Campus Culture or Climate Concealment? The (In)equity-Minded Practices of a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)–Focused Institution’s Admissions Website

• In Event: The Role of Race on College Student Outcomes and Experiences

Abstract

College and university admissions websites are key sites of practice for United States higher education which provide critical information about affordability and institutional experiences to prospective students. The design of these websites and the information they contain has the potential to either affirm or alienate students of color, low-income students, and first-generation students, all of whom may use online admissions information when making their college decisions. This study employs a Web Scan for Equity-Minded practices (Center for Urban Education, 2020) to interrogate the ways in which an admissions website communicates messages about race and socioeconomic status to prospective students. The multi-dimensional analysis reveals problems with current practices and offers tangible improvements to increase equity.

Author

• Eric Matthew Davidson, University of California - Riverside