Public and higher education policies influencing African-American women

Abstract

This article examines critically the position of African-American women in relation to public and higher education policies. Post-baccalaureate students (graduate and professional), faculty, and administrators are the foci. The article examines the following: (1) legislative, judicial, and executive decisions influencing African-American women; (2) the development and implementation of public and higher education policies with special focus on the State of Georgia; (3) a descriptive statistical analysis of where African-American women are situated in higher education; (4) the establishment of programs to enhance African-American representation in higher education; and (5) future policy research issues including those which analyze interactive nexuses among federal and individual state and higher education policies.

Learning on the Margins: Blacks within the U.S. Higher Education System

“…States have a more direct ability to develop and implement policies that impact higher education; historically states have provided the legal framework within which public and private institutions operate (McGuinness, Jr., 2011). Growing gaps in state educational funding, opportunity, and attainments are one of higher education's most serious issues (ASHE 2010;Finney, Perna & Callan, 2014;Jackson, 2007;Lindsay, 1988;Rhoades, 2014). States have been required to develop policies that comply with federal law concerning higher education.…”