Diversity is a vital concept when engaging with modern social science research and among higher education practitioners. Despite the pervasive discourse surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, quantification of diversity remains a challenge across the social sciences. This study proposes a new conceptual framework, applies…

This study addresses university leadership and the need to affirm diversity, equity, and inclusion in order to institute organizational change for social justice. My key research question is, "What are effective ways for leaders to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion with the goal of achieving social justice?" There is much research…

Black and Latina/o communities face both strained multicultural relationships and negative stereotypes in their communities and schools. This research study explored the importance of examining the lived experiences of Black male teachers (BMTs) in Southern California due to the region's diverse racial and ethnic demographics. It is vital to…

This study explored the prioritization of diversity within art and design schools, specifically focusing on the perceptions of chief diversity officers (CDOs) and diversity administrators. It examined how these institutions incorporated diversity into their mission statements and operational practices. The context for this research arose from…

Community college enrollment has seen a significant shift in student demographics, including the decline of White students from 60% in 2001 to 46.2% in 2017 (American Association of Community Colleges, 2019), whereas efforts to diversify senior leadership have had little success (Rodriguez, 2015). Examining literature from peer-reviewed journals,…

A disproportionate number of European American male students are enrolled in cyberscience undergraduate degree programs, despite attempts to attract diverse student populations in the field. The purpose of the basic qualitative study was to gain a better understanding on how cyberscience academic experts perceive the challenges related to the…

Research has recognized the importance of libraries and librarians in supporting, managing, and sustaining open educational resources (OER) programs in postsecondary institutions. Open education initiatives generally align with social justice aspirations and should be open and inclusive to everyone. Yet, in practice, this has not always been the…

The homogeneous nature of senior leadership in U.S. colleges and universities and the absence of diverse perspectives in decision making is cause for concern. The nation's college student population has become increasingly diverse, with Black, Latinx, Asian and Pacific Islander (API), and Indigenous groups making up 45% of 4-year college…

The 2020 murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd brought about a racial reckoning some would argue had not been seen since the 1960s. U.S. society was able to get a literal glimpse into how, despite the Civil Rights movement, Black lives have continued to be devalued, minimized, and deemed inconsequential by police, government, and…

Institutional diversity studies have substantiated the presence of isomorphism (Bernasconi, 2006; Birnbaum, 1983; Harris & Ellis, 2020; Morphew, 2009; Teixeira & Amaral, 2001) but these studies are too broad and often just extrapolate findings to religious higher education. The problem of this study is that American religious higher…

Professional standards of practice for Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) urge them to enhance institutional functions while leveraging education to build institutional capacity, but CDOs experience varying outcomes in their work. The current literature is limited with respect to how CDOs facilitate diversity learning and development experiences for…

Existential worldview diversity infrastructure has emerged across public and private higher education institutions in the interest of advancing religious pluralism, yet receives little attention from current literature, graduate preparation programs, and student affairs practitioners from a critical religious pluralism theoretical and social…

Despite the research of Chief Diversity Officers in K-12 educational setting being limited, these DEI-focused professionals have become a recent emergent practice in Connecticut school districts. Informed by the research on Chief Diversity Officers in corporate organizational and higher educational structures, this phenomenological study aimed to…

With the current priorities and challenges surrounding equity in higher education, many institutions are looking for new resources to support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals at their institutions. One resource that has been shown to be underutilized across social justice development in higher education are peer leaders. While some…

This study aimed to explore and understand the impact of the Graduate Certificate in Workplace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI Graduate Certificate) on master's and doctoral students' social empathy (SE) development. The participants in this certificate engaged in several online activities that increased their knowledge of microaggressions,…