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Science of Diversity Project

Semester 1 Presentation

drg.gmu.edu

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Acknowledgements

 We are grateful for support from the Office of Student Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR) and University Life.  We also appreciate the support from the Mason Community for this ongoing work.

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Introductions

 Faculty Leads:  Joya Crear, Associate Dean University Life  Eden King, Associate Professor, Psychology  Jaime Lester, Associate Professor, Higher Education Program  Shannon Portillo, Assistant Professor, Criminology, Law & Society  Graduate Assistant  M. Liz Andrews, Ph.D. Student, Cultural Studies Program

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Introductions Cont.

 Students  Julie Allstrom  Amaria Asghar  Grace Beya  Danietta Charles  Nupur Khullar  Caitlin Marais  Rebekah Ortiz  Typhaney Sebrey  Stephanie Skees  Jason Von Kundra

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Structure of the Class

 Four Semester Project  Open to all undergraduate students with three department options and available as 0-3 credits  Student Led  Textbook: Educational research: Planning,

conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research.

 Inclusive environment

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Goals of the Project

 Creating a student-centered scholarly experience  Documenting Mason’s multiple narratives of diversity  Recommending change by engaging university decision-makers  Giving voice to university and community stakeholders  Promoting evidence-based activism and social justice

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Overarching Focus

 This project explores the broad theme of differences in power, diversity and privilege within the multiple stakeholder groups within the university (faculty, staff, students and administration).  We focus specifically on governance, influence and decision-making.

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6 Themes

 History and Context  Student Intergroup Relations/Self Segregation  Student Governance  Staff Demographics  Faculty Demographics  Administration and Decision-Making

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History and Context

George Mason University, Fairfax Campus, 2007 Sign directing students to evening classes at the University of Virginia Extension Center in northern Virginia,1950

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History and Context

Mason’s Winter Commencement, 1975 Mason’s first commencement exercises, 1968

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History and Context

 What is the history of diversity at GMU?  How does Mason’s history of diversity differ from that of other postsecondary educational institutions?

 What have been the primary diversity initiatives enacted at GMU?

 What outcomes related to diversity at GMU resulted from external influences? What outcomes resulted from internal institutional motivations?

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Students/Self-Segregation

 By student intergroup relations, we refer to the state of regular interaction between collegiate individuals of different social identity (race, religion, ethnicity, greek organization, et cetera)  By segregation, we refer to the separation of the said collegiate individuals under the basis of their social identity (race, religion, ethnicity, greek organization, et cetera)  Through these themes we are exploring how power and privilege may be causing challenges for these individual to connect on commonalities  We are furthermore exploring how this fear of engagement may be due to assumptions and misconceptions

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Students/Self-Segregation (cont’d)

 Attitudes towards students of a different social identity (Henderson-King & Kaleta 2000).

 Pre-college racial environment and experiences (Saenz 2010)  Interaction between diverse student groups (Cole 2007).  Students who are more involved (Cole,2007).

 Organized opportunities (Gurin, Biren, & Nagda 2006) (Smith, Bowman, Hsu 2007) (Henderson-King & Kaleta 2000)  Further evaluation and implementation of programs (Gurin, Biren & Nagda 2006), (Cole 2007).

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Students/Self-Segregation (cont’d)

 While power and privilege are mentioned in some of the literature regarding intergroup relations, there are still significant gaps.

 Further explore how intergroup projects are implemented.

 How can intergroup relations be articulated in a University’s vision?  Is the inequality of power and privilege for social groups improved by college diversity programs?

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Student Governance

 What does leadership look like?  Is Student Government representative of the entire student body?

 There is limited research on student government representativeness.  Looking at whether school's student governments are representative of their student body.

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Student Governance

 Exploring student government and student leaders outside official power structure  How do diversity programs that work to increase enrollment and retention of historically underrepresented people impact the diversity of student leaders?

 Are the demographics of the general student body reflected in leadership positions?

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Demographics

Faculty/ Student

Faculty

US Female

44% Students 57%

GMU Female

42% 55%

US Male

56% 43%

GMU Male

58% 45% Data only report persons identifying as male or female, these statistics do not include gender non-conforming or transgender faculty or students. Student data come from National Center for Education Statistics Fall 2011

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Demographics

Faculty/ Student US White

Faculty 64%

GMU White

64%

US POC

17%

GMU POC

17%

US NRA

3%

GMU NRA

6% Students 57% 48% 29% 31% 5% 5% POC refers to people of color, this is inclusive of Black, Latino/a, Asian and Indigenous Americans and Pacific Islanders. NRA refers to non-resident aliens. Percentages may not add up to 100 because there are some unknowns. National data come from the National Center for Education Statistics; Mason data are from Institutional Research and Reporting

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Faculty Demographics

Faculty Employment Contracts: Power and Autonomy  What is tenure?  What are the issues surrounding tenured faculty?

 What does the research say?

 Next step: How does this apply to Mason faculty?

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Administration and Decision Making

 Literature on Best Practices/Programs for Diversity Agendas (Dumas-Hines 2001) (Kezar, Eckel, Contreras McGavin & Quaye 2008)  Six Contextual Variables (Kezar, Glenn, Lester & Nakamoto 2008)  Knowledge capacity  Physical capacity  Institutional willingness to reflect  Project connection with institutional operations  Leadership within the team and institution  Racial climate

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Administration and Decision Making (cont’d)

 How are diversity projects implemented on campus?  Success and Failure Analysis on Campus with implementation  End Result  Better understand the process based on best practice methods

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Next Steps: Spring 2013

 Decide what type of data collection best contributes to knowledge in our areas of interest  Plan for data collection with new cohort of students  Collect data!

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Thank you!

Questions or Comments?

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Email: [email protected]