Search

Texas higher education institutions serve some of the most diverse student populations in higher education. However, graduation rates remain among the lowest in the United States, particularly for underrepresented minority students. Diverse faculty who act as mentors have the potential to increase underrepresented minority students' sense of belonging, retention, and completion. However, few studies have examined the correlation between faculty diversity and graduation rates of students by race/ethnicity. This quantitative study aimed to determine to what extent faculty diversity correlated with the graduation rates of students attending Texas 2-year and 4-year institutions. Tinto's Institutional Departure Model and Astin's Student Involvement Theory provide the theoretical framework for this study. This study used publicly available data from 138 public and private institutions from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System to calculate a Diversity Score for each institution. Descriptive statistics and correlational analysis were used to investigate the relationship between faculty diversity and the completion rates of underrepresented minority students. Findings included a significant relationship between faculty and students of the same racial/ethnic background. However, findings also indicated a negative correlation between faculty diversity and the graduation rates of White students. This indicates that further research is needed to determine what other variables might influence such findings. While colleges and universities have taken great strides to invest in policies and practices that support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, the professoriate continues to evolve slowly due to the limited faculty positions across the United States. Results reinforce the need for higher education institutions to establish hiring practices that focus on cultural change. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]