The study investigates a tension between affirmative action scholars who hypothesize that affirmative action bans would increase underrepresented minority students' STEM college completions and scholars who have empirically estimated declines. It also questions results that that find no existence of a STEM penalty (compared to non-STEM) caused by…

Despite a burgeoning literature on first-generation college student success, little is known about how the presence of first-generation or continuing-generation peers may facilitate desired outcomes among first-generation students. Moreover, two theoretical traditions lead to contrasting predictions about the potential impact of the representation…

Gender disparities persist in postsecondary computing fields, despite improvements in postsecondary equity overall and STEM fields as an aggregate. The entrenchment of this issue requires a comprehensive, longitudinal lens. Building on expectancy-value theory, the present study examines the relationships among students' gender-ability stereotypes,…

Gendered field-of-study choice is a lively topic of discussion. The explanation usually given for the fact that women are still an exception in typically 'male' fields--particularly STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)--employs domain-specific stereotypes regarding men's and women's 'natural' abilities in different fields. The…

Women drop out of male-dominated majors (MDMs) at a higher rate than men (Blickenstaff 2005). Research is needed to better understand contextual factors in the major, such as social interactions in major classes, that may increase women's engagement in MDMs and ultimately reduce attrition (Lawson et al. in Sex Roles 78:542-560, 2018). The present…

This study provides a typological analysis of public, four-year institutions implementing programs for men of color (MoC). The purpose of the study is to expand our understanding of the institutional context and conditions in which these interventions operate. As more of these programs emerge, it is important to understand if and how institutional…

U.S. higher education institutions are adjusting their faculty hiring to respond to the demands of an increasingly diverse racial and ethnic student population. However, it is not always clear whether specific faculty policies are intended to address the matter of diversity or representation--two similar but qualitatively different concepts.…

Inclusion and diversity are highly visible priorities at many colleges and universities. Efforts to diversify the professoriate have necessitated a better understanding of career outcomes for current female faculty and faculty of color. We measure risk of leaving without tenure and years to promotion from associate to full professor at four large…

Using the Wabash National Study on Liberal Arts Education and a latent class analysis of 28 outside-the-classroom activities and behaviors, we developed a typology of outside-the-classroom student engagement during the first year of college. We find ten classes of student involvement: academic artist, party athlete, serious athlete, conventional…

There is persistent underrepresentation of female and ethnic and racial minority students in computing. While community colleges provide a unique opportunity to increase diversity in computing fields, many students do not persist. This study aims to understand the factors that predict students' momentum--completion of a certificate, degree, or…

Performance funding is an increasingly prevalent policy state officials use to allocate a portion of state funds to public colleges and universities. Researchers have begun to evaluate the effect of these policies, finding bleak evidence of their effectiveness in yielding intended outputs and suggesting the policies may even result in limited…

Attending a selective college or university has a notable impact on the likelihood of graduation, graduate school attendance, social networks, and career earnings. Given these short-term and long-term benefits, surprisingly little research has directly explored the factors that might promote or detract from equitable admissions decisions at these…

University administrators often strive for racial, socioeconomic, and geographic diversity in their student populations. Today, administrators face a new demographic challenge as women increasingly outnumber men in applications, enrollments, and graduation rates. This article discusses the causes and potential consequences of the growing gender…

Within the past decade, there has been a growing number of studies examining undermatch--when students apply to or enroll in institutions less selective than their academic qualifications permit. To estimate undermatch, researchers must define institutions' selectivity levels and determine which students are eligible to gain admission to these…

Past research has established educational aspiration as an important factor leading to future planning and academic attainment, but there is a lack of scholarly attention to the role of educational aspiration in the pursuit of graduate education. Using a recent nationally representative sample of college graduates, this study examines educational…