Education Commons^™

"There Is Enough Food On The Table": Religious Minority Students' Experiences With The Campus Spiritual Climate, Regina C. Schneider

LSU Master's Theses

Within the last 30 years, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives have been at much of the forefront of student affairs and higher education policy and practices. Issues regarding gender, race, and socioeconomic status have received much attention not only in education, but also in the greater landscape of the nation. Religious and spiritual minority students are a population that has only recently been considered in fostering a more inclusive and pluralistic college environment. Thus, there is a research gap involving religious/spiritual minority college students and their perceptions of the campus climate. Additionally, only a small pool of research addresses the …

Multiculturalism And Diversity Issues In Applied Behavior Analysis, Brian M. Conners

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The topic of training in diversity and multiculturalism in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) has only been discussed within recent years. Minimal research has examined this topic particularly within the scope of training at the graduate level in higher education. Therefore, this paper focuses on examining full time ABA faculty perceptions of multiculturalism and diversity training within their own graduate programs. Furthermore, this paper also presents a call to action related to diversity issues in the field of ABA in terms of graduate students and graduate preparation training and curriculum.

Funnel Vision: Through The Looking Glass Of Recruitment And Admission Practices, Adekunbi O. Ajiboye, Heather L. Anderson-James, Jennifer Fountain, Jose Alejandro Vega-Gutiérrez

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

This inquiry employed a convergent mixed-methods case study through a collaborative partnership with a College of Education at a private, West Coast Jesuit university. The study’s purpose was to interrogate recruitment and admission policies and practices of a Student Affairs graduate program to determine the extent to which they did or did not align with equity- and justice-oriented principles. The Education Deans for Justice and Equity framework, Critical Race Theory, and Social Reproduction Theory served as the conceptual and theoretical frameworks for this study. Research participants were employees and students associated with the program and its recruitment and admissions processes. …

Straight From The Source: Black College Presidents Tell Their Stories, Steven Purcell

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Students on college and university campuses across the United States are becoming more racially diverse. However, leadership on college campuses is not trending toward more diversity, particularly in higher administrative posts such as the presidency. To better understand this stagnate trend of college president diversity, this critical narrative study examined the lived experiences and insights of six current or former college presidents who identify as Black. The participants in this study are a unique cohort of individuals who have served as presidents/chancellors at institutions where Black students are not the majority ethnic/racial group on campus.

More specifically, this study sought …

Diversity As Contingent: An Intersectional Ethnographic Interrogation Of And Resistance Against Neoliberal Academia’S Exploitation Of Contingent Faculty In General Education Diversity Courses, Kelly Louise Opdycke

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Since its inception in the late 1970s, neoliberal academia has increasingly relied in under-paid contingent faculty to carry its teaching workload. During this same time, neoliberal academia began to take up ‘diversity’ as a way to sell its brand. This dissertation stands at the crux between diversity branding and the exploitation of contingent faculty. Specifically, I explore how teaching General Education diversity courses through precarity impacts contingent faculty affectively and emotionally. Michel Foucault (1979) describes those who live in the context of neoliberalism as homo economicus, or entrepreneur of the self. As one becomes stuck in contingency, they begin to …

Leading Through Ambiguity: A Phenomenological Examination Of Chief Diversity Officers, Shawn L. Washington

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the experiences of chief diversity officers (CDOs) with leading through ambiguity in their roles. It is critical to provide support and structure to senior-level administrators leading diversity efforts at colleges and universities. “Ambiguity,” for the purposes of my study and main research question, relates to a CDO’s experience with an ill-defined organizational structure that governs their role. A qualitative phenomenological study was employed to document the experiences of 14 CDOs in higher education. Open-ended interviews facilitated capturing the essence of the lived experiences of CDOs leading despite the ambiguity in their …

Cultural Awareness: Organizational Improvement Plan For Improved Student Accommodation, Katheryn Pender

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Canadian colleges have the responsibility to be inclusive and diverse. The College is uniquely positioned to cater to a variety of students with varied learning needs. Concurrently, policy must accommodate students to encourage capacity to learn. The development of a campus environment that is culturally aware that supports a comprehensive student accommodation policy is the focus of this organizational improvement plan. Through the theoretical guidance of cultural organizational and evolutionary theory, a multi-year plan is developed. Capacity for the plan is through stakeholder representation and engagement. Further influence is garnered from an adaptive leadership approach that is communicated and organized …

White Faculty Perceptions Of Diversity And Diversity Work, Ariane Hutchins-Newman

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education has become increasingly diverse over the past 100 years. Women and people of color have integrated and, in many cases, assimilated into the academy. However, not all groups have gained access equally. While certain groups, such as women, have experienced measurable growth, African Americans have lagged in their presence within the academy. Representation of Black scholars in the faculty has been constant over a nearly 20-year period. Black faculty comprised 5% of the faculty in 1998 and 6% of the faculty in 2015. Colleges and universities dedicate significant resources to diversity and inclusion. However, there continues to be …

Exploring The Impact Of Diversity Training On The Development And Application Of Cultural Competence Skills In Higher Education Professionals, Kendra Cabler

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years the terms diversity and inclusion have become major buzzwords across industries and fields of study. Within the field of education broadly, and higher education in particular, a shifting student demographic can be seen across the country. Issues of equity and inclusion have become central complexities for present day educational strategists, and organizations committed to cultivating a culture of inclusion must do so with intentionality. In the context of higher education, this often requires the intentional development of professionals within a particular college or university. There has been a great deal of research concerning the development of cultural …

Influences On The Choice Of Library Science Graduate Study: An Examination Of Cultural And Social Capital, Economic Factors, Gender, And Race, Rhonda K. Armstrong

Ed.D. Dissertations

The demographics of the library and information profession in the United States, which is primarily White and female, do not reflect the diversity of the population and those libraries serve. To further the understanding of who chooses library science graduate programs and how one might take social justice actions for more diversity, this study employed a post-positivist, quantitative study blended with critical theory. The study used Perna’s college choice model, which considers cultural capital, social capital, and economic factors as influential on college choice decisions. The study utilized a secondary data set, the Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study 2008/2012 data …

The Diversion Of Diversity: Uncovering The Antiblackness Of Diversity Initiatives, M. Jordan Alexander

Honors Theses

In more recent years, Diversity has been a driving force in universities across the country. As underrepresented groups in the United States have gained more traction in the political and legal realms, they have gained the agency and the ability to advocate for their inclusion in institutions and structures that previously denied their access. This gaining of agency within these public realms is what has fueled higher education institutions across the country to really push for diversity, in both their faculty and student populations. The ideology behind this push is multiculturalism or multiracialism; this idea by its premise, the inclusion …

Identifying Inclusive Practices On U.S. University Campuses That Create Engagement For Diverse Populations, Brandon Tatum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interactions between diversity and inclusion have been incompletely studied on U.S. college campuses. Previous researchers have also demonstrated an incomplete understanding of these two constructs, resulting in uneven attempts to create inclusion on college campuses. Diversity and inclusion research on college life is needed because inclusion is relatively new and unexplored, student diversity in U.S. higher education is increasing, and practical models and programs for enhancing campus inclusion are lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify best practices and student attitudes regarding inclusion and group memberships with Generation Z and Millennial college students in the United States, …

Faculty Attitudes Of Diversity And Cultural Awareness In Higher Education, Daniel G. Banks

Theses and Dissertations

The primary goal of this study was to uncover the attitudes and opinions of full-time faculty members and teaching administrators about diversity and cultural awareness at community college located in the northeast region. The study viewed faculty's level of cultural sensitivity, as well as their experience and opinion about cultural competency and incorporating diversity in the classroom. Faculty were also asked their opinion about training and professional development programs they were interested in participating in, and their opinion about whether they felt that programs celebrating diversity added value to the educational experience the institution provides for students. A total population …

Fostering A Sense Of Belonging: The Asian American Student Experience, Linh Phuong Nguyen

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of my research is twofold: to examine the ways that Asian American graduate students within the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) experience a sense of social belonging at the University of San Diego (USD) and to create a means through which their sense of social belonging may be enhanced. There were two cycles, consisting a total of three focus groups, which worked through the four phases of appreciative inquiry. Cultural themes, such as difficulty approaching authority figures, preference for ethnic subgroup identification, and experiences of marginalization by those from within the Asian American community, other people …

In Depth Look Into The Transformational Leadership Of Southern University And Agricultural & Mechanical College At Baton Rouge: A Focus On Engaging Economy, Diversity, And Implications For Community, Aubry Gatlin Turner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Deficiencies in economic resources and unwelcoming practices toward diversity represent two issues facing current American higher education institutions. Budget deficits have plagued higher education across America, and especially here in Louisiana. As a result, higher education institutions in Louisiana have become, and continue to be, targets for state funding cuts, with certain HBCUs, like Southern University, suffering the brunt of the cuts because of decades of inadequate funding.

Along with revenue shortfalls, Louisiana institutions and others across America are seeing demands to strategize diversity efforts. As most institutions follow federal guidelines to diversify the campus, some are facing challenges because …

Making The Case For Faculty And Staff Diversity And Inclusion Training At Merrimack College, Nicole Williams

Higher Education Student Work

Diversity and inclusion training is essential for long-term success and sustainability of an organization, especially institutions of higher education (Cocchiara, Connerley, & Bell, 2010; Cunningham, 2012). This capstone investigates the necessity and benefits of diversity and inclusion training, as well as effective training structures to contextualize the resulting curriculum model. This curriculum addresses an underlying institutional leadership gap at Merrimack College where faculty and staff are not adequately trained or provided with sufficient opportunities to engage in diversity and inclusion training. Feminist Standpoint Theory (Collins, 1997) and Transformational Learning Theory (Mezirow, 2000) provide the theoretical grounding to establish this foundational …

Using Dialogue To Interrupt Legacies Of Exclusion, Incite Hope, Invite Change, And Increase Levels Of Awareness At Predominantly White Institutions With Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Rhetoric, Amanda Meise

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation questions how a predominantly white institution (PWI) could infuse dialogue to aid the implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and invite institutional change. There has been an increased spotlight on racial tensions permeating predominantly white campuses with DEI initiatives; higher education scholars have identified several factors that prevent institutions from fostering inclusive spaces. This research addresses three specific hurdles for PWIs implementing DEI initiatives: (1) social amnesia characterized by romanticized versions of history; (2) a discontinuity between professed values and the goals of DEI initiatives with policy, structure, and experience; and (3) low awareness of privilege …

Permission To Engage: Examining The Educational Experiences Of Active Duty Army Enlisted Soldiers Enrolled At Hopkinsville Community College, Tracey Y. Folden

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The military has long-standing partnerships with institutions of higher education (Leporte, 2013; Parks, 2015 & Massie, 2016). These partnerships have been significant over time because the United States Army has incentivized civilian education via the Army enlisted ranks and promotional structure (Wilson, Smith, Lee & Stevenson, 2013). Researchers are beginning to recognize service members as adult students who need specific supports in an educational setting (Wilson et al., 2013; Leporte, 2013; Parks, 2015; Massie, 2016). Enlisted soldiers arrive on college campuses with identities ascribed and molded by the military. Thus, their primary identity is soldier not student (Nagel & Kleykamp, …

The Cultural Construction Of Diverse Other(S): A Discourse Analysis Of Institutional Policy, Rachel E. Friedensen

Doctoral Dissertations

Institutions of higher education are tasked with grappling with their long histories of exclusion and inequality. As more members of historically marginalized groups gain access to higher education, colleges and universities strive to create more equitable environments within their walls and to produce equity-minded democratic citizens. These institutions turn to policy to help them achieve these ends. These policies often emphasize diversity—a multivalent concept that often simply means difference, but also serves as a stand-in for the policy performances produced by institutions as they attempt create equitable and just campuses. Diversity’s multivocality inspires the main question that this study answers: …

Let My People In: A Comparative Study Of Diversity Rhetoric To Reality In Institutions Of Higher Education, Darvelle Hutchins

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Due to longstanding structures that have failed to provide an academic climate that is inclusive of the many dimensions of difference that exist among all people, institutions of higher education are under increased pressure to not only communicate but to live out a commitment to diversity as a means for business survival. By conducting this two-step research study at one private, Midwestern university, I examined the extent to which Black faculty members identified with their institutional rhetoric on diversity. In the first step, I completed a rhetorical analysis on four official texts to fully understand the extent to which Saint …

A Phenomenological Case Study Of Transformative Learning In A Non-Traditional Diversity Training Program, Ame Lambert

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

Rapidly changing demographics and globalization has spurred a plurality of organizations to invest millions of dollars annually in diversity training, with the primary aim of improving the experiences of underrepresented employees. However, the results of diversity training to date have not proven encouraging. Positive outcomes of diversity training have generally been confined to increased awareness and improved attitudes towards diversity, with implicit and explicit prejudice and behavior remaining unchanged. The aim of this study was to understand the transformational learning experiences of participants in a non-traditional diversity training program and the impact of their transformational learning on their behavior.

A …

What Gets Lost In The Numbers: A Case Study Of The Experiences And Perspectives Of Black And Latino Faculty In Academic Medicine, Sylk M. Sotto Santiago

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

The doctoral research examines the experiences and perceptions of underrepresented minority faculty in academic medicine through a case study approach. The study focuses on several stages as presented through a model referred to as the faculty life cycle. Specifically, the study addresses the socialization, mentoring, and professional development experiences of URM faculty in academic medicine. How do URM faculty experience their environment, culture, and climate in academic medicine? And what is their perception of the impact of diversity and inclusion initiatives and offices in academic medicine? This study utilizes the conceptual frameworks of Inclusive Excellence (IE} and Culturally Engaging Campus …

Reading As A Resource: Exploring Reading Habits And Multicultural Awareness And Acceptance In Undergraduate Students, Megan E. Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Considerable research has been conducted examining the benefits of diversity on campus and diversity programming for undergraduate students. However, minimal research has been focused on connecting reading fiction as a potential resource for diversity programming. Diversity courses, racial awareness workshops, and service learning opportunities are all supported by research for their transformational influence on students’ attitudes and perceptions towards minority and underrepresented groups on campus. Emerging studies have established that reading narrative fiction can enhance readers’ empathic and multicultural attitudes, shift perspectives and outlooks, and enhance moral reasoning. Benefits such as these could be harnessed to cultivate a campus culture …

A Quantitative Study On Student Perception Of Campus Climate For Diversity At A Predominantly White Institution, Tyler O. Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study was conducted during the spring 2015 semester at Rowan University—a Predominantly White Institution located in Glassboro, NJ that also consists of classes in Camden, NJ. The target population of this study was all main-campus, full-time undergraduate students at or above the age of 18 years who were enrolled in Rowan University for at least a full semester—during the Fall 2014 semester and returned in the Spring 2015 semester.

The purpose of this research study was to close a knowledge gap for research surrounding undergraduate perception of campus climate for diversity at a Predominantly White Institution as represented …

Race Matters: Occupational Therapy As A Career Choice By High School Students Of Color, Kirsten L. Wilbur

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

Abstract

This critical ethnographic study examined occupational therapy as a field that has maintained the historic exclusion of students of color through mainstream professional academic practice. In particular this paper explores systemic barriers that influence secondary to post-secondary pipeline decisions for urban, high school students of color. The tenets of critical race and Freirean critical theory guided analysis of the data collected from field notes, individual interviews and focus group discussions. Three categories representing student experiences with making post-secondary decisions emerged from the study: (a) navigating the system, (b) making choices, and (c) no interest in healthcare. Additional findings including …

Recruitment And Retention Of Hispanic Nursing Students: Through The Lens Of Associate Degree Nursing Program Administrators And Hispanic Nursing Students, Debra Jean Handlos Devoe

Theses and Dissertations

The Hispanic population in the United States is changing and will constitute 30% of the population in 2050; however, the Hispanic registered nurse population is less than 3%. Cultural differences between patients and nurses may cause harm and a mistrust that can affect patient outcomes. A mixed methods convergent research study was done by an electronic survey, non-electronic surveys, telephone interviews, and focus groups to compare the perceptions of nursing program administrators at seven community colleges in a Mid-Atlantic state, in the United States, and the perceptions of 15 Hispanic nursing students regarding the challenges, barriers, and obstacles of Hispanic …

An Evaluation Of The Techniques And Strategies For Recruiting African-Americans By 1862 Land-Grant Universities, Rashawn P. Franklin

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

As post-secondary education becomes more important for the American citizen to generate wealth, universities are struggling to retain and graduate African-Americans, the third-most represented demographic in the country, especially at predominately white colleges and universities. The Colleges of Agriculture at these particular institutions are struggling to even get Black students to apply, let alone graduate. One of the major issues is the disconnect between the African-American community and the idea of post-secondary education in the agricultural field. One way that disconnect can be combatted is new techniques and strategies in recruiting African-Americans. This study identifies three themes based on interviews …

Social Justice Education: Using Communication Activism Pedagogy To Help University Cultural Centers Increase Campus Diversity & Inclusivity, Sophia T. Vu

Journalism

This study examined how student affairs professionals, especially those in cultural centers, could increase campus diversity and inclusivity. More specifically, it sought to find a theoretical basis for social justice education programs that could increase campus climate. It was performed as a single site case study at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Three Cal Poly student affairs professionals were interviewed for qualitative data which were then compared and analyzed with the literature surrounding campus diversity and inclusivity. The study concludes that student affairs professionals can increase campus diversity and inclusivity by developing social justice education programs that not …

Hmong Americans In Higher Education: Exploring Their Sense Of Belongingness And The Concept Of The American Dream., Janet Daugherty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I conducted this study to examine Hmong American college students' perspectives on sense of belongingness and their idea on the American Dream. The college experience can serve as a precursor to improving the social and economic situation of the Hmong students when aligned with the personal desire to gain upward mobility and motivation to circumvent social and academic inconsistencies. The methodology of the study was designed for one-on-one phenomenological informal interviews with Hmong American college upper-classmen using a two-part interview protocol to elicit demographic and experiential information. Moustakas' approach to the analysis of data provided guidelines to review individual transcripts …

Determinants Of Turnover Intent In Higher Education: The Case Of International And U.S. Faculty, Jaehee Park

Theses and Dissertations

In spite of the increase in the number of the international academic workforce and their potential benefits, international status has been relatively under-studied in Public Management and Higher Education literature in comparison with studies of age, gender, and race. Given these realities, the present study identifies characteristics of internal and external variables that influence international and U.S. faculty turnover intentions in a large public South Eastern research university.

To understand the variations in short-term and long-term turnover levels while controlling for various demographic, structural, and external variables, eight Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression analysis were performed using turnover intentions as …