Division J Vice Presidential Session: Planning for 2030: Critical Tensions and Postsecondary Possibilities with OMB’s Racial/Ethnic Classification Revisions

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

This symposium critically examines the implications of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) revisions to racial and ethnic categories for the 2030 Census within the context of educational research and policy. These revisions have significant repercussions, potentially redefining how student outcome gaps are measured and raising concerns about the erasure of diverse identities. Scholars will discuss tensions surrounding data integrity amidst these changes and the methodological shifts necessary to adapt to new standards. Moreover, the symposium aims to deepen understanding of educational disparities and the challenges in supporting marginalized communities under the revised guidelines. Ultimately, it seeks to foster a robust dialogue on how postsecondary educational researchers can effectively navigate and respond to these forthcoming OMB revisions.

Sub Unit

• Division J - Postsecondary Education

Chair

• Marc Johnston Guerrero, University of Denver

Papers

• Moving Higher Education from Reactionary to Agenda-Setting in the Classification of U.S. Americans - Mike Hoa Nguyen, University of California - Los Angeles; Karly Ford, Pennsylvania State University; Hironao Okahana, Council of Graduate Schools

• Native Presence(s) in College Data: OMB Changes and Influences - Amanda R. Tachine, University of Oregon; Jameson David Lopez, University of Arizona

• Hispanic/Latino: Contested Tensions and Possibilities from the 2030 U.S. Census Changes - Cristobal Salinas Jr, Florida Atlantic University; Orkideh Mohajeri, West Chester University of Pennsylvania

• Is Multiracial Identity Inherently Anti-Black? Considering Anti-Blackness and Monoracism in Counting Multiracial Students - Marc Johnston Guerrero, University of Denver; Stephanie L. Simpson, University of Connecticut

Discussant

• Bryan McKinley Jones Brayboy, Northwestern University