Research

19 pages, 351 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Person–Environment Fit and Retention of Racially Minoritized College Students: Recommendations for Faculty, Support Staff, and Administrators

by Alex A. Ajayi, Lauren L. Mitchell, Sarah C. Nelson, Jillian Fish, Lovey H. M. Peissig, José M. Causadias and Moin Syed

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(6), 271; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11060271 - 31 May 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5524

Abstract

Although colleges in the United States have become increasingly racially and ethnically diverse, degree attainment remains disproportionately low among students from underrepresented and minoritized racial backgrounds. In this paper, we discuss the interactive influence of both person and environment factors in shaping academic [...] Read more.

Although colleges in the United States have become increasingly racially and ethnically diverse, degree attainment remains disproportionately low among students from underrepresented and minoritized racial backgrounds. In this paper, we discuss the interactive influence of both person and environment factors in shaping academic persistence and argue that college administrators, faculty, and student support staff can intervene and take specific steps to improve the academic experience of racially minoritized college students. To this end, we offer specific evidence-based recommendations for campus leaders and stakeholders on how to adapt their campus community to facilitate the requisite person–environment fit to maximize academic persistence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Equity in Higher Education)

14 pages, 231 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tipping Point: Perceptions of Diversity in Black and White

by Tabitha Grier-Reed, James Houseworth, James Moody and Miguel Quiñones

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 241; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11050241 - 18 May 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2801

Abstract

By 2044, the USA is projected to be a majority-minority nation. Research suggests that when people of color reach 40–60% of the population, a tipping point occurs in which white individuals experience a collective existential threat and threat to their status and resources, [...] Read more.

By 2044, the USA is projected to be a majority-minority nation. Research suggests that when people of color reach 40–60% of the population, a tipping point occurs in which white individuals experience a collective existential threat and threat to their status and resources, resulting in more negative attitudes toward diversity. Institutions of higher education are microcosms of society. We were interested in how perceptions of diversity might differ across two universities—one that had reached the tipping point of only 50% white Americans; 543 black and white undergraduates completed items from the Diverse Learning Environment Core Survey measuring perceptions of belonging, diversity, and discrimination. We found that white students in the more diverse context were less satisfied with diversity on campus than their white counterparts (at the less diverse university); moreover, these students reported the highest level of discrimination in the study—even higher than that of black students in the less diverse context. These findings highlight the ways in which increasing representation and enfranchisement of racially and culturally different others may result in feelings of disenfranchisement for white Americans. With implications for the larger society, we argue that centering and deconstructing whiteness and white racial socialization is essential for the next era of equity and diversity aimed at redressing structural inequality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Equity in Higher Education)

17 pages, 287 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rethinking Race, Ethnicity, and the Assessment of Intercultural Competence in Higher Education

by Gemma Punti and Molly Dingel

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 110; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11030110 - 09 Mar 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6763

Abstract

This qualitative study aims to explore the limitations of using a cultural assessment tool in higher education with the goal of preparing students to thrive in a highly demanding, diverse, and global community. Colleges and universities are potentially important sites of cross-cultural and [...] Read more.

This qualitative study aims to explore the limitations of using a cultural assessment tool in higher education with the goal of preparing students to thrive in a highly demanding, diverse, and global community. Colleges and universities are potentially important sites of cross-cultural and cross-racial engagement and socialization, and cultural competence is arguably one of the critical skills that many higher education institutions are embracing to prepare students for our diverse, but increasingly polarized, global society. In particular, this study discusses the use of the intercultural development inventory (IDI), a cultural assessment tool that has not been validated in the U.S. for racial, ethnic, or social class differences, and which leaves out the role of structural inequalities in intercultural relationships. Findings reveal that interview data from black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) did not align with their IDI results and that the tool dismisses the complex experiences of BIPOC students. These findings jeopardize the tool’s purpose and validity. Finally, this study reveals the importance of educating students about structural competence to improve empathy and understanding of a diverse student body. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Equity in Higher Education)

16 pages, 282 KiB

Open AccessArticle

From Antiblackness to Cultural Health in Higher Education

by Tabitha Grier-Reed, Roun Said and Miguel Quiñones

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(2), 57; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11020057 - 02 Feb 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3559

Abstract

Antiblackness has a long and storied history in higher education in the United States, and unfortunately, antiblack attitudes and practices continue in the 21st century. With implications for countering antiblackness in higher education and institutionalizing support for cultural health and wellness, we documented [...] Read more.

Antiblackness has a long and storied history in higher education in the United States, and unfortunately, antiblack attitudes and practices continue in the 21st century. With implications for countering antiblackness in higher education and institutionalizing support for cultural health and wellness, we documented experiences of antiblackness in the African American Student Network (AFAM). AFAM was a weekly networking group, co-facilitated by Black faculty and graduate students, where Black undergraduates could come together and share their experiences. Participation in AFAM was associated with Black holistic wellness, and AFAM was a source of cultural health, where we conceptualized cultural health as having a sense of pride and resilience in one’s cultural background. We analyzed notes of 277 AFAM discussions from 2005–2006 to 2017–2018 using an adaptation of consensual qualitative research methods to identify four domains of antiblackness: racial trauma (n = 51), racial microaggressions (n = 34), racial rejection (n = 33), and systemic racism (n = 25). In moving from antiblackness to cultural health, we advocate for institutional resources in higher education, such as an institute for cultural health on campus, that values the cultures of Black students and students of color, and that focuses on building communities in which students can generate a wellspring of pride and resilience in their cultural backgrounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Equity in Higher Education)

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

21 pages, 446 KiB

Open AccessReview

First-Generation College Students and Family Support: A Critical Review of Empirical Research Literature

by Samantha LeBouef and Jodi Dworkin

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(6), 294; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11060294 - 15 Jun 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 9604

Abstract

The majority of empirical literature on first generation college students (FGCSs) in the U.S. asserts that because their parents did not attend college, FGCSs are lacking important resources to be successful in college. However, this results in a deficit-based approach to the study [...] Read more.

The majority of empirical literature on first generation college students (FGCSs) in the U.S. asserts that because their parents did not attend college, FGCSs are lacking important resources to be successful in college. However, this results in a deficit-based approach to the study of FGCSs that tends to highlight the differences between first-generation and continuing-education students. However, FGCSs possess a wealth of resources from parents and families that make them successful, and that are often ignored in research. Asset-based approaches to the study of FGCSs are becoming more frequent in the form of books, book chapters, and white papers; however, published empirical research has yet to adopt this approach. As a result, a deeper understanding of FGCSs’ experiences is essential to advancing diversity and equity in higher education. To begin to address this gap, a systematic literature review of empirical studies following the PRISMA framework was conducted on first generation college students and family support; the literature was critically reviewed and future directions for the field were identified. Applying a critical, cultural, and familial lens to the study of first-generation college students will contribute to reframing the research narrative towards an asset-based narrative. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Equity in Higher Education)

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13 pages, 233 KiB

Open AccessReview

Review of Racially Equitable Admissions Practices in STEM Doctoral Programs

by Sonia F. Roberts, Elana Pyfrom, Jacob A. Hoffman, Christopher Pai, Erin K. Reagan and Alysson E. Light

Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(6), 270; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11060270 - 31 May 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 8420

Abstract

This study reviews literature on racially equitable admissions practices relevant to graduate programs in STEM. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores correlate more strongly with race, gender, and socioeconomic status than performance metrics for research during or after graduate school. Structural changes to admissions [...] Read more.

This study reviews literature on racially equitable admissions practices relevant to graduate programs in STEM. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores correlate more strongly with race, gender, and socioeconomic status than performance metrics for research during or after graduate school. Structural changes to admissions processes that can improve equity of admissions decisions and reduce correlations between admissions decisions and demographic data include using holistic review or composite scores that quantize more components of an application, removing hard limits on course requirements, admitting students as a cohort instead of to individual faculty sponsors, and diversifying admissions committees. Some alternative scoring methods attempt to measure personality traits, but performing these measurements during admissions may present difficulties. Bridge programs—whether they are implemented as collaborations with a minority-serving institution, a personalized educational program for each student admitted to a program, or a stand-alone program before the doctoral degree program—may be able to improve both recruitment and retention of students with underrepresented racial and ethnic identities in their field of study. Finally, financial barriers to applications can disproportionately affect underrepresented applicants due to systemic racism. We end with recommendations for graduate programs to improve equity in admissions processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Equity in Higher Education)

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

6 pages, 220 KiB

Open AccessReply

Reply to Hammer, M.R. A Response to Punti and Dingel’s Critique of the Validity of the Intercultural Development Inventory for BIPOC Students. Comment on “Punti, G.; Dingel, M. Rethinking Race, Ethnicity, and the Assessment of Intercultural Competence in Higher Education. Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 110”

by Gemma Punti and Molly Dingel

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 180; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci12030180 - 04 Mar 2022

Viewed by 2109

Abstract

Hammer claims that the IDI has been validated for BIPOC in the US, but after careful re-examination of the data we presented, we reiterate that there is no evidence of this validation. The studies provided by Hammer reveal how the development of the [...] Read more.

Hammer claims that the IDI has been validated for BIPOC in the US, but after careful re-examination of the data we presented, we reiterate that there is no evidence of this validation. The studies provided by Hammer reveal how the development of the IDI instrument and its validation focused on international cultural experiences not on cultural diversity within the US. There was no validity testing done on a racially diverse sample of U.S. Americans, and our qualitative data questions the validity for BIPOC individuals from the US. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Equity in Higher Education)

7 pages, 204 KiB

Open AccessComment

A Response to Punti and Dingel’s Critique of the Validity of the Intercultural Development Inventory for BIPOC Students. Comment on Punti, G.; Dingel, M. Rethinking Race, Ethnicity, and the Assessment of Intercultural Competence in Higher Education. Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 110

by Mitchell R. Hammer

Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 176; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci12030176 - 03 Mar 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3374

Abstract

Addressing social inequity and increasing intercultural competence is a critical challenge in the 21st century. This work should be informed by rigorous, scientifically grounded research, accurate interpretations of that research, and the implementation of policies and training that are based upon the integrity [...] Read more.

Addressing social inequity and increasing intercultural competence is a critical challenge in the 21st century. This work should be informed by rigorous, scientifically grounded research, accurate interpretations of that research, and the implementation of policies and training that are based upon the integrity of such research efforts. The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), because of its psychometric integrity, is one such assessment tool that is used to pursue these challenges in higher education. The psychometric integrity of the IDI is unequivocally situated within the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing 2014. American Educational Research Association [AERA], American Psychological Association [APA], and the National Council on Measurement in Education [NCME]). Punti and Dingel assert that the IDI is not valid specifically for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) university students because it does not take into account the experience of being a minority/ethnic group member vis-à-vis racism and inequality. It is troubling that Punti and Dingel’s critique (1) is based on their use of an interview methodology that does not comport with the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing and (2) ignores the scientific evidence supporting the cross-cultural validity of the IDI with BIPOC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Equity in Higher Education)

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