Racial Climate And Institutional Support Factors Affecting Success In Predominantly White Institutions

"Why is it that as we enter the twenty-first century, the nation's predominantly white colleges and universities continue to be settings where people of color feel unwelcome and marginalized? The contributors to this volume dissect a variety of structural and attitudinal factors that are prevalent in the higher education community, organizational constructs and value orientations which seem to hark more to the past than to the future. They comment on the political, social, and economic factors that have shaped academic culture, and buttressed its quietly efficient maintenance of racially discriminatory practices. "The American system of higher education is often regarded as the best in the world. Smith, Altbach, and Lomotey have edited a volume that implicitly asks how much better still it could be if it embraced people of color and provided them with a supportive and nurturing environment, one which encouraged them to reach their fullest creative and intellectual potential. Indeed, this will probably be the most significant challenge that the academy faces in the twenty-first century." — William B. Harvey, Vice President and Director, Office of Minorities in Higher Education American Council on Education, Washington, D.C.

Racial factors have been shown to play a role in the adjustment of African American college students attending predominantly White institutions (Ancis, Sedlacek, & Mohr, 2000; Davis et al., 2004; Jones, 2004; Solórzano, Ceja, & Yosso, 2000; Swim, Hyers, Cohen, Fitzgerald, & Bylsma, 2003). Social support also appears to be an important factor in the successful adjustment of African American students at PWIs (Bean, Bush, et al., 2003; Cohen & Wills, 1985; Guiffrida, 2003, 2004, 2005; Harris & Molock, 2000; Hinderlie & Kenny, 2002; Kimbrough et al., 1996; Lin, Dean, & Ensel, 1986; Mallinckrodt, 1988; Utsey et al., 2000). Utilizing a longitudinal design, the present study investigated how race-related factors such as racial identity, racial socialization, and racial climate influenced the college adjustment experience of African American students as well as how these factors influenced the size and racial composition of the social support networks. It was hypothesized that social support may play a mediating role in the relationship between these racial factors and college adjustment and that these relationships would vary by class status (freshman vs junior transfer students). Results were mixed and indicated that current racial climate and private regard were concurrently, but not prospectively, associated with overall college and institutional adjustment. This effect was moderated by class status. However, the size and racial composition of social support providers was not predicted by any racial factors nor did it predict college adjustment. Limitations and broad implications of findings are discussed.

The Agony of Education is about the life experience of African American students attending a historically white university. Based on seventy-seven interviews conducted with black students and parents concerning their experiences with one state university, as well as published and unpublished studies of the black experience at state universities at large, this study captures the painful choices and agonizing dilemmas at the heart of the decisions African Americans must make about higher education.

This study examines the complex sources and implications of the racial attitudes of Asian Pacific American (APA) college students, who, as one of the fastest growing demographics in higher education enrollments, play an increasingly significant role in campus race relations.

Eliminating Race-Based Mental Health Disparities offers concrete guidelines and evidence-based best practices for addressing racial inequities and biases in clinical care. Perhaps there is no subject more challenging than the intricacies of race and racism in American culture. More and more, it has become clear that simply teaching facts about cultural differences between racial and ethnic groups is not adequate to achieve cultural competence in clinical care. One must also consider less “visible” constructs—including implicit bias, stereotypes, white privilege, intersectionality, and microaggressions—as potent drivers of behaviors and attitudes. In this edited volume, three leading experts in race, mental health, and contextual behavior science explore the urgent problem of racial inequities and biases, which often prevent people of color from seeking mental health services—leading to poor outcomes if and when they do receive treatment. In this much-needed resource, you’ll find evidence-based recommendations for addressing problems at multiple levels, and best practices for compassionately and effectively helping clients across a range of cultural groups and settings. As more and more people gain access to services that have historically been unavailable to them, guidelines for cultural competence in clinical care are needed. Eliminating Race-Based Mental Health Disparities offers a comprehensive road map to help you address racial health disparities and improve treatment outcomes in your practice.

Many contemporary skills and approaches have emerged as the result of researching and working with diverse global partnerships, teams, networks, companies, and projects. Due to the increasingly innovative global community, it is necessary adapt to these developments and aspire to those most important for their particular involvement. Approaches to Managing Organizational Diversity and Innovation presents a variety of practical tools, skills, and practices that demonstrate effective ways to positively impact the global community through effective management practice. Demonstrating different ways to manage diversity and innovation, this publication provides models and approaches capable of transforming societies, citizens, and professionals so they are better prepared to embrace diversity. This reference work is particularly useful to academicians, professionals, engineers, and students interested in understanding how globalization impacts their discipline or practice.