Embedding Equity-Mindedness in Community Colleges: Organizational Learning through a Statewide Collaborative

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 11:45 am - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Schools as Organizations Managing Change

Abstract

This paper examines how a statewide facilitated collaborative helps community colleges implement organizational changes that promote racial equity. Using 104 interviews and 42 observations conducted at three case study colleges, we analyze how institutions used racially-disaggregated data to identify disparities and reorganize their routines. Grounded in theories of racialized organizations and equity-mindedness, our findings suggest that participation in the collaborative supported equity planning. However, successful implementation of equity plans depended on colleges' internal organizational capacity and data proficiency. We argue that cross-institutional collaboratives can facilitate systemic equity reforms, but achieving long-term change requires the establishment of integrated routines and sustained investment in resources. This study contributes to scholarship on racial equity, organizational learning, and policy implementation within higher education.

Authors

• Karin Yndestad, Northwestern University

• Johanna S Quinn, Fordham University

• Rachel C. Feldman, Shenandoah University