University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

If not us then who? How senior level black women administrators create supportive environments on predominantly white campuses

Neal, Brandi

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/109409

Description

Title
If not us then who? How senior level black women administrators create supportive environments on predominantly white campuses
Author(s)
Neal, Brandi
Issue Date
2020-12-02
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Collins, Jasmine D
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Trent, William T
Committee Member(s)
  • Zamani-Gallaher, Eboni M
  • Witt, Mary A
Department of Study
Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp
Discipline
Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
  • Student affairs
  • Black women
  • Applied Critical Leadership
  • Predominantly White Institutions
  • Culturally Engaging Environments
Abstract
Although student affairs administrators are rarely the center of analysis when engaging in campus climate research, they play an important role in creating co-curricular environments that are inclusive of diverse students (Hurtado, 2012). Using the Applied Critical Leadership (Santamaría & Santamaría, 2012) framework to operationalize leadership and to celebrate the ways in which Black women Vice Presidents of Student Affairs (VPSAs) acquire institutional access to create real change, this study sought to identify how Black women in the VPSA role address and create supportive environments for racially minoritized students. The study employed two research questions: 1) What identifiable policies, practices, and behaviors do Black women VPSAs engage in to create a more welcoming environment for racially minoritized students, and 2) if any, what understandings contribute to participants’ motivation to create a more welcoming environment for racially minoritized students? This qualitative study consisted of twelve semi-structured one-on-one interviews with six participants. Participants were Black women VPSAs at various predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Through qualitative data analysis, two themes emerged from the data: Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand and There’s Beauty in the Struggle.
Graduation Semester
2020-12
Type of Resource
Thesis
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/109409
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2020 Brandi Neal

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