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Choosing Colleges in a Post-Affirmative Action Era: Black Students’ Perceptions of Institutional Diversity and Campus Climate

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Choosing Colleges in a Post-Affirmative Action Era: Black Students’ Perceptions of Institutional Diversity and Campus Climate Choosing Colleges in a Post-Affirmative Action Era: Black Students’ Perceptions of Institutional Diversity and Campus Climate by Kelly E. Slay A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Higher Education) in the University of Michigan 2017 Doctoral Committee: Assistant Professor Julie R. Posselt, Co-Chair, University of Southern California Professor Phillip J. Bowman, Co-Chair Professor Tabbye Chavous Vice Provost Kedra Ishop, Office of Enrollment Management Assistant Professor Awilda Rodriguez Kelly E. Slay [email protected] ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1303-4691 © Kelly E. Slay 2017 Dedication To my grandparents, Delois, Charles, Pearlene & Henry: It is on your shoulders that I stand. With this dissertation, I honor your sacrifice and prayers. To each of my 13 nieces and nephews, I hope my journey has made you see beyond the limits that others will try to place upon you. I pray that you always remember that with God all things are possible. To Chandler, my future Michigan Wolverine: Your admiration and respect has been a source of motivation throughout this project. Your love for the University of Michigan has compelled me to do all that I can to make it a more diverse and inclusive place for you and the next generation of Black students who will step foot on this campus. Finally, to each of the Black undergraduate students who I have mentored over the past 6 years and the 35 student participants I interviewed for this study: Thank you. You have given more to me than you realize. I hope this dissertation honors your truth. ii Acknowledgements When I first embarked on this PhD journey, I had no idea how much I would benefit from the support of so many individuals within and outside of the University of Michigan. Earning a PhD is a very individual experience and yet no one can do it alone. It really does take a village. I was constantly reminded of this truth throughout the dissertation. And I am grateful for all of those who were a part of my village. But first, this study would not have been possible without the high school graduates who gave of their time, in their final summer before college, in the midst of prom, graduation and other obligations. I am also indebted to the university partners who agreed to participate. They were willing to meet with regarding a topic that, at times, can be difficult to discuss. Their candor and openness during both interviews and observations contributed so much to this study. I am very grateful to my committee who guided and supported me throughout this process. I extend my heartfelt thanks to Julie Posselt for her support of this study during every step of this journey. Near the beginning, when I confessed, over dinner, that I wanted to change my dissertation, she was incredibly supportive and understanding. At the end, when I just wanted to give up, she spoke words of affirmation that I so desperately needed to hear. Throughout, she pushed me to develop and write a dissertation that stretched me in many ways. I am amazed at the quality of her feedback and the amount of time she spent with me given her many commitments and the hundreds of miles that separated us in the last year or so of the project. Truly, I have been blessed by Julie’s mentorship. iii Phillip Bowman has enriched my doctoral education at Michigan in ways that are beyond articulation. He has been both an advocate and a mentor over the years. I have fond memories of our many hours-long conversations that helped to refine this study. His wisdom on how to integrate research, policy and practice—an important aim of this dissertation—was invaluable. Tabbye Chavous also played a critical role in my doctoral experience. Through our many conversations and opportunities to work together, I have been so inspired by her deep commitment to rigorous scholarship on Black students. She also welcomed me into her lab, where I was able to get involved in a project that informed a key element of the dissertation. Her feedback on my theoretical framework provided nuance and structure to my findings. I am indebted to Kedra Ishop, who I consider a partner in this research. Not only did she provide access to the individuals and data needed to conduct the study, but also she offered an insightful perspective on its implications for practice. She is a wonderful mentor and colleague whom I look forward to working with in the future. Awilda Rodriguez has been a tremendous asset to my committee. Her expertise in the area of college choice and the thoughtful feedback she offered enhanced the quality of this study. I am beyond grateful for her contributions. I also want to acknowledge current and former CSHPE faculty whose courses and conversations over the years have enriched my thinking on issues related to diversity and equity: Deborah Carter, Betty Overton, Pat King, Ed St, John, Larry Rowley. Lisa Lattuca and Jan Lawrence offered useful insights in the initial phase of this study. Melinda Richardson, Linda Rayle, Joan McCoy and Jessica Mason helped ensure I made progress toward completion and Jessica played a critical role when unexpected circumstances arose. I had the good fortune of being a member of the Posselt Research Team and, over the years, have contributed to research projects with various faculty, initiatives and units on campus, iv including the: Center for the Study of Black Youth in Context, Achievement in Context Lab, National Center for Institutional Diversity, Office of Enrollment Management and the National Poverty Center at the Ford School. I am forever grateful for these enriching experiences and the relationships that I formed through this work. I also worked with colleagues in different capacities within the School of Education and across campus on projects and initiatives aimed at improving campus racial climate. I thank Deborah Ball, Carla O’Connor, Deborah Rivas Drake, AnneMarie Palinscar, Leah Bricker, Lyonel Milton, Katrina Wade Golden, Steve Lonn, Anita Bohn, Royster Harper and Dorceta Taylor for rewarding and deeply impactful opportunities to connect my research to practice. The support I received from various individuals through my involvement in dissertation groups was critical for refining this manuscript. Louis Cicciareli at the Sweetland Writing Center, Kate Brubeck, Wendy Carter, Benjamin Keating, Mary Renda, Shana Rochester, Tabitha Bentley, Angela Ebreo and the Bowman Dissertation support group were immensely helpful. This dissertation was also the product of the financial support from a King Chavez Parks Future Faculty Fellowship, a data collection grant from the Rackham Graduate School at the University of Michigan, and a grant from Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education. Professional development and training experiences sponsored by the Achievement in Context Lab and the Center for the Study of Black Youth in Context were invaluable. I have been blessed with great mentors and friends who supported me through various stages of my PhD and the dissertation: Brian Burt, Chris Nellum, Krystal Williams, Carmen McCallum, Angela Locks, Cassie Barnhardt, Becky Christensen, Thandi Newton, Shirley Green, TaShara Bailey, James Ellis, Kim Lijana, Kim Reyes, Raul Gomez, Jennifer Pollard, and especially Michele Randolph. I am so grateful for their friendship and example. v Members of my cohort, including Aurora Kamimura (and Mark), Jillian Gross, Jessica Joslin and Meredith Billings have been such a wonderful source of support. It is hard to imagine this journey without my chosen sisters. I feel the same about other dear friends I met at Michigan: Erin Bogan, Leanne Kang, Natalie Davis, Tabitha Bentley and Shira Scwartz. I know our friendships will carry us far beyond Ann Arbor. My immediate and extended family (inlcuding my best friends) did not always understand what exactly the PhD or dissertation entailed or how they could best support me, but it didn’t keep them from trying. I thank Tracy, Danny, Ronda, Crystal, Erin, Jill, and Miah for the cards, text messages, care packages, prepared mails and mini weekend getaways. I appreciate my sisters, Cherise and Kelsey, and parents, Milton and Cynthia, who encouraged me and gave me the space I needed to complete this process. Treasured moments with my nieces and nephews reminded to have fun and be present. The prayers of my grandmother fueled my spirit. Finally, I owe my deepest gratitude to Jesus. He gave me the vision for the dissertation to begin with and therefore, everything I needed to execute it with integrity. This process was filled with highs and lows as the dissertation often is. So many things happened that could have easily derailed me—from multiple unexpected deaths, to the vandalism of my car, and other incredibly difficult circumstances that arose unexpectedly. Through it all, Jesus gave me grace to finish. And His scripture came alive for me: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6) and “You are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus” (Roman 8:37). This dissertation would not be possible without my faith in Jesus, who sustained me. vi Table of Contents Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................
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