The Whiteness of it all: students of colour and diversity work at a U.S. campus

There is a need to document the experiences of students of colour at U.S. universities. This research sought to understand how ethno-racial minority students at American University negotiated their racialized experience within this Historically White Institution. It was conducted through focus groups moderated by undergraduate students in a qualitative research class. A pre-focus group survey collected demographic and experiential data; the focus group discussion was transcribed, coded for main themes, and analysed through the lens of Institutional Whiteness. This framework, influenced by Critical Race Theory, contributes to research on the management of difference in academic spaces, particularly as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is eliminated at present time. Findings suggest that an analysis of racial university dynamics demands more attention to institutional levels. Students described what they experienced, namely experiencing tokenising, microaggressions and discrimination, and as a result, they engaged in multiple intentional strategies to counter the impact of racism in their lives. As U.S. universities rethink their place in global education, policy-making, in the economy and in the pursuit of knowledge, insightfulness about how universities operate is paramount. In particular, this research guides universities to avoid perpetuating the very dynamics studied outside of academic settings.