Diversifying the ivory tower: Complexities of serving as a senior admissions diversity officer in an evolving affirmative action climate

Over the last 20 years affirmative action in higher education admissions has faced numerous challenges, in the courtroom from University of California vs. Bakke to Grutter v. Bollinger and in the states from California\u27s Proposition 209 to Nebraska\u27s Initiative 424. What has been created is a climate that forces admission officers into a precarious position when attempting to recruit, admit, and yield a diverse class overall, and underrepresented minorities in particular. As the admission landscape and affirmative action climate continues to shift, Senior Admission Diversity Offices, in particular, face growing stumbling blocks—legally, professionally, and personally—that have complicated their survival techniques and recruitment strategies. This study examined the complexities of the lived experiences of Senior Admission Diversity Officers in selective institutions. Qualitative research methods were used to examine the challenges faced by 24 Senior Admission Diversity Officers in relation to and in the context of legal, institutional, and personal conditions that affect their success. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each of the 24 professionals in undergraduate admissions at three different types of selective institutions—Elite Research, Small Liberal Arts, and Public Flagship. Critical Race Theory provided the theoretic framework for the study and a phenomenological approach guided the study design and data analysis. During the analysis phase, six thematic categories were identified that captured the essence of the participants\u27 shared experiences as Senior Admission Diversity Officers at selective institutions. The categories are: (1) Motivation, Identity, and Survival; (2) Realities and Legalities; (3) Context, Value, and Race; (4) Philosophies and Partnerships for Success; (5) the Students and Beyond; and (6) Unmet Needs. The findings of this study could be used to inform the work of admissions professionals at a variety of colleges and universities, particularly selective public and private institutions. Additionally, the findings suggest partnership opportunities that pre-college access programs administrators could utilize. In the end, the findings of the study provide a much-needed contribution to the diversity administrators in higher education literature by including those in the field of admissions, as well as contributing to the larger body of college admission diversity and access literature