Kimberly A. Griffin

Surveillance and Sacrifice: Gender Differences in the Mentoring Patterns of Black Professors at Predominantly White Research Universities

Previous research documents Black professors’ heavy service commitments and time spent mentoring; yet little work explores how this form of faculty work differs by gender. This intersectional analysis examines narratives of 37 Black professors at three institutions (collected across two studies), focusing on how race and gender shape Black professors’ expectations and experiences mentoring. Findings indicate that racism and sexism influence whether and how Black faculty members mentor in unique ways. Women engage in close, personal relationships and face high gender-based expectations regarding student contact, leading to their carriage of a heavy mentoring burden. Men are more formal and compartmentalize their relationships, partly due to perceived visibility and surveillance, as well as increased likelihood of accusations of inappropriate relationships with female students.

Achieving the College Dream? Examining Disparities in Access to College Information Among High Achieving and Non-High Achieving Latina Students

Using an Opportunity to Learn (OTL) framework, this study examines the col- lege preparatory experiences of Latina high and non-high achievers at an urban Latina/o majority high school. Findings indicate that students relied almost exclusively on school resources to navigate their college preparation process. However, the school provided dif- ferential OTL based on class ranking and perceived eligibility for selective colleges. Resumen: Usando el marco de una oportunidad para aprender (OTL), este estudio examina las experiencias de escuela preparatoria de estudiantes latinas asiduas y no asiduas de una preparatoria urbana con estudiantes latinos mayoritarios. Los hallazgos indican que las estudiantes se apoyan casi exclusivamente en los recursos de la escuela para navegar su proceso preparatorio universitario. Sin embargo, la escuela propor- ciono una oportunidad para aprender (OTL) diferencial basada en el lugar ocupado en la clase y la elegibilidad percibida para universidades selectas.

Beyond Mentoring and Advising: Toward Understanding the Role of Faculty “Developers” in Student Success

It is old news that interactions between students and faculty enhance student learning. In this article, Vicki Baker and Kimberly Griffin offer another role for faculty in their relationships with students—that of developer.

The Influence of Campus Racial Climate on Diversity in Graduate Education

Persistent disparities in doctoral degree completion have led many institutions to hire graduate diversity officers (GDOs) to increase the presence of underrepresented minorities in graduate programs. This qualitative study of 14 GDOs considers how the dimensions of campus racial climate (CRC) influence the ability of GDOs to carry out this work. Findings suggest CRC can be applied to understanding institutional processes that affect diversity, and that internal and external climate-related forces affect the GDO’s recruitment and retention efforts. Thus, universities must go beyond demonstrating institutional commitment by creating GDO positions and attending to CRC to increase graduate diversity.

The Strategies and Struggles of Graduate Diversity Officers in the Recruitment of Doctoral Students of Color.

The growing heterogeneity of American society is increasingly reflected in the undergraduate student population, yet there has been less change within graduate education. As graduate education is the pipeline to the professoriate, we must have a better understanding of how to promote institutional change toward greater graduate diversity. This qualitative study of 14 graduate diversity officers (GDOs) across 11 research universities provides insight into efforts universities can make to increase graduate diversity and foster institutional change. Findings suggest promising practices, including integrated recruitment efforts that reflect a strong commitment to diversity at both the institutional and departmental level. Faculty play a significant role in the change process, yet could also be a limiting factor due to inconsistent commitments to diversity and institutional change.

Ebony in the Ivory Tower: Examining Trends in the Socioeconomic Status, Achievement, and Self-Concept of Black, Male Freshmen.

Despite the educational challenges African American males face, there is a sizeable population successfully finishing high school and entering college. This study provides an overview of how a national sample of black male freshmen embodied the cognitive, social, and institutional factors related to college access between 1971 and 2004. Data reveal that black, male freshmen today have more affluent family backgrounds, better academic records, and greater confidence in their skills and abilities than their peers who entered college in earlier decades. Trends indicate that men with lower incomes, less confidence, and less ideal academic records are increasingly unlikely to be present on college campuses.

Overcoming barriers: characteristics of Black male freshmen between 1971 and 2004

Our analyses and conclusions are based on both research literature on college access for African American males and the survey responses of 214,951 full-time, first-time African American male freshmen between 1971 and 2004. First, we reviewed literature on the experiences of African American male high-school students and the common barriers facing their matriculation to college. We organized findings from the research into broad themes emerging from the literature, guided by Swail, Cabrera, Lee, and Williamss Integrated Model for Student Success (2005). Based on this framework, college access and academic achievement are not based on a single factor or one dimension; rather, they are constructed through a complex interaction of multiple dimensions. Swail and colleagues delineate these factors into three categories: cognitive, social, and institutional/systemic. Cognitive factors take place largely inside the student and relate to the skills, abilities, and knowledge students have which prepare them for higher education, including academic preparation, post-secondary planning, and college knowledge (Swail, Redd, & Perna, 2003; Swail et al., 2005). Social factors exist largely outside the student, and capture the ways in which those who have relationships with students can influence their access to post-secondary education. The social dimension includes a students cultural history, family influence, financial issues and socioeconomic status, and ability to interact with peers (Swail, 2003; Swail et al., 2005). Finally the institutional/systemic dimension captures the ability of institutions to influence and shape student efforts to reach their college goals. High-school resources and support, outreach programs, and opportunities for financial aid could all be considered within this dimension of the framework (Swail, 2003; Swail et al., 2005).