Abstract
This qualitative phenomenological study explores lived experiences of underrepresented,minority (URM) women faculty and instructors at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), examining how they navigate and respond to the complexities of structural and systemic barriers in higher education. Drawing from the literature on systems of oppression, intersectionality, and organizational change, this dissertation investigates the ways in which HBCUs still perpetuate systems of oppression that affect URM women faculty and instructors. This research seeks to understand the impact of systemic inequalities on URM women faculty and instructors at HBCUs, and their respective institution’s efforts toward institutional change. Their voices are leveraged for deeper and more pervasive transformation. Through semi-structured interviews, it illuminates how HBCUs balance their historical legacy of resistance with the pressures of modern demands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Four major themes emerged from the data analysis: 1) Navigating Organizational Climates, 2) Structures of Violence, 3) Leadership and Climate Conditions, and 4) Levels of Systemic Institutional Change. Research implications are also shared. Ultimately, this work contributes to broader conversations on social justice and leadership in higher education, offering recommendations for transformative practices - both internal and external to HBCUs - that foster institutional change and nurture inclusive environments for marginalized communities.
Keywords: underrepresented minority, historically Black colleges and universities, intersectionality, systems of oppression, institutional change, institutional diversity, servant leadership, structures of violence, minority tax