Abstract
Inclusion, diversity, belonging, equity, and accessibility (IDBEA) are foundational principles in learning, required to create a meaningful experience for students, faculty, and staff. The purpose of this chapter is to define the core elements of inclusion, diversity, belonging, equity, and accessibility, and to describe how each component impacts the student experience in higher education. Academics are only one measure of student achievement. Here, the authors present a review of current literature focused on the intersectionality of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, and the role that faculty and staff play in creating a culture of empowerment for student success. Results show that the more engaged faculty and staff are in cultivating an authentic campus life culture, the more empowered higher education learners will be to not only complete their programs of study but do so in a way that empowers them to work toward future career accomplishments.
TopIntroduction
This chapter seeks to provide a perspective on the role faculty and staff play in driving a culture that highlights the importance of Inclusion, Diversity, Belonging, Equity, and Accessibility (IDBEA). Given the influence faculty and staff have on the student experience, and the intersectionality of self-identification and student success, especially among historically under-represented and marginalized groups (Means & Pyne, 2017), it is important to assess the ability of faculty and staff to embody IDBEA principles in connection to race, gender, sexual orientation, religious freedom, and accessibility; as it relates specifically to disability inclusion (Fleming et al., 2017).
The objectives of the chapter are to establish a theoretical foundation for the integration of IDBEA principles on college campuses, key issues surrounding student success, the influence of faculty and staff on student success, and potential benefits for creating a culture of empowerment for student success. In connection to student success, academic persistence is an adjacent measurement used to indicate a student’s ability to continue enrollment in a full- or part-time capacity at a higher education institution (Tinto, 2017). Although used synonymously with retention, academic persistence is examined from the viewpoint of the student, and is significant in the confirmation of student success, as well as in the primary aim of higher education institutions to graduate students. So long as educational equity gaps continue to exist, a student’s ability to not just enroll in college, but to persist and graduate will continue to be a quandary for higher education institutions and the profession; it’s not enough to accept students, they must graduate. Martin et al. (2014) identified additional characteristics intrinsically linked to student perception of their own innate ability for academic persistence, and overall student success measured by graduation; among them are: internal drive, strong goals, ability to navigate external stressors, and self-empowerment.
Empowerment enables marginalized individuals to gain mastery over their affairs and potentially improve their experiences (Rappaport, 1981). Student empowerment, when activated on college campuses can become a key driver for student success. Marginalized groups gain control over topics that are important to them through student empowerment. As they are subjected to academic inequalities, they also rely on higher education institutions to facilitate more equitable societal results to support their student journey. Although Rappaport (1981) introduced the empowerment construct over 40 years ago, there are still no basic constructs or measures of empowerment for understanding and examining the empowerment of marginalized students on college campuses. Examining this essential facet of marginalized student empowerment has become a standard practice for diversity and inclusion departments around the country. Ohio University published a resource page entitled “Supporting and Empowering Marginalized Students” which outlined recent articles, websites and resources that address topics such as inclusive teaching, social justice and equity, and scholarly articles (https://www.ohio.edu/diversity/support-and-empower). This is one of may resources available now to faculty and staff as an effort to improve their efforts in the IDBEA space.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Student Success: Successful academic achievement and education attainment ( Tinto, 2017 ).
Inclusive Education: The practice of enabling equitable access, in an educational setting, to opportunities and resources, and involvement in activities for individuals considered to be marginalized, disenfranchised, or excluded, such as those with physical or mental disabilities and members of other minority groups.
Equity: Allocating resources based on the needs of specific people or groups of people to address gaps and disparities in opportunities and services (Ford, 2015 AU56: The in-text citation "Ford, 2015" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ; MacKenzie, 2020 ).
Academic Persistence: The ability of a student to continue enrollment in a full- or part-time capacity at a higher education institution (Tinto, 2012 AU52: The in-text citation "Tinto, 2012" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ). Although used synonymously with retention, academic persistence is examined from the viewpoint of the student.
Student Empowerment: Student empowerment is defined as the process by which students obtain the ability to self-direct and action their own freedom of choice and decision-making in an academic setting. Student empowerment in the classroom is illustrated through the ability of an instructor to enable a student to learn, teach, and lead others through gaining a sense of power.
Diversity: Consciously valuing and integrating differences in others ( Chavez et al., 2003 AU55: The citation "Chavez et al., 2003" matches multiple references. Please add letters (e.g. "Smith 2000a"), or additional authors to the citation, to uniquely match references and citations. ).
Self-Identify: An examination of the function of self-concept in group membership, group activities, and intergroup connections from a social psychology perspective ( Hogg, 2018 ).
Accessibility: Access to resources, services, and opportunities; When referring to people with disabilities, “The same access to resources, services, and opportunities” as is afforded to people without disabilities (Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, 1990 AU53: The in-text citation "Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, 1990" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).
Sexual Orientation: A person's identity in relation to the gender or genders to which they are sexually attracted; the fact of being heterosexual, homosexual, etc. (Anderson, 2021 AU57: The in-text citation "Anderson, 2021" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).
Student Achievement: The level of academic attainment and success (Crow & Crow, 1993 AU58: The in-text citation "Crow & Crow, 1993" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).
Disability: As defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (1990), “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.”
Belonging: The need to feel accepted and connected to a community (Tovor & Simon, 2010 AU54: The in-text citation "Tovor & Simon, 2010" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).