Anti-Blackness in Higher Ed

There are a plethora of articles that describe the various experiences of Black students in higher education. As a student affairs professional, I must become better acquainted with those experiences so that I may better serve our Black students.

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Term: Fall 2021

Learning Domains:

• Leadership

• Social Justice and Advocacy

• Education

• Personal and Professional Development

Learning Outcomes:

SWiBAT identify three themes that are presented in articles regarding anti-Blackness in higher education.

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Evidence

1. One of my classmates, Nonzenzele, was part of a team that published an article regarding the experiences of Black students at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) (Pirtle et al., 2021). Among the various realities presented by the authors, the one that struck me the most was that to Black students HSIs often operate the same as Primarily White Institutions (PWIs). In many ways, HSIs reproduce the exclusionary and biased ideals that are present is society. Rather than promoting the success and encouragement of all minoritized students, HSIs can further marginalize Black students but focusing on the progress of students that identify as White, Hispanix, or Latinx.

2. One of the notable factors leading to the isolation of Black students is the lack of representation in school employees (Pirtle et al., 2021). According to the article authors; The lack of sufficient Black professionals on campus leads the Black students to feel that they are unappreciated and not unsupported. This sentiment is replicated in other research that proves that student success is negatively shaped by lack of representation (Stanley, 2006). Therefore, maintaining a primarily White employee body goes against the institutional missions or goals of providing a fair education to all students that comprise the student body.

3. Another component of the article that I felt was indicative of the Black student experience, was the importance and the effect of Black living and learning community (BLLC) spaces. BLLC spaces serve as counter spaces for Black students where they may support each other and supports “identity-building, educational success, and a buffer to the racially hostile, anti-Black climate” (Pirtle et al., 2021, p. 11).

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Reflection

I chose to primarily focus on one article, published by my classmate and her colleague. I was able to find three themes described within the article. Yet I don’t know if I met my learning objective because of the focus on a single article. I will mention here that I have found similar themes in other articles that I have read regarding the experiences of Black students in higher education or the existence of Anti-Blackness in educational institutions. I choose to focus on a single article because I felt that it would be more fruitful to expand on a single study rather than pick and choose from various. Additionally, I hold my classmate, Nonzenzele, in great esteem and I have a lot of respect for her. Therefore, I felt more attached to this single article than others.

References

Reesor, L. M. (2015). Beginning your journey: A guide for new professionals in student affairs.

NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

Stanley, C. A. (2006). Coloring the Academic Landscape: Faculty of Color Breaking the

Silence in Predominantly White Colleges and Universities. American Educational

Research Journal, 43(4), 701–736. https://doi.org/http://www.jstor.org/stable/4121775