Caught in the Middle: Experiences of Student Affairs Practitioners Within Striving Institutions

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 37
  In Roundtable Session: Responding to Changing Higher Education Environments

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the ways in which practitioners at urban, striving institutions navigate their commitment to access and equity amidst pressures to pursue prestige within the context of higher education. Drawing from interviews with practitioners across four urban-serving, striving universities, this work seeks to better understand the implications of prestige seeking on the work of those within the institution. We contribute to understanding how practitioners interpret and navigate messages from their institutions, and how this translates to the experience and success of students.

Authors

• Desiree Zerquera, University of San Francisco

• Emerald Templeton, University of California - Berkeley

• Juaquin Sims