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Conceptualizing Digital Campus Climate within LGBTQ+ Resource Center Websites: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Innovative Higher Education volume 47, pages 587–608 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

The emergence of university LGBTQ+ resources over the last couple of decades indicates promising movement toward fuller engagement of minoritized students in higher education. Despite this growth, LGBTQ+ communities continue to experience marginalization, even on campuses with dedicated services. This critical discourse analysis advances a conceptualization of digital campus climate by exploring how three institutions represent their LGBTQ+ resources through their university-sponsored webpages. We leverage the Campus Pride Index as a lens for understanding how institutional webpages align with best practices and convey a richer understanding of digital campus climate. Findings illustrated the burden LGBTQ+ resource centers undertake as they work to serve their campus communities through intentional partnerships and institutional policies to support LGBTQ+ communities. Implications for research and practice reveal considerations for how colleges and universities may enhance their digital campus climate, as well as strategies for improving practice through purposeful applications of the Campus Pride Index and enhanced digital presence for college and university LGBTQ+ resource centers.

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Acknowledgements

The authorswould like to thank Dr. Kirsten Brown and Dr. Antonio Duran for their thoughtful feedback and contributions toward strengthening earlier versions of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Leadership, California State University, 5005 N. Maple Ave. M/S 303, Fresno, CA, 93740, USA

    Jonathan T. Pryor

  2. Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27603, USA

    Brett Ranon Nachman

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  1. Jonathan T. Pryor
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  2. Brett Ranon Nachman
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Both authors contributed to the data collection, analysis, and writing of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jonathan T. Pryor.

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Pryor, J.T., Nachman, B.R. Conceptualizing Digital Campus Climate within LGBTQ+ Resource Center Websites: A Critical Discourse Analysis. Innov High Educ 47, 587–608 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-021-09590-6

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Keywords

  • Digital campus climate
  • LGBTQ+
  • LGBTQ+ resource center
  • Critical discourse analysis