A Case Study Examining the Recruitment of 'Other Race' Students to a Public, Historically Black University Yoruba Mutakabbir Clemson University, [email protected]
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Clemson University TigerPrints All Dissertations Dissertations 5-2011 A Case Study Examining the Recruitment of 'Other Race' Students to a Public, Historically Black University Yoruba Mutakabbir Clemson University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations Part of the Higher Education and Teaching Commons Recommended Citation Mutakabbir, Yoruba, "A Case Study Examining the Recruitment of 'Other Race' Students to a Public, Historically Black University" (2011). All Dissertations. 730. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/730 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Dissertations at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A CASE STUDY EXAMINING HOW A PUBLIC, HISTORICALLY BLACK UNIVERSITY RECRUITS OTHER RACE STUDENTS A Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School of Clemson University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Educational Leadership by Yoruba Taheerah Mutakabbir May 2011 Accepted by: Dr. Lamont A. Flowers, Committee Chair Dr. Patricia First Dr. Frankie Keels Williams Dr. James Satterfield ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to understand how Jackson State University, a public historically Black university, recruits other race students in the wake of the 2002 Ayers settlement. This settlement included a requirement that historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) increase their non-African American enrollment to at least 10% of their total enrollment by the fall of 2018 and maintain this percentage for 3 years in order to share in the principal of public and private endowment funds. This portion of the settlement was most relevant to this study. Jackson State University was selected as the subject of this case study because it stands to receive the largest share of endowment incentives for increasing its White student enrollment. It also has the largest enrollment of the three public HBCUs in Mississippi. Literature examining the impact of desegregation litigation on HBCUs, factors attracting White students to HBCUs, and the experiences of White students at HBCUs are explored to provide foundational knowledge. Institutional theory served as the theoretical framework undergirding this study. Interviews of university personnel were conducted. Document analysis also was conducted. Results from this study identified strategies for the successful recruitment of other race students and the impact of the Ayers settlement on the recruitment process. ii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my maternal grandparents, Talmadge Moore and Delores Haigler, who were educated at and spent their entire careers employed by HBCUs. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am extremely grateful for the guidance and support of my several individuals. First, and most importantly, I must thank my chair, Dr. Lamont A. Flowers, and the rest of my committee, Dr. Patricia First, Dr. Frankie Keels Williams and Dr. James Satterfield. To my parents, Tamir and Teresa Mutakabbir who have loved and supported me unconditionally, I know you are as proud of me as I feel blessed to have you as parents. To my brother, Ibn Mutakabbir, I love you so much and I am always tickled when you ask me “When are you coming home?” To Julie Hartwell and Marquita Daniels, thank you for keeping me on track with your phone calls. To Professor Oswald Wynter, your hospitality during my visit to Jackson is greatly appreciated. To Nealy Gihan, thank you for your editing assistance. To Carrie Dupre, thank you for your peer review assistance. I truly have a host of supportive friends, classmates, and family. Thank you for your positive thoughts and words of encouragement. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................................... i ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................ iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ......................................................................... 4 Purpose of Study ...................................................................................... 8 Research Questions .................................................................................. 8 Research Methods .................................................................................... 9 Theoretical Foundation .......................................................................... 11 Definition of Terms................................................................................ 21 Delimitations .......................................................................................... 21 Organization of Study ............................................................................ 21 II. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................ 23 Desegregation and Litigation Impacting HBCUs .................................. 31 Factors or Characteristics That Draw White Students to HBCUs ......... 34 The Recruitment Process at HBCUs ...................................................... 38 The Experiences of White Students at HBCUs ..................................... 43 Governance and Organizational Structure at HBCUs ........................... 45 Effects of College Racial Composition on Students .............................. 46 Summary ................................................................................................ 47 III. RESEARCH PROCEDURES ...................................................................... 49 v Table of Contents (Continued) Page Research Questions ................................................................................ 53 Data Collection Procedures .................................................................... 55 Data Analysis Procedures ...................................................................... 64 Strategies for Validating Findings ......................................................... 78 Ethical Issues ......................................................................................... 79 Theoretical Foundation .......................................................................... 80 Summary ................................................................................................ 90 IV. FINDINGS ................................................................................................... 81 Research Question One: What are the experiences of recruitment staff and administrators while recruiting other race students? ................. 82 Research Question Two: How has the Ayers Settlement impacted the recruitment process at public HBCUs? ............................................ 86 Research Question Three: Which policies and practices can be attributed to success in recruiting other race students to HBCUs .................... 90 Summary .............................................................................................. 100 V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS............. 102 Key Interpretations of Existing Literature ........................................... 102 Summary of Major Findings ................................................................ 103 Conclusions .......................................................................................... 105 Limitations ........................................................................................... 109 Recommendations for Practice ............................................................ 110 Recommendations for Future Research ............................................... 111 Significance and Implications .............................................................. 112 Summary .............................................................................................. 113 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................. 114 A: Interview Protocol ...................................................................................... 115 B: Informational Letter for Participants ......................................................... 116 C: Letter Emailed and Sent via Postal Mail to Participants ............................ 117 D: IRB Approval Letters ................................................................................ 119 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................ 121 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Pre-Brown Higher Education Desegregation Cases ............................. 24 2. Post-Brown Cases Challenging Dual Systems of Higher Education ................................................................................... 25 3. Initial