengagement and underachievement, and low rates of baccalaureate degree completion are among the most pressing and complex issues in American higher education. Perhaps more troubling than the problems themselves is the way they are continually mishandled by educators, policymakers, and concerned others. Amplifying the troubled status of Black male students at all levels of education has, unfortunately, yielded few solutions. Thus, educational outcomes for this population have remained stagnant or worsened in recent years. This is …

Institutional Efforts To Improve Black Male Student Achievement: A Standards-Based Approach, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., John A. Kuykendall, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Black men’s dismal college enrollments, disengagement and underachievement, and high college dropout rates have garnered tremendous attention at national conferences, in the media, and in published scholarship over the past 15 years. Educators, administrators, policymakers, and concerned others have grappled with the question of what must be done to improve Black male student success. Typical institutional responses include matching Black undergraduate men with faculty and staff mentors, starting an organization specifically for Black male students, and offering a variety of social activities for their enjoyment. Astonishingly popular are one-time, daylong Black male summits that bring high-profile keynote speakers to campus. …

Opportunity Beyond Affirmative Action: How Low-Income And Working-Class Black Male Achievers Access Highly Selective, High-Cost Colleges And Universities, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., Kimberly A. Griffin, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Published research on college access, particularly at highly-selective and high-cost private postsecondary institutions, focuses primarily on barriers for underrepresented student populations. Higher education scholars and policymakers have been especially concerned in recent years about stagnant (and in some instances declining) rates of enrollment among Black male undergraduates. Presented in this study are findings from 2-3 hour individual interviews with Black undergraduate men who grew up in low-income and working class families, and later enrolled in one of 18 predominantly white private postsecondary institutions in the National Black Male College Achievement Study. Policies and programs that enabled these men to successfully …

Race And Racism In The Experiences Of Black Male Resident Assistants At Predominantly White Universities, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., Ryan J. Davis, David E. Jones, Brian L. Mcgowan, Ted N. Ingram, C. Spencer Platt

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Recent research has shown a nexus between active out-of-class engagement and the accrual of unique race/gender-specific educational outcomes among Black male undergraduates. Yet, rarely explored are the racialized experiences of those who become actively engaged and assume leadership positions on campuses where racial diversity is low, hence the purpose of this study. Focus group interviews were conducted with 52 Black male Resident Assistants (RAs) at six large, predominantly White universities. Racist stereotypes and racial microaggressions, the complexities associated with “onlyness” in the RA position, and heightened scrutiny from White supervisors are among the findings reported in this article. Also offered …

Racial Differences In The Formation Of Postsecondary Educational Expectations: A Structural Model, Samuel D. Museus, Ph.D., Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., Andrew H. Nichols, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Educational attainment is associated with a plethora of positive economic and social implications for individuals, institutions, and the broader society. One factor that has been identified as an important predictor of students’ educational attainment is their educational expectations. Thus, understanding how educational expectations are shaped is important to comprehending how success can be fostered among students from diverse racial backgrounds. This quantitative study was aimed at understanding the process by which students from various racial backgrounds cultivate and reformulate their educational expectations during the high school years. Three research questions were explored in this study: (1) How do various academic …

An Anti-Deficit Achievement Framework For Research On Students Of Color In Stem, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

A framework adapted from the National Black Male College Achievement Study is introduced in this chapter as a lens through which to explore the enablers of student achievement in STEM. The chapter places an emphasis on reframing deficit-oriented research questions regarding students of color and their trajectories in STEM fields.

Race, Interest Convergence, And Transfer Outcomes For Black Male Student Athletes, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

The purpose of this article is to consider the mutual benefits that could accrue for Black male student-athletes and the community colleges they attend if transfer rates to four-year institutions were strengthened. Critical Race Theory, specifically the Interest Convergence tenet, is introduced and used for explanatory sensemaking throughout the chapter.

Niggers No More: A Critical Race Counternarrative On Black Male Student Achievement At Predominantly White Colleges And Universities, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

A methodological approach popularized by critical race theorists is used in this article to oppose dominant discourse concerning the social and educational status of Black men in America. Specifically, this counternarrative on student achievement was derived from face-to-face individual interviews with 143 Black male undergraduates at 30 predominantly White colleges and universities across the USA. Exemplified via five composites constructed from the overall sample are resistant responses to subordination and racist stereotyping; confrontations with the cyclical reproduction of low expectations for Black male leadership and achievement; and an industrious rejection of what I refer to throughout the article as ‘niggering’. …

Institutional Seriousness Concerning Black Male Student Engagement: Necessary Conditions And Collaborative Partnerships, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

In this chapter I review recent research and highlight findings from national survey data that justify the need for institutional seriousness concerning Black male student engagement. Although some literature I review seemingly attributes problems to the expenditure of student time and effort, I firmly believe that much of what I describe is a byproduct of institutional negligence in fostering conditions and environments that compel Black males to take advantage of resources and engagement opportunities. These issues are placed in a multidimensional theoretical framework, which informs the necessary conditions and collaborative partnership ideas I present at the end of the chapter. …

Masculine Socialization And Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men, David J. Malebranche, Md, Errol L. Fields, Lawrence O. Bryant, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Aspects of masculine socialization among Black men who have sex with men (MSM) and potential corresponding influences on high-risk sexual behaviors are explored in this study. Individual interviews were conducted with 29 Black MSM in Atlanta, Georgia. Findings included (1) formative masculine socialization experiences marked by an absence of biological fathers and Black male role models, (2) negative perceptions of “gay” identities and communities, (3) race and racial identification as intersecting influences on masculine and sexual identities, (4) the influences of masculine socialization and beliefs on partner selection and sexual behaviors, and (5) general themes of trust, control, “heat of …

Are They Not All The Same? Racial Heterogeneity Among Black Male Undergraduates, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., Andrew H. Nichols, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

An erroneous assumption is often made that Black men, one of the most stereotyped groups on college and university campuses, all share common experiences and backgrounds. Using Celious and Oyserman’s (2001) Heterogeneous Race Model as a conceptual framework, we explored within-group differences among Black male undergraduates at three private institutions. Data collected from 39 participants reveal insights into the origins and characterizations of diversity among Black men, as well as the stereotypes, competition, and social distance associated with racial heterogeneity. Implications for Black male solidarity on campuses where few are enrolled and expanding conceptualizations of interacting “across difference” are offered …

Realizing The Intended Outcomes Of Brown: High-Achieving African American Male Undergraduates And Social Capital, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Equitable access to social mobility and advancement through education were among the intended outcomes of the Brown v. Board of Education case and related legislation. Despite this, scholars have illuminated the ways in which colleges, universities, and schools continually disadvantage African American male students. Although the evidence overwhelmingly confirms that many of the goals and promises of Brown remain unfulfilled, a different perspective is offered in this article. Specifically, ways in which high-achieving African American male undergraduates gain, negotiate, and benefit from access to powerful social networks on predominantly White campuses are presented herein. Findings from interviews with 32 high …

Masculinities Go To Community College: Understanding Male Identity Socialization And Gender Role Conflict, Frank Harris Iii, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Previous research has neglected to explore identities and development among male students at community colleges. This chapter provides some insight into who these men are, their precollege gender socialization experiences, and conflicts that impede the development of productive masculinities.