Higher education has a long history of failing to support Students of Color as well as students from a range of other vulnerable groups (Bensimon, 2020; Bensimon & Malcom; Dowd & Bensimon, 2015). Recognizing this, Dr. Estela Bensimon created the theory and practice of equity-mindedness intended to aid higher education in identifying and closing racialized and other disparate outcomes and supporting the success of all students (Bensimon, 2024; Dowd & Bensimon, 2015; Mc Nair, et al., 2020 ). Equity-minded practice is characterized by five synergistic practices including: 1) being evidence-based; 2) recognizing the ways in which systemic racism and other oppressions negatively impact the success of many of our students; 3) assuming personal, departmental and institutional responsibility for disparate outcomes instead of blaming students for inequities; 4) examining higher education’s policies, practices and pedagogies for the ways in which racism has been routinized into how we do our work; 5) setting, implementing and assessing our ability to advance measurable goals intended to close racialized and other disparate outcomes and support the success of all students (McNair, et al. 2020).
REJI Institutional Equity-minded Indicators (IEIs)
The work of individual equity-minded practitioners is essential to advancing racial equity in order to redress the long-standing systemic racial inequities that have become routinized in higher education. However, to transform our institutions, this work must be campus-wide and guided by a common set of equity indicators (Center for Urban Education, ND; Gentlewarrior, Gonell, Paredes, Shama, 2024; Kezar & Holcombe, 2024; Liera & Desir, 2023).
The Theory of Change for the REJI TEAM Project
A central tenet of equity-mindedness (Bensimon, 2020; 2024; McNair et al., 2020) is that when enough individuals engage in equity-advancing work, and establish institutional structures that support racial equity efforts, the organizational culture will slowly shift from being race-neutral, which has long disadvantaged Students of Color, to being equity-minded, which leads to the success of all students through race conscious efforts. “As more leaders grow to be equity-minded and learn to work collectively, the force of change toward equity increases, which drives organizational transformation” (Kezar & Holcombe, 2024, p. 29).
This project emphasizes racial equity due to higher education’s long history of racialized disparate student outcomes and with the knowledge that institutional transformation efforts that support the success of Students of Color will support students from a range of other identities as well. Equity-minded practice supports the success of all students.
Please access the REJI Institutional Equity-minded Indicators here:
