Date of Award

2-4-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

School Name

Annsley Frazier Thornton School of Education

Department

Education

Major Advisor

Michael Vetter

Second Advisor

James Archibald

Abstract

Despite decades of initiatives that promote the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education, the percentage of faculty who identify as people of Color still remains low. Experiences of discrimination and marginalization from White faculty colleagues and White students has been commonly reported by faculty of Color. While studies have examined these experiences from the faculty perspective, research addressing White students’ experiences with faculty of Color has been sparse. The purpose of this study was to examine White undergraduate students’ perceptions of faculty of Color at predominately White institutions and how these students understand the influence of racial bias on their perceptions. Using Interpretative Phenomenology as the methodological approach, data was collected through a faculty preference activity, semi-structured interview, and reflection interview which followed the completion of the Project Implicit® race implicit association test. Critical Race Theory and White Institutional Presence served as the theoretical framework, which aided in examining the societal and institutional context of race influencing the participants’ perceptions. The findings of the study revealed that the majority of participants had positive perceptions of their faculty of Color sharing a range of positive experiences. A small number of participants shared negative experiences that influenced their perceptions of their faculty member of Color. While only one of the participants identified racial bias as a factor influencing their peers’ perception of their faculty member, seven of the ten participants made at least an initial acknowledgement of their own racial bias. The recommendations of this study call for the intentional recruitment of professionals and faculty of Color, along with efforts that will enhance the diversity and inclusivity in higher education.

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