Publication Date

2021

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Jaekel, Kathryn S.

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Counseling and Higher Education (CAHE)

Abstract

A series of highly publicized off-campus acts of racial violence between February and September 2020 ignited a national reckoning on race, racism, anti-Black racism, and the role of higher education in systemic discrimination. In response, a number of college and university leaders published public statements attempting to address anti-Black racism both nationally and on their respective campuses. The purpose of this study is to take a closer look at how colleges and universities in the University of Wisconsin System (UW-System) utilize public statements to address anti-Black racism. Utilizing Critical Race Theory as a theoretical framework, as well as Bitzer’s theory of the rhetorical situation for data analysis, this study analyzed a total of 27 statements from 13 institutions. Findings explore what terms were utilized to describe the murder of George Floyd (and potentially others who were murdered), who and/or what is at the center of the written statements, and what actions the institutions commit to taking in order to mitigate anti-Black racism in their campus communities. Finally, we conclude with implications for practice and a scholarly reflection.

Extent

61 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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