Advancing Equity in a Climate of Resistance: Aligning Culture and Strategy

Dr. Frank Harris III
Community College Equity Assessment Lab (CCEAL) at San Diego State University​

Although the concepts of “equity” and “equity mindedness” are more widely embraced by educators now than they were a decade ago, closing equity gaps remains an elusive goal at most colleges. Thus, in this address, the presenter will unpack the myriad of institutional barriers that thwart systematic efforts to close equity gaps. In addition, they will propose intentional strategies to be enacted by college educators to move equity efforts forward despite these barriers. The insights of this presentation will be derived from the presenter’s experiences in working with colleges across the United States in a range of equity-related efforts and initiatives.

This virtual plenary will be followed by a 75-minute interactive workshop.

Dr. Frank Harris III, San Diego State University

Dr. Frank Harris III is a professor of postsecondary education and Co-Director of the Community College Equity Assessment Lab (CCEAL) at San Diego State University. He is best known for his expertise in racial [in]equity in postsecondary education and has made important contributions to knowledge about college student development and the social construction of gender and race in college contexts.  His work prioritizes populations that have been historically underrepresented and underserved in education.

Harris’s scholarship has been published in leading journals for higher education and student affairs research and practice, including the Journal of College Student Development, Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, Educational Researcher, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, Journal of Negro Education, and the Community College Journal of Research and Practice. Harris also regularly disseminates scholarship through refereed conference proceedings, workshops, symposia, and keynote addresses—he has delivered more than 1,000 academic and professional presentations throughout his career.

Harris is the co-editor/author of four books: College Men and Masculinities: Theory, Research and Implications for Practice; Teaching Men of Color in the Community College; Teaching Young Boys and Men of Color; and Supporting Men of Color in the Community College. His commentary has been sought by several high-profile media outlets, including Diverse Issues in Higher Education, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Huffington Post, Inside Higher Ed, CNN, and Fox 5 News San Diego.  Harris is also regularly consulted by colleges and universities across the country for his expertise on student equity, student success, and institutional transformation.

Before joining the faculty at San Diego State, Harris worked as a student affairs educator and college administrator in the areas of student affairs administration, student crisis support and advocacy, new student orientation programs, multicultural student affairs, academic advising, and enrollment services. He also served as an adjunct professor of speech communication at Los Angeles Trade Technical College. Dr. Harris earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies at Loyola Marymount University, a master’s degree in speech communication at California State University Northridge, and a doctorate in higher education from the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California.