This dissertation investigates how decision-makers, such as teachers or law enforcement agencies, may discriminate against individuals from different racial and gender demographic groups in the context of technology usage. It analyzes the impact of seeing identifying information (such as names, photos, and emails) and signals of quality (such as…

This research, guided by Yosso's (2005) social capital theory, delved deep into the lived experiences of individuals navigating spaces where they encountered perceived discrimination and how their core self-evaluations played a pivotal role in shaping their responses to such experiences. Through a meticulous process involving qualitative data…

More than 17,000 professional staff live where they work in Residence Life and Housing (RL&H). Those staff members live in the dorms with the college students whom they serve, as has been the arrangement of RL&H staff members since the inception of colleges in the U.S. in the 1600s. However, there have been recent shifts in the ways in…

Arab faculty faced challenges building collegial relationships and positive classroom environments due to the discrimination they faced from colleagues and students. This discrimination took the form of microaggressions which included: microassaults; microinsults; and microinvalidations. This phenomenological study concluded that Arab faculty…

The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of Muslim professionals in U.S. workplaces with varying levels of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. The research, conducted through a basic qualitative approach with twenty participants, delved into the personal and professional narratives of these…

In a qualitative case study utilizing student focus groups, individual student interviews, individual interviews with the Chief of Police, and document analysis of annual campus safety guides and police websites, this study explored the perceptions and experiences that LGBTQ+ students had of their campus police agency. With a total of 18…

The student population of American colleges and universities is becoming increasingly diverse. Though the racial and ethnic makeup of a campus population has been given the most attention in diversity and inclusion efforts, there has been a growing focus on LGBTQ issues in recent decades. As a result, institutions of higher learning have been…

Heteronormative culture and curriculum have traditionally prevailed within the college classroom (MacGillivray, 2000). Many LGBTQQIA+ students still find challenges regarding acceptance and integration which may impact their learning experiences (Nodin 2022). Addressing heteronormative curriculum and pedagogy includes discussing the relevance of…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to uncover and understand international graduate students' experiences with "microaggressions" that stem from "native speaker fallacy;" microaggressions are the subtle discriminatory behaviors executed toward marginalized groups and native speaker fallacy is the false belief that…

This qualitative case study explored a unique set of challenges faced by international students as they move into the United States for their studies. The study addressed the problem that international students encounter a unique set of challenges and must use emotion regulation to overcome a unique set of challenges. The purpose of this study was…

In the last 2 decades, there has been an increase in the number of higher education institutions (HEI) establishing Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) positions to address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) gaps and priorities. CDOs play an increasingly significant role in developing, evaluating, and advocating for policies and practices at…

In a world where decisions are increasingly scrutinized to ensure fairness across legally protected groups, it is critical to apply such scrutiny in a manner that is consistent with the law. This dissertation attempts to reconcile the legal definition and empirical measurement of disparate impact, one of two forms of discrimination recognized by…

Sizeism is often called the last acceptable form of prejudice in our social world. Weight discrimination has been widely documented in job searches, doctors' offices, promotions, wage gaps, education, and even courtrooms. Despite decades of critical weight scholarship, little research has been done on fat higher education employees. Using the…

Research suggests that physical therapists lack knowledge, awareness, and clinical preparedness to engage with LGBT+ populations in clinical settings and that LGBT+ patients report difficulty engaging in physical therapy and fear of discrimination. The purpose of this study was to develop, deliver, and evaluate an online LGBT+ culturally…

Ableism is the discrimination against disabled people and favoring of nondisabled people. Ableism can pervade societal expectations, medical systems, educational systems, and culture. Within higher education, ableism can prevent disabled students from succeeding in programs with unique requirements, like music therapy. College music therapy…