Advancing Racial Justice on Campus: Student and Administrator Perspectives on Conditions for Change

Racial justice in higher education cannot be meaningfully advanced without campus leadership understanding the lived experiences of students, particularly those who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx/a/o, Asian, or Pacific Islander. Over the 3 years following the murder of George Floyd and the social uprisings in 2020, colleges and universities have continued to think critically about how to make progress on their commitments to campus change. Even amid a backdrop of restrictive state legislation targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in education, prioritization of racial justice on campus remains critical to student success.

This report shares insights about ways students and senior administrators define the term racial climate and what they identify as key factors for advancing racial justice on campus. The findings can help guide campus planning discussions and offer a field-level perspective about student priorities for campus efforts.