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Observable Evidence and Partnership Possibilities for Governing Board Involvement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Content Analysis

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Abstract

Researchers conducted a qualitative content analysis to investigate the observable involvement of 22 Governing Boards with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts at colleges and universities. Using a merged theoretical framework of Rall et al.’s (Journal of Education Human Resources 38:139–164, 2020) Culturally Sustaining Governance and LePeau’s (The Review of Higher Education 39:97–122, 2015) Cycle of Making Continuous Commitments to Diversity and Inclusion, the findings revealed that Boards act in similar ways to an electrical socket between internal and external stakeholders associated with DEI efforts. Boards receive information from stakeholders at points in time and episodically ‘plug in’ to DEI efforts such as endorsing policies or diversity plans. The study highlights the nature and potential of governance partnerships to advance DEI work. Implications encourage Boards to enhance their capacity to partner and support organizational change.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Drs. J. Matthew Hartley, Sondra Barringer, and the 2 anyonmous reviewers for their generous and constructive feedback on earlier versions of this manuscript.

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This project was supported through a Spencer Foundation grant.

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  1. Higher Education Program, Loyola University Chicago, 820 Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Demetri L. Morgan

  2. Higher Education & Student Affairs, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, USA

    Lucy A. LePeau

  3. Educational Foundations & Leadership, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, USA

    Felecia Commodore

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  1. Demetri L. Morgan
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Morgan, D.L., LePeau, L.A. & Commodore, F. Observable Evidence and Partnership Possibilities for Governing Board Involvement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Content Analysis. Res High Educ 63, 189–221 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-021-09651-x

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