Critical Race Theory as a Framework for Understanding and Promoting Minoritized Student Retention at Predominantly White Institutions Webinar

Led by Candice Powell, Cynthia Demetriou, Terrell Morton, & A.T. Panter of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Racial disparities in retention and graduation rates are a top concern across institutions of higher education, yet scholars and practitioners rarely look to racism to explain these disparities (Harper, 2012). Critical Race Theory (CRT) is an epistemological and methodological framework designed to reveal and challenge power and oppression dynamics between racialized groups (Harper, 2009; Lynn & Dixson, 2013). CRT can provide insight about how racism serves to maintain and reinforce educational policies, practices, and access to resources and opportunities. Increasing awareness of systemic racial inequities creates opportunity for people in power positions to engage in socially conscious action and decision-making within higher education (Ladson-Billings, 1998; Patton, 2015; Robbins & Quaye, 2014). This webinar will provide a conceptual introduction to CRT for retention practitioners and considers how the CRT framework can elucidate minoritized student retention at predominantly white institutions. Strategies for using CRT to guide institutional decision-making are also offered.