1. Eugene Fujimoto, Ph.D. September 15, 2010

2. Contextualize efforts to close gaps Leadership & campus culture Structure & systems Decision making process Purpose of study

3. What are campus-based factors that influence the decisions made in attempting to close racial achievement gaps? What does a campus-based process reveal about obstacles that may inhibit colleges and universities from closing achievement gaps? What do administrative decisions that support or hinder the closing of racial achievement gaps tell us about creating the necessary conditions?

4.  Critical theory  Critical race theory/ critical management studies  Organizational theory/ organizational change Theoretical framework

5.  Multi-site case study (3 campuses)  Qualitative focus  Interviews (N = 30)  Focus groups (3)  Document analysis  Participant-observers (4) Research Method

6. Watertown College Middleton University Delton University Type of institution Public 2-year college Public 4-year comprehensive Student population (UG) 1,17511,6059,730 % students of color11%8.2%10.1% Degrees/ programs offered Liberal arts & pre- professional studies; associate degree programs; cont. education/ community service programs 55 undergraduate majors; master’s deg 15 disciplines, 16 certificate programs 46 undergraduate majors; master’s deg in 13 disciplines; 4 post- baccalaureate Certificate Programs System1 of 13 colleges in 2-yr college system 1 of 13 universities in 4-yr university system

7.  Presidents  Provosts/Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs  Vice Presidents of Student Affairs  Academic Deans  Faculty leadership (faculty senate chairs, present and past)  Equity team members (focus group) Who was interviewed?

8. Institutional Culture & Context Cul of evidence Education & Whiteness as property rights Decision making EQUITY Faculty involvement Leadership & making of meaning

9. Administrative leadership influence  Color blind approach: Denying difference; other priorities take precedence; dominant narrative  Administrative commitment without multidimensional strategy: Stagnation, confusion, discouragement.  Explicit, clear commitment to diversity and equity: Administrators and limited faculty engagement; extensive remediation efforts.

10. Stage Context Noticing (subjective) Interpretation (subjective) Action (objective) Ecological context Achievement gap (prior to intentional equity effort) Racial/ Cultural deficitAccess denied Institutional Context Question individual racism; “color blind” (intentional equity effort) K-12/SES deficit passed to students (African American & Latino/a) Access with remediation Social- relational Context Question “color blindness”; e.g. assessment of student learning (authentic interaction with students of color; contextualizing student exp.) Question core values that shape institutional culture (identifying institutionally racist polices & practices) Change institutional culture (develop inclusive values, policies & practices)

11.  CRT and sensemaking analysis  “Society is based on property rights and not human rights” (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995; p. 58)  Race as a ‘floating signifier’; Whiteness as ‘signifier’ of privilege through property ownership  Property ownership value laden, conflictual and political

12.  “ Expectation” of a right to higher education.  Policies/practices: Who is admitted, Who succeeds, Who is hired, What knowledge, skills and abilities determine success, All remain largely exclusionary .

13. Policies & practices codify White, middle class values to maintain higher education as property that is raced and classed

14. Normative (race) (class) Academically prepared (White students; middle & upper class) Academically unprepared (Students of color; working class; poor) Exceptions: Whites; middle & upper class Honorary status: Students of color; working class; poor; Non-normative

15.  Faculty involvement at very low level  Faculty seen as most important & most difficult group  Administrative leadership can be highly influential

16. Deficit- mindedness Deeper levels of inquiry Discipline specific engagement

17.  How leadership makes meaning of achievement gaps has large effect on campus efforts  Deconstruct the binary of student preparedness - underpreparedness  Leaders need authentic interaction with students of color and low income students

18.  Multidimensional strategy is crucial  Develop strategic and structural ways for faculty collaboration on achievement gaps  Transformative leadership rooted in democratic principles & emancipatory theory is a necessity

19. To close the achievement gap we must make transformative change to avoid “the tranquilizing drug of gradualism” (Martin Luther King Jr., 1963)

20.  Questions/Comments