The Problem with the Prestige Pursuit: The Effects of Striving on Access for Black and Latino Students at Urban-Serving Research Universities

Zerquera, Desiree D.

doi:10.1353/rhe.2019.0057

Cited by 9 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…A core hypothesis about striving is that the pursuit of prestige will constrain equity (DeMonbrun et al., 2019; Jaquette, Curs, & Posselt, 2016; O'Meara, 2007; Warshaw et al., 2019; Zerquera, 2019). Striving constitutes a zero‐sum competition for prestige that heightens the disparities between lower‐status RPUs (access‐ and teaching‐oriented with modest resources) and their higher‐status counterparts (more selective, research‐focused, and wealthy).…”

Section: The Forces Of Equity and Strivingmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Field of Striving or Equity? Regional Public Universities and College Access

Warshaw¹,

DeMonbrun²,

McNaughtan³

2020

New Drctns Hghr Edu

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Many regional public universities (RPUs) provide college access to diverse groups of undergraduate students and face pressures to pursue prestige in the academic hierarchy. Prior research posits that RPUs will strive for prestige because of status-and resource-based rewards that flow from increasing their admissions selectivity, research-intensity, and wealth. As this dominant perspective suggests, RPUs may erode historic missions of democratizing educational opportunity to emulate their more elite peers to improve their external ratings and rankings. This chapter draws on multiple indicators of equity to examine whether institutional enrollment data align with, or diverge from, the prestige-seeking assumptions about these institutions. Descriptive profiles indicate that most RPUs in this analysis have increased over time their enrollment of low-income and racially diverse groups of students. We discuss implications for adopting a more flexible perspective on RPUs to account for equity-based orientations in the sector and to inform responsive practices.

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Section: The Forces Of Equity and Strivingmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Field of Striving or Equity? Regional Public Universities and College Access

Warshaw¹,

DeMonbrun²,

McNaughtan³

2020

New Drctns Hghr Edu

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…To elaborate, many researchers and analysts use neo-institutional theory to interpret striving-related behaviors and outcomes while assuming that colleges and universities are situated within one, monolithic field (Gonzales, 2014; Morphew, 2009; O’Meara, 2007; Rusch & Wilbur, 2007; Toma, 2012; Zerquera, 2019). Their work indicates, on balance, some unevenness in organizations’ responses to field-based pressures, which suggests the presence of campus-level practices differentiating the degree of institutional compliance.…”

Section: Implications For Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suppressing racial diversity for prestige? The conflicting imperatives of public master’s institutions.

Warshaw¹,

DeMonbrun²,

McNaughtan³

2024

Journal of Diversity in Higher Education

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U.S. public master's institutions (PMIs) face conflicting imperatives to strive for prestige while democratizing college access for racially minoritized students. By elevating the former over the latter, critics note, these campuses may emulate their world-class peers for legitimacy and resources. Consequently, the dominant perspective links prestige-seeking PMIs to exacerbating racial stratification in higher education. To examine the extent to which such inequality is worsening in the sector, our study focuses on how striving-related factors influence racial diversity at PMIs over time. Panel analyses here indicate selected organizational characteristics that suppress racial diversity; however, the relative magnitude of those statistical relationships casts doubt on assumptions of striving and stratification at the average PMI. These results accord with a flexible theory of PMIs and the organizational fields in which they position themselves. We discuss implications for research on PMIs' and states' efforts to connect racial diversity to improving equity and academic quality.

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“…Institutional leaders face pressures to perform, compete, and help guide their institution to the top national rankings, which ultimately confers a sense of prestige (Borden et al., 2019; Museus & LePeau, 2019; Zerquera, 2019). One of the most prominent rankings is U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) (Borden et al., 2019; Eckel, 2008; O'Meara, 2007).…”

Section: Trap #1: Allowing Striving and Prestige‐seeking To Shape Not...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the most prominent rankings is U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) (Borden et al., 2019; Eckel, 2008; O'Meara, 2007). This ranking system focuses on seven measures related to academic reputation, student selectivity, faculty resources, graduation and retention rates, financial resources, alumni giving, and graduation rate performance (Borden et al., 2019; O'Meara, 2007; Zerquera, 2019).…”

Section: Trap #1: Allowing Striving and Prestige‐seeking To Shape Not...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a result, institutional leaders often prioritize prestige‐seeking efforts, such as athletics, maximizing the competitiveness of the admissions pool, and revenue‐generating research endeavors (Eckel, 2008; O'Meara, 2007; Zerquera, 2019). This reward process reinforces a campus culture focused on striving and competition (Museus & LePeau, 2019; O'Meara, 2007).…”

Section: Trap #1: Allowing Striving and Prestige‐seeking To Shape Not...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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