MAKING AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION JUST · MAKING AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION JUST ... • “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke (1964) Written by Sam Cooke • “Glory” by John

Copyright 2017, University of Southern California, Center for Urban Education Rossier School of Education. All Rights Reserved. The contents cannot be copied or disseminated without express written permission from the Center for Urban Education

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MAKING AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION JUST ByDr.EstelaMaraBensimon

This text is Dr. Estela Mara Bensimon’s 2017 AERA social justice award recipient lecture, presented April 30, 2017 at the 2017 AERA conference.

{ Watch the lecture: https://app.box.com/v/2017AERAsj }

While the audience arrived and took their seats, a music compilation played. The songs, listed below, and specific lyrics were selected by Dr. Bensimon, and referenced throughout her presentation. At the end of the paper you can find a complete list of titles with lyrics.

• “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye (1971) Written by Al Cleveland, Renaldo Benson, and Marvin Gaye

• “ICE El Hielo” by La Santa Cecilia (2013) Written by Alex Bendaña, José Carlos, Marisol Hernández, Sebastián Krys, Claudia Brant, and Miguel Ramírez

• “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)” by K’naan (2016) Written by Trooko, René Pérez Joglar, Claudia Feliciano, Riz Ahmed, Keinan Warsame, and Lin-Manuel Miranda

• “Quihubo, Raza” by Agustín Lira & Alma (2016) Written by Agustín Lira

• “We Shall Overcome” by Mahalia Jackson (1968) Written by Charles Albert Tindley

• “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke (1964) Written by Sam Cooke

• “Glory” by John Legend feat. Common (2014) Written by John Stephens, Lonnie Lynn, and Che Smith

• “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy (1990) Written by Carlton Ridenhour, Eric Sadler, Hank Boxley, and Keith Boxley

• “Freedom” by Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar (2016) Written by Arrow Benjamin, Jonny Coffer, Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce Knowles, Alan Lomax, John Lomax, Frank Tirado, and Carla White

Copyright 2017, University of Southern California, Center for Urban Education Rossier School of Education. All Rights Reserved.

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Afewmomentsago,youheardMarvinGaye’sbeautifulvoiceasking“Whatisgoingon?”“Whatisgoingon?”MarvinGayesangthatinthe1960’storaiseconsciousnessabouttheevilsofwarandracism.

Nowin2017,“Whatisgoingon?”isthequestionthatrunsthroughmymindwithvaryinglevelsofurgencyeveryday—andI'msureitrunsthroughmanyofyourmindseachdayaswell.Itseemedveryfittingtome,then,tomakethatquestionalsorunthroughthislecture,whichistitled“MakingAmericanHigherEducationJust.”

In preparing this lecture, I debated how to best approach the topic of justice and injustice in higher education.

TherearenumeroushistoricaltouchstonesIcouldhaveusedasastartingpointaswellasanumberofmyownpersonalexperiencesandtheexperiencesofcolleagues,students,andthemanypeoplewhoseexperiencesIhavedocumentedinarticlesandbooks.Buthereisthestartingpointforme:Makinghighereducationjustrequiresequity-mindedpractitionersandresearchersaswellasphilanthropistsandintermediaryorganizationleaders.Allofthem.Workingtogether.

Believing jointly in the need for justice in education and in the essential value of racial equity.

Thismeanshavingasharedunderstandingofthecharacteristicsofequity-mindedness,including1)beingrace-consciousinacriticalway,asopposedtocolor-blind;2)beingcognizantofhowracismisproducedthrougheverydaypractices;and3)havingthecouragetomakeracismvisibleanddiscussable.

Equity-mindednessasawayofseeingandactinghasbeentheidealthatIandmycolleaguesattheCenterforUrbanEducationhavebeenworkingtowardssinceourfounding.


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Toputequity-mindednessintothemostcontemporarycontextofhighereducationandwithinthetheme“MakingHigherEducationJust”Iwilltalkveryfranklyaboutthetechno-rationalsolutionsthatare“trending”aspartofthecollegecompletionagendaintheUnitedStates—andthestartlinginvisibilityofraceandracisminthoseso-calledsolutions..

Iamusingthisterm--“techno-rational”--todescribestructuralsolutions,sometimesreferredtoas“gamechangers”,thatoverlooknotonlythecomplexityofcommunitycollegesbutalsotheracializednatureofcommunitycolleges.Inparticular,Iamasking,“Whatisgoingon?”tobringattentiontotheprevalenceofracialinvisibilityintechno-rationalsolutionsaimedatreformingthemosturgentproblemsbeingconfrontedbycommunitycolleges.

Isaythiswithfullawarenessthatportraying community colleges as racialized is not the way we usually talk about higher education.Infact,raceandracismascharacteristicsofhighereducationaretypicallyabsentfrommainstreamdepictionsofhighereducation.Aslongaswesaynothingaboutthesilencingofrace,andIamincludingwhitenesshere,itwillcontinuetohappen.Thus,itisimportantthatthoseofuswhoaregiventheopportunitytospeakpubliclyusethatprivilegeintheinterestsofjustice.Thishasneverbeenmoretruethanitisinthiscountryrightnow,nomatterwhoyouareorwhereyouareinyourcareerorscholarship.

OneofthefirstbooksthatIreadasabeginningdoctoralstudentatTeachersCollegeHigherEducationprogramwasJosephBen-David’s“TrendsinAmericanHigherEducation”(1981).EventhoughIreadthatbookinadifferentcentury,moredecadesagothanIprefertocalculate,tothisdayIrecallBen-David’sdepictionofoursystemasegalitarian(1981).

Insteadofseeingahighly-stratifiedsystemofhighereducation,Ben-Davidsawasystemthatwasintegratedbyatieredstructurethat,heassumed,madetransferfromoneinstitutiontoanotherandfromalowersectortoonethatwashigheranaturalandsmoothprocess(1981).

Ben-David’sfocusonthestructuralorganizationofhighereducationmadehimseearationaldistributionoflaborbysectorandinstitutionaltypesthatfromtheoutsideappeared,fair,egalitarian,andfreeof“racialdiscrimination”(1981).Hesingledoutforspecialpraisethetransferopportunitiesavailableatthattimetojuniorcollegestudents(Ben-David,1981).

IncontrasttoBen-David,contemporaryphilosophers,scholarsofeducation,andsociologists,prominentamongthemLionelMcPherson,ShaunHarper,GregAnderson,EduardoBonilla-Silva,AnaMartinezAleman,SylviaHurtado,LauraRendon,LoriPatton,DannySolorzano,TaraYosso,AliciaDowd,MitchChang,RobTeranishiandmanymorepointtoasystemofhighereducationthatissustainedbystructures,policies,andpracticesthatmanufactureracialinequality.

Wheremainstreamwhitescholarsseeahighereducationsystemthatisadaptivetoallkindsofstudents,criticalscholarsofcolorseeandcallattentiontotheproductionofracialinequality.Wheremainstreamwhitescholarsandpolicymakersthinkinnon-racialtermsaboutstructures,policies,practices,andpeople,

Contemporary scholars point to a system of higher education that is sustained by structures, policies, and practices that manufacture racial inequality


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criticalscholarsofcolorassumeananalyticalorientationthatacceptsracismasendemictohighereducation.Wheremainstreamwhitescholarsseestructureasameansofbringingordertodisorder,criticalscholarsofcolorseearacialstructurepairedwithadiscourseofwhitenessthatmustbedismantled.

However,asIwilldiscussfurther,thiscriticalvoiceofscholarsofcolorisinvisibleinthenationalreformsthatproposetosupportthecollegecompletionagenda,particularlyasappliedincommunitycolleges.

I realize that when I call for the visibility of race and for the capacity to understand race critically, I have something in mind that may not be self-evident to everyone.

First,asacaveat,Idorecognizeandacceptthatraceisasociallyconstructedcategory.However,asEduardoBonilla-Silvapointsout,raceissociallyconstructedbutithasa“socialreality”meaningthat“itproducesrealeffectsontheactorsracializedas“black”or“white”(2006).Inmyworkwithcollegesitisnotunusualtobeasked“whydoyoufocusonrace?”ortohearpeopleassert“Idon’tseerace,Ijustseepeople.”Ialsohearthatsinceraceisnotabiologicalfactweshouldnottrytoobservethequalityofclassroominteractionsbetweeninstructorsandstudentswhoarenotwhite.

SobelievemewhenItellyouthatIamawarethatnoticing“race”basedonskincolororotherphysicalcharacteristicsisimperfect.ButIalsoknowthatrefusingtoseeraceortopretendthatitdoesnotexistwillnotmakeracismgoaway.

K.AnthonyAppiahcautionsusthattotalkaboutraceintelligently,wemustbeclearaboutwhatwemean.

Inthislecture,Iamusingtheterm“race”asasignifier,alabelthatreferstopeoplewhohaveexperiencedoppressionandwhoshareahistoryofoppression.Iamusing“race”tomakethepointthat“black”and“white”circumscribethesocialrealitiesofscholars,funders,policymakers,leaders,instructors,staffandstudents.Blackandwhitearepresentevenwhentheyarenotexplicitlynamed.

Iuse"race"inreferencetoBlackAmericans,MexicanAmericans,PuertoRicans,AmericanIndians,Hawaiians,andPacificIslandersbecausetheyshareahistoryofoppressionbasedonassumptionsthatcolorandotherphysicalcharacteristics,aswellaslanguage,aremarkersofinferioritythatjustifiedsubjugation,exclusion,anddiscrimination.ThoughIusetheterm“race”toencompasscommunitieswithdistinctexperiencesofoppression,Iamwellawarethatthecircumstancesbywhicheachofthesegroupsbecame“American”aredifferent.Nevertheless,thesecommunitiessharetheexperienceofbecoming“American”byforce,notchoice.

Since1999,whenIfoundedtheCenterforUrbanEducation,myworkhasfocusedonmakingracialinequalityinhighereducation“public”topractitioners,leaders,policymakers,andscholars.

Myaimistocreateawarenessofthefine-graineddetailsofracialinequalityandbuildinstitutionalcapacitytoinstitutionalizeracialequity.Iviewracialequityasanessentialqualityofinstitutionsofhighereducation.AndIbelievethatpractitionersandleadersneedtodevelopthecompetencetoperformracialequityroutinelyand

My aim is to create awareness of the fine-grained details of racial inequality and build institutional capacity to institutionalize racial equity.


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conscientiously.AnaspectoftheworkwecarryoutattheCenterforUrbanEducationistocreatetoolstosupportcriticalracialanalysisofexistingpoliciesandotherkindsoflegacyartifactsthathavebeengiventhestatureofmasterframeworksandcarrytheauthorityof“bestpractices.”Typically,thesebestpracticesarenot"best"atall—theyarenotraceconsciousanddonotconsiderthatwhatmayworkwellforwhitestudentsmaybeharmfultostudentsofcolorormightperpetuateinequality.

Inthelastcoupleofyears,wehaveseenprivatefoundationsinvestingheavilyinreformstoimprovethedeliveryofremediationinEnglishandMathematics,toincreasethenumberofstudentswhotransfersuccessfullyfromcommunitycollegestofour-yearcolleges,andtoimproveefficiencybystreamliningthecurriculumintodegreepathwaystoreducethelikelihoodthatstudentswilltakecoursesthatlengthentheamountoftimeittakestoearnadegree.

AliciaDowdalongwithmanyothersdescribescommunitycollegesasgatewaysandgatekeepersofracialequitysimultaneously.OurcenterworkswithmanycommunitycollegesinCaliforniaandColoradoandweviewremedialeducationandlowtransferratesasmajorobstaclestoracialequity.Consequently,wehaveexaminedavarietyofdocuments,books,andreportsonthesereformswiththreeinterpretivequestionsinmind:

Thesearesimple,straightforwardquestionsandtheyarefocusedonansweringonelargerquestion:Whobenefitsandwhomightbeharmedbyreformsthatdonotacknowledgethesocialrealityofminoritizedstudents?


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ThedocumentsthatwesubjectedtothethreecriticalracequestionsincludeadocumenttitledCorePrinciplesforTransformingRemediationWithinaComprehensiveStudentSuccessStrategy:AJointStatement(2015)publishedbyaconsortiumoforganizations,includingamongothersCompleteCollegeAmerica,AmericanAssociationofCommunityColleges,EducationCommissionoftheStates,andothers.WealsoexaminedtheTransferPlaybook(Wyneretal.,2016),publishedbyCCRCandtheAspenInstituteandvariousdocumentsrepresentingGuidedPathwaysapopularreformthathasattractedmillionsofdollarsinfoundationandgovernmentfunding.Thesedocumentsrepresentasetoftrendingsolutionsineducationandarecurrentlyenjoyingagreatdealofmomentum.

Icallthesedocuments“artifacts”inthetraditionofsocio-historicalactivitytheorywhichpositsthatpeoplecarryouttheirworkinactivitysettingsandthatartifacts,whichcanbedocumentsaswellaslanguage,mediatepractices.Thesetofartifactsweanalyzedwerecreatedwiththeintenttomediatereforms--thatistosaythattheyprovideadviceonhowtoperformremedialeducationandtransferinwaysthataremoreresponsivetotheneedsofstudentsandtheirsuccess.

Frommyperspective,transfer,remedialeducation,andcurriculardysfunctionsdisproportionatelyimpactBlackAmericans,LatinosandLatinas,andAmericanIndiansthereforeitisimportanttoascertainwhethertheseartifactswillactuallyrectifyracialinequities.

Attheoutset,thissetofartifactsmakeoneimportantcontributioninthattheyfocusonwhatcollegesneedtodotoimprovetheoutcomesofstudents;theartifactsdonotsituatetheprobleminstudents’motivationorculturalbackground.

Thatsaid,fromacriticalraceperspective,thissetofartifactsareproblematicforavarietyofreasons:

Raceisconspicuouslyinvisibleinallofthedocuments.Awordsearchusingavarietyofdescriptors,includingAfricanAmerican,Black,Latino,Hispanic,equity,inequity,race,racial,etc.essentiallyturnedupthesameresult,“nosuchtermfound.”[slide]Forexamplethetransferplaybookhasnoreferences

toBlack,Latinos,orAmericanIndians;noreferencetoraceorequity.Instead,raceneutraltermssuchaslow-incomeandfirstgenerationareusedacoupleoftimes.Also,thetermdemographicisusedrepeatedly,asin“demographicforces.”Iamawarethatwhenthereisdiscomforttotalkaboutrace,individualsmayresorttoeuphemisticsubstitutestomean"race"withoutsayingit.Buttonotnameracedirectlycancreateharmoutofgoodintentions.

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IntheTransferBook(2016),whileraceisnotmentioneddirectly,communitycollegesareseenasanaturalsupplyof“diversity”thatcanhelpfour-yearcollegesmeetdiversitygoals.

TheTransferBook(2016)makesthepointthatmoststudentsenteringacommunitycollegeaimtoearnabachelor’sdegreebut“forahostoffinancialandotherreasons,manyareunlikelytotransfer".WhileIagreethatfinancesmaybeanimpedimenttotransfer,Idon’tthinkitisthemainimpediment.

Raceandracismshouldbeconsideredamong“thoseotherreasons”thatblocktransfer(2016).

TheemphasisoftheTransferBook(2016)isonarticulationagreements,curricularmaps,data,andspecializedadvisement.Procedures,structures,andpracticesareindeedimportantandtheyneedtoworkefficiently.Buttransferisnotanassemblylineprocessthatcanbemadetoworkwithmachine-

likeexactitudebytinkeringwithstructures.Articulationagreements,curricularmaps,data,specializedadvisement,transfercenterswillnotchangetheoutcomesforLatinos,AfricanAmericans,andAmericanIndiansifpractitionersdonotask“Whobenefitsfromthesestructuralarrangementsbyraceandethnicity?”“Howcanwecreatestructuralreformsthatareraceconscious?”

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Theword“data”ismentionedover45timesintheplaybook(2016).Yettheimportanceofdisaggregatingdatabyraceandethnicitytoseewhospecificallyistransferringandwherearetheytransferringtoisnotmentioned.ItmattersagreatdealtomonitorwhetherBlackandLatinoand

AmericanIndianstudentsaretransferringtopublicandprivatecollegesortothefor-profitsector.

ThedocumentonthecoreprinciplesoftransformingremedialeducationpresentsthecrisisaroundremedialeducationasaproblemofALLstudents.Whilemanystudentsstrugglewithdevelopmentaleducation,themajorityofstudentswhoareplacedintoandnevercompletedevelopmentaleducation

sequencestendtobepredominatelystudentsofcolor(i.e.,AfricanAmerican,Hispanic,NativeAmerican).Therefore,thefocuson“allstudent”solutionspapersoverrace.

The only nod to race in the Transfer Playbook (2016) is the photo of a student who is black, she might be Black American, but she could also be international or Latina.

Neitherasinglephotoormanycompensateforleavingraceoutofthebodyofthedocument.

Likethetransferplaybook,thecoreprinciplesusecodewordsthatIassumerefertoblack,Latino,andAmericanIndianstudentswithoutspecificallynamingthem.

Themosttroublingaspectofthecoreprinciplestoreformremediationistheimplicitfaiththatdifferentkindsofstructuresandsequenceswillcreatebetteroutcomes.WhileIdonotdisputetheneedforstructuralchange,raceisasignificantfactorinthecrisisofremedialeducation,andone-size-

fits-allstructuralchangesthatfailtotakeraceseriouslywillonlybenefitminoritizedstudentswhohavedevelopedthecopingstrategiestosucceedinalienatingcontexts.Butthestudentswhoareplacedinremedialcoursesoftenlacktheknow-howtoovercomealienatinginstructorsandclassrooms.

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Anothernoticeableandregrettableoversightinthecoreprinciplesoftransformingremedialeducationisthesignificanceofinstructors’beliefs,pedagogicalcompetence,andcapacitytounderstandthesocialrealityofminoritizedstudents.Changestotheorganizationofremedialeducationortothemethodsofassessmentandplacementinremedialeducationcourseswillnotinduceinstructorstodiscardthe“folktheories”theycalluponandthroughwhichtheynaturalizethefailureofminoritizedstudents.

Ifaprevailingbeliefamongremedialeducationinstructorsisthatstudentsfromparticularracial/ethnicgroupsare“doomedtofailure”andthatthereislittletheycandotoreversethesituation,itisdoubtfulthatstructuralchangesthatarenotrace-consciouswillleadthemtoviewinequityasafailureoftheirpractices.

Relatedly,butmuchmorecomplicated,instructorslacktheknow-howtonoticethatthewaysinwhichtheyinteractwithminoritizedstudentscanimposeaself-worthtax(Dowd&Bensimon,2015).Forexample,syllabifullofrulesseemtobecommonincommunitycolleges.Theserule-heavysyllabisuggestthatinstructorshavelowexpectationsoftheirstudents.Theyanticipatethatstudentswillviolaterules,misbehave,andnotact,assomesyllabiputit,“civilized.”Thesesyllabilistthemanyanddifferentwaysinwhichstudentsriskfailingorbeingaskedtoleavetheclass.

Asyllabustypicallyisaninstructionalartifactthatlaysoutaplanforwhatwillhappeninacourse,whatstudentswillbeaskedtodo.Itisaguide.Itisaresource.Itisalsoamediumthroughwhichtheinstructorcommunicateswithstudentsthevalueandjoyofaparticulartopic.Instead,someinstructorsusesyllabiasinstrumentsofdisciplineandadmonishment.Thelanguageofrulespaintsanimageofstudentsasdisruptiveratherthanaslearners.Inthecontextofrace,suchmessagesareharmfultostudents’self-worth.

Forthesakeofbrevity,IhavespokenonlyabouttheTransferPlaybook(2016)andtouchedlightlyontheCorePrinciplesforreformingremedialeducation.Theliteratureonhowtodopathwaysalsoleavesraceout.

Theideologyreproducedthroughthesedocumentsisthatracedoesnotmattersufficientlytomeritnaming,analysis,orconsiderationofhowtransfer,remedialeducation,anddegreeattainmentareinfactracialized.

The ideology reproduced through these documents is that race does not matter sufficiently to merit naming, analysis, or consideration of how transfer, remedial education, and degree attainment are in fact racialized


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Scholarswholeaveraceout,particularlywhenraceisintegraltothephenomenabeingconsideredshouldtakeheedandcounselfromDouglasMassey:PaperingoverRacemakesforbadsocialtheory,badresearch,andbadpolicy.

Inreviewingthesedocuments,IwassurprisedabouttheconsistentomissionofraceandIwonderedwhy.Afterall,theextentofracialinequalitythathasbeencreatedthroughtheoverrepresentationofblack,Latino,andAmericanIndianstudentsinremedialeducationcoursesiswelldocumentedandwellknown.Thefactthatthesestudentsalsocontinuetohavethelowesttransferratesisalsowelldocumentedandwellknown.

So, what is going on?Howcoulditbethenthatthesocialrealityofthesestudentsisinvisibleindocumentsthataimtosolvearacializedproblem?Whyisitthat,still,54yearsaftertheadoptionofthe1964CivilRightsActwearenotabletoengageinstraighttalkabouthowraceandracismoperatethroughtheverystructuresthatthesedocumentsaimtoreform?


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Here are some possible explanations. HighereducationisthoughttobemoreliberalthanotherAmericaninstitutions.ItispossiblethatliberalideologycreatesafalsesenseofconfidencethatinaddressingALLSTUDENTStheinterestsandneedsofminoritizedstudentsareincluded.Itispossiblethatinpositingtransfer,remedialeducation,

and“guidedpathways”asasetofrace-neutralpractices,structures,andpolicies,theauthorsmadeachoicetoappealtouniversalinterestsandbemorelikelytogetbuy-infrompractitioners,policy-makers,andleaderswhodon’twanttotalkaboutraceorcomplainof“racefatigue”orbelievethatwehavegottenover“raceandracism”sowhybringitup.Itispossiblethattheauthorsofthesedocumentsfeelthat“Allstudentsmeansallstudents”andthereisnoneedtospecify,“Blackstudents”“Latinostudents”“Whitestudents.”Theybelievethatfocusingonallstudentsisfairandobjective.Unfortunately,“allstudents”oftenendsupnormalizingtheexperienceofwhitestudents.Whendataarepresentedfor“all”students,racializedoutcomesarecoveredup.

Tohelpexplaintheproblemwith“raceneutral”discoursesIturntoAmyGutman.InheressayRespondingtoRacialInjustice(Gutman,1996)shemakesthepointthatwhenwell-meaningpeoplebelievethatcolor-blindnessmeansbeingraciallyjust,theyareassuminganidealsocietythathas

gottenoverracism.Butweareverymuchanon-idealsociety.Wehaveveryclearlynotgottenoverracism.ThereforecriticalraceconsciousnessistheonlyappropriateandnecessarystancetoaddresstheconsequencesofpracticesthatdisproportionatelydepriveBlackAmericans,Latinos,AmericanIndians,andPacificIslandersofthekindofeducationalexperiencethatthewellto-dofeelentitledto.Tonotconsiderthe

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roleofraceandracismintransfer,remedialeducation,andinguidedprogrampathwaysistomistakenlyassumethatthecommunitycollegeisalreadyjustandthereforeraceisnolongerrelevant.

Idon’tthinkthattheauthorsofthesereportsviewthecommunitycollegeastheidealmodelofeducationaljustice.

So what is going on? Why was race left out? • Itispossiblethattheseauthorsunderstandracismasovertindividualandinterpersonalactsthatare

easilylabeledas“racist.”• Butinthepresentdaythemoresinisterandinsidiousproblemisstructuralracismthatisproduced

througheverydaypracticesthatarecarriedoutsystematically.Structuralracismisextremelychallengingbecausemostpeopledonotseeitandthosewhodoseeitareoftendismissedforseeingtoomuch.

Areformperspectiveontransferthatplacessomuchfaithinthestructuraldesignoftransferasthesolutiontolowtransferratesandfailstodirectpractitioners,leaders,policymakers,intermediaryorganizations,andfundersonhowtoexaminethesestructuresforracialbiasanddisproportionateimpactonstudentsofcolorrunstheriskof‘effectivelymaintaininginequality.”

Theextenttowhichstructureswillbeeffective,fair,andjustforstudentsofcolorwhoexperiencethelowestratesoftransferdependsgreatlyinthebeliefs,values,andknowledgeofpractitioners.Mostpractitionersdonotthinkofracialinequalityasanenduringcharacteristicoftheirinstitutionsandaretypicallyunawareoftheirimplicitbiases.Theyarenotinthehabitofasking“WhyisitthatmypracticesyearafteryearfailtocreatesuccessforBlackstudents,forLatinoandLatinastudents,forAmericanIndianstudents,forPacificIslanderstudents?”


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Ihavedescribedtheseartifactdocumentsas“masterframeworks”becausetheycarrytheauthorityofleadersinthecommunitycollegeagenda;theyhavetheimprimaturofpowerfulfunders;andtheyhaveaforumthatenablesthemtoinfluencewhatcommunitycollegeleadersandpractitionersviewastherightthingtodo.Yetthesedocumentsdonotanswerthequestionof"What'sgoingon?"Andtheydonotmoveusclosertomakingeducationjust.

Sowhatwehaveisascenarioinwhichtheleadingvoicesonthecommunitycollegefailtoassertracialequityasagoal;theyfailtoviewcommunitycollegesasracializedinstitutions;andtheyfailtoperceivetheracialconsequencesofostensiblyraceneutralreforms.Withthesefailures,theymaketheworkofracialequityadvocatesevenmorechallengingthatitalreadyis.

Inmyarticlethe"UnderestimatedSignificanceofPractitionerKnowledge”(Bensimon,2007)intheScholarshiponStudentSuccess,Ispeakabouttheproblemofhighlycohesiveandhomogenousscholarnetworks.DrawingontheworkoforganizationscholarKarlWeickitispossiblethattheabsenceofraceowestothelackofvariabilityintheconceptualizationoftransfer,remedialeducation,anddegreepathways.Smallscholarlyandpolicymakingcommunitieswithclosedisciplinaryandsocialtiesmayblocktheentryofcriticalracetheoriesandperspectives.Areviewofthecitationsindexoftheseartifactdocumentsshownoreferencestotheworksofscholarsofcolorgenerally,andinparticulartothosewhohaveacriticalperspective.

Forexample,theworkofProfessorLauraRendononvalidationtheory,whichisofgreatrelevancetounderstandtheexperienceandneedsofstudentsofcolor,isnowheretobefound.TheworkofSylviaHurtadoandDeborahCarteron“senseofbelonging”isalsomissing.TheworkofTaraParkerandLeticiaBustillosonremedialeducationisalsomissing.TheworkofShaunHarperonracialclimatesandhighachievingAfricanAmericanmalesisalsomissing.TheworkofVictorSaenzandLuisPonjuanonLatinomalesincommunitycolleges,alsomissing.Themanycriticalandrace-centricstudiesoncommunitycollegetransferwrittenbyAliciaDowdandcolleagues--alsomissing.Shouldweassumethattheyaremissingbecausethecreatorsoftheseartifactdocumentsareentirelyunawareofthem?Orisitbecausetheyarenotthoughttoberelevant?Orperhapsit'sbecausetheircriticalorientationmakesthemsomehowsuspect.Again,Ihavetoask"Whatisgoingon?"

Idoknowthattheconsequencesofatightlyknitandhomogenoussocialnetworkofscholars,policymakers,andleadersofintermediaryorganizationsisthatracializedproblemswhenviewedthroughostensiblyrace-neutralframeworksruntherisknotonlyofperpetuatinginequalitybutworseningit.Forexample,thereisalreadyevidencethatreformsofremedialeducationthatarenotmonitoredforracialeffectsactuallyincreaseracialgaps.

In1989,inaChronicleofHigherEducationarticletitled“AnElitePriesthoodofWhiteMalesDominatestheCentralAreasofCivil-RightsScholarship”MichaelOlivasasked,Why is it that when it comes to issues of Civil Rights, scholarship is dominated by white males who display a surprising pattern of self-citation.Sohereweare,threedecadeslaterandIamstillaskinghowcoulditbethatthebodyofknowledgeinformingreformsaimedatthesectorthathasbeengiventhegreatestresponsibilityfortheattainmentofracialequitysystematicallyexcludesthecriticalperspectivesofscholarsofcolor?

Butitiseasyformetocritiquewithoutofferinganalternativeforconsideration.Bywayofintroducinganalternativereformstrategythatmoredirectlyaddressesracismandthepossibilityofmoresociallyjustpractices,IwanttoverybrieflyturntoanexamplefromCUE’sworkthatillustratesthedetrimental


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consequencesofhomogenousnetworksandthepromiseofraciallyconsciousreformswhenpractitionersbecomeawareofwhitenessasaracialframe.Afewyearsagoourcenter,withthesupportoftheFordFoundationandtheBillandMelindaGatesFoundation,workedtoimplementtheEquityScorecardinColoradocolleges.OneoftheparticipatingcollegeswastheCommunityCollegeofAurora.Thechairofthemathdepartment,JamesGray,waspartoftheteamthatweworkedwith.WhenwemetJamesitwasclearthathewasaseriousanddedicatedchairandinstructor.Itwasalsoevidentthatracialequitywasnotsomethingthatheconsidered.Infact,hementionedthatthestateleveldiscussiononthereformofremedialeducationnevertouchedonracialequityandthatithadnotoccurredtohimtobringitup.RemedialmathdatainhisowndepartmentwhenforthefirsttimeitwasbrokendownbyraceandethnicityshowedthatBlacksandLatinoswereexperiencingthegreatestgapsincoursesuccess.Throughthemethodsofparticipatorycriticalactionresearch,weengagedJamesandhiscolleaguesinavarietyofinquiryactivitiestohelpthemseethattheirpracticeswereracialized.Oneoftheinquiryactivitieswasaroundhiringofmathfaculty.Inansweringthequestion:“Howdoyoudofacultyhiring?”AndthroughaprocessofbreakingtheroutinepracticeofhiringintoitsmostminutedetailsJamescametotherealizationthatinthe10yearsheservedaschairhehadnothiredasingleAfricanAmericanandthereasonforthathadtodowiththestructureofhiring,whichincludedexplicitandimplicitrules,theexternalcommunityhereliedontoidentifycandidates,andtheartifactsthatwereintegraltothehiringprocesssuchasinterviewguides.ThroughthisprocessJamesrealizedthatinrelyingonanall-whitenetworkofmathdepartmentchairshewaseffectivelyensuringthattherewouldbenoAfricanAmericancandidatesinthepool.TheprocessofstudyinghiringasaracializedstructuredenabledJamestomakemajorchangesthatresultedinthehiringofblackandLatinofaculty.Oneofthechangeswastoaskeachcandidatetodemonstratehowtheywouldexplainthesyllabusonthefirstdayofclass.Thissimpleexercisemadeitpossibletodifferentiateamongcandidatesthatexplainedthesyllabusasacontractualdocumentandthosethatwereabletoexplainthesyllabuswiththeobjectiveofconnectingwithstudentsandreducingtheirfearsaboutmath.

MakinghighereducationjustrequiresresearchmethodsandreformagendasthatwillempowerpractitionerslikeJameswiththecriticalknowledgeandtoolsthatarenecessarytodismantletheeverydaypracticesthatproduceracialinequality.Institutionalizedracismisaproblemofpracticethatismoreproductivelyunderstood“locally”ratherthanatamacrolevel.

Jameslearnedtochangetheactivitysettingthatconstitutedfacultyhiring.Buthedidnotlearntochangehispracticesbecausehereada

Making higher education just requires research methods and reform agendas that will empower practitioners like James with the critical knowledge and tools that are necessary to dismantle the everyday practices that produce racial inequality.


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reportonthereformofremediationortheso-calledbestpracticesofremediation(andifhehadIdoubtitwouldhavedirectedhimtoexaminetheracialmakeupofhisfaculty,howhedoeshiring,orhowheusescourseleveldatadisaggregatedbyraceandethnicitytoassistindividualfacultyfocusonracialequity).Hewasabletoseehowhispracticeswereblockingthehiringoffacultyofcolorbecausewecreatedastructureandtoolsthatenabledhimandhiscolleaguestoaskdirectracequestionsoftheirownpractices.Currentreforminitiativesinremedialeducation,transfer,orguidedpathways,inadditiontobeingcolorblind,completelyneglecttheimportanceofinquiryintoeverydaypracticesasastrategyforpractitionerlearningandchange.Insomecasestheterm“inquiry”issprinkledhereandtherebutinquiryisnotanaturalpractice,andinquiryintoone’sownpracticesaswellasassumptionsandbeliefsisverycomplex.

Ichosethetitle“MakingHigherEducationJust”becauseIbelieveitisamessagewecanallunitebehind.Itcallsforjusticeatatimeinthiscountrywhenjusticeisinrathershortsupply.AnditreflectstheaspirationsinthemissionoftheCenterforUrbanEducationandintheresearchmethodsweusetopartnerwithindividualslikeJamestoremovethebarrierstoracialinequity.Itisnotsimplyatheoryoranidea,butaprovenpracticethatfosterschange,and—yes—justice.

Theotherthemerunningthroughmytalktodayrelatedtomusic—toansweringaquestionaboutwhatisgoingoninthesetimeswe'relivingin.ButthatisjustonesongoutofmanythatIchosetoplaytodayforyou.

BesidesrepresentingartistswhoIenjoylisteningto,thelyricsinthosesongsreflectotherthemesinmytalkandinhowIthinkaboutmywork.LikeHamilton’scast,Iammakingacasethatscholarsofcolor,likeimmigrants,getthejobdonewhenitcomestounderstandingracialinequityand“allyougottodoisseetheworldthroughtheireyes.”Metaphorically,LaSantaCecilia’sICE—WaterFrozenSolidisthe“wall”thatscholarsandadvocatesofracialequitycomeupagainstwhentheybringupissuesliketheonesIhavebroughtupthisafternoon.

Andofcourse,likeMarvinGaye,Ihaveasked“WhatisGoingon?"Iwishsomeonecoulddefinitivelytellme.Tellmewhythepeoplewhoaresupposedtobeleadersontheseissuesseemsoblindtogenuinepositivechange.Tellmewhytheyleaveraceout.Tellmewhytheydonottakeheedfromthescholarsandadvocateswhostrugglemightilytorectifyracialwrongs.

Tellmewhytheimprintsofscholarsofcoloraresoplainlymissingfromthenetworksthataimtoreformwhatscholarsofcolorhavebeenreformingalways.

Giventhemanyotherthingshappeningineducationandinthiscountryrightnow,Isuspectallofuswillbeasking"Whatisgoingon?"foryearstocome.Butmaybetheanswertothatquestionisinanother,relatedquestionthatwecanallaskourselvesjustasoften:

"What can I do to change what is going on?"

Thankyou.

I chose the title “Making Higher Education Just” because I believe it is a message we can all unite behind. It calls for justice at a time in this country when justice is in rather short supply.


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References

Ahmed,S.(2012).Onbeingincluded:Racismanddiversityininstitutionallife.DukeUniversityPress.

Ben-David,J.(1981).TrendsinAmericanhighereducation.Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress.

Bensimon,E.M.(2007).Theunderestimatedsignificanceofpractitionerknowledgeinthescholarshipon

studentsuccess.TheReviewofHigherEducation,30(4),441-469.

Bonilla-Silva,E.,2006.Racismwithoutracists:Color-blindracismandthepersistenceofracialinequalityin

theunitedstates(2nded.).Lanham:Rowman&LittlefieldPublishers.

Coates,T.(2016,January27).TheCaseforConsideringReparations.RetrievedApril15,2017,from

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/tanehisi-coatesreparations/427041/

CorePrinciplesforTransformingRemediationWithinaComprehensiveStudentSuccess

Strategy:AJointStatement(Rep.).(2015).

Dowd,A.C.,author,&Bensimon,E.M.a.(2015).Engagingthe"racequestion":Accountabilityandequityin

U.S.highereducation.NewYork;London;:TeachersCollegePress.

Gutmann,A.(1996).Respondingtoracialinjustice.TANNERLECTURESONHUMANVALUES,17,295-346.

Olivas,M.A.(1989).Anelitepriesthoodofwhitemalesdominatesthecentralareasofcivilrightsscholarship.

TheChronicleofHigherEducation,35(37),B1.

Wyner,J.,Deane,K.,Jenkins,D.,&Fink,J.(n.d.).TheTransferPlaybook:EssentialPractices

forTwo-andFour-YearColleges(pp.1-54,Rep.).

Copyright 2017, University of Southern California, Center for Urban Education Rossier School of Education. All Rights Reserved. The contents cannot be copied or disseminated without express written permission from the Center for Urban Education

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Lyrics to the songs featured in the compilation created for Dr. Estela Mara Bensimon’s 2017 AERA Social Justice in Education Award Lecture

“What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye (1971) WrittenbyAlCleveland,RenaldoBenson,andMarvinGayePicketlinesandpicketsignsDon'tpunishmewithbrutalityTalktome,soyoucanseeOh,what'sgoingon

“ICE El Hielo” by La Santa Cecilia (2013) WrittenbyAlexBendaña,JoséCarlos,MarisolHernández,SebastiánKrys,ClaudiaBrant,andMiguelRamírezIce,waterfrozensolidICE,ImmigrationsandCustomsEnforcementIce,elhieloEvapasandoeltraposobrelamesa,ahíestá [Evapassingtheragoverthetable,theresheis] Cuidandoquetodobrillecomounaperla [Takingcarethateverythingshineslikeapearl] Cuandolleguelapatronaquenosevuelvaaquejar [Sowhenthebosscomesshedoesnotcomplainagain]Noseacosaquelaacusedeilegal[Don’tletitbethatsheaccusesherofbeingillegal]

“Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)” by K’naan (2016) WrittenbyTrooko,RenéPérezJoglar,ClaudiaFeliciano,RizAhmed,KeinanWarsame,andLin-ManuelMirandaAllyougottodoisseetheworldwithneweyesImmigrants,wegetthejobdoneLookhowfarIcomeWegetthejobdone

“Quihubo, Raza” by Agustín Lira & Alma (2016) WrittenbyAgustínLiraTexasyUtahyCaliforniaWyomingyColoradoNevadayNuevoMéxico: Todoestastierrasfueronrobadas [Alltheselandswerestolen] Yalpresentenosencontramosrogándolealgobierno [Andtoday,wefindourselvesbeggingthegovernment]


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“We Shall Overcome” by Mahalia Jackson (1968) WrittenbyCharlesAlbertTindleyWeshallovercomeonedayWeshallovercome,ohLord,onedayIfinourheartswedobelieveWeshallovercome,Lord,oneday

“A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke (1964) WrittenbySamCookeIt'sbeentoohardliving,butI'mafraidtodie'CauseIdon'tknowwhat'suptherebeyondtheskyIt'sbeenalong,alongtimecomingButIknowachangegonnacome,ohyesitwill

“Glory” by John Legend feat. Common (2014) WrittenbyJohnStephens,LonnieLynn,andCheSmithOnedaywhentheglorycomesItwillbeours,itwillbeoursOnedaywhenthewariswonWewillbesure,wewillbesureOhglory

“Fight the Power” by Public Enemy (1990) WrittenbyCarltonRidenhour,EricSadler,HankBoxley,andKeithBoxleyOurfreedomofspeechisfreedomordeathWegottofightthepowersthatbeLemmehearyousayFightthepower

“Freedom” by Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar (2016) WrittenbyArrowBenjamin,JonnyCoffer,KendrickLamar,BeyonceKnowles,AlanLomax,JohnLomax,FrankTirado,andCarlaWhiteFreedom!Freedom!Ican'tmoveFreedom,cutmeloose!Freedom!Freedom!Whereareyou?CauseIneedfreedomtoo!IbreakchainsallbymyselfWon'tletmyfreedomrotinhellHey!I'makeeprunning‘Causeawinnerdon'tquitonthemselves Whatyouwantfromme?Isittruthyouseek?Ohfathercanyouhearme?Hearmeout

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MAKING AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION JUST · MAKING AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION JUST ... • “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke (1964) Written by Sam Cooke • “Glory” by John