Magister Scientiae (Nutrition Management) - MSc(NM) / Despite evidence-based proof on the benefits of breastfeeding, little progress has been made globally to improve breastfeeding rates (The Lancet, 2016), including in South Africa. Despite many attempts to improve breastfeeding rates worldwide, women are still choosing to stop breastfeeding or avoid it due to various factors (The Lancet, 2016). Aim: To explore the factors influencing the exclusive breastfeeding rate within the first 14 weeks postpartum with mothers in the Khayelitsha Eastern Substructure.

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Thesis advisor: Andrew Miller / The purpose of this study is to investigate how Asian women educational leaders perceive their instructional leadership and the ways in which their racialized and gendered experiences impact their practices. This qualitative case study is anchored by the sympathetic instructional leadership framework that includes holding high expectations in a community context, keeping a focus on instruction, and managing critical negotiations with staff. This study was conducted in a predominantly white school district with stated goals for equity. Six semi-structured interviews were conducted with Asian women building leaders and education leaders. Additionally, a survey was conducted across the district about how race and gender during the pandemic and our nation’s reckoning have either posed obstacles or opened opportunities for anti-racist work. The qualitative evidence collected about instructional leadership navigation led to the emergence of three main themes: these leaders lead by empowerment and mobilization, they lead through racism, and they focus on adult learning for instructional leadership. While the district survey found a high rate of anti-racist preparation and study on the part of the participants, Asian women leaders conducted more critical negotiations with colleagues than those surveyed across the district. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

Literature indicates that while attending a predominantly White institution (PWI), Black men often experience stigmatization and feelings of alienation. Despite concerns of racial tension experienced by Black men at PWIs there is limited research exploring the campus climate perceptions of Black men in college. While Black students may have some similarities in navigating predominantly White campuses, there are relevant differences influenced by the intersection of race and gender. The post-secondary success of Black men has been identified as an area of concern in higher education due to the considerable disparities seen in college persistence and completion rates. However, discourse often focuses on perceived deficits of Black men in college instead of understanding how institutions can better support their success. There is a need to shift the conversation to explore how institutional climate plays a role in the experiences and outcomes of Black men. Research suggests that developing a sense of belonging is influenced by context and environment and can be challenging, but impactful for Black men. The current study seeks to understand the role that perceived campus climate plays in the development of sense of belonging for Black undergraduate men attending a PWI. The guiding research questions were: (1) What are the perceptions of campus climate for undergraduate Black men who attend a predominantly White institution? (2) How does the intersection of racial and gender identity influence the campus climate perceptions of undergraduate Black men? (3) How do the perceptions of campus climate influence the sense of belonging for undergraduate Black men? This qualitative study used various data collection methods including interviews, photovoice, and focus groups to gain an in-depth understanding of participants perceptions and experiences. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, this analysis offers insights and makes meaning of 12 Black men’s lived experiences and perceptions of their campus belonging while attending a PWI. Eight themes emerged in response to the study research questions. The findings suggest that the campus climate perceptions of Black men are related to the intersection of their race and gender. Additionally, there were salient factors of campus climate that influenced the sense of belonging for participants in the study such as the absence/presence of Black peers and faculty/staff and supportive spaces of cultural familiarity. The findings of this study could have great implications for the future success of Black men as higher education institutions are confronted with declining enrollment and continued disparities in college persistence and graduation rates for their Black male students. / Educational Administration

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Land grant, also known as Morrill Act, institutions and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were founded upon the principles to educate a target population with limited access to resources to expand their educational opportunities and social mobility. With the rise of new public management and neoliberalism, state financial support for higher education has changed drastically over the past two decades. Institutions are required to demonstrate performance metrics for funding. However, some of these institutions have been disproportionately under-resourced for many decades and the funding inequality has left them with a unique set of challenges to overcome. Social construction theory demonstrates the way policy can influence a target population and how the policies can shape societal perceptions about the target group. Limited funding, or in some cases omitted funding, from state legislatures to HBCUs or other Predominantly Black Institutions has led inequitable learning environments despite these institution’s commitment to serving students who may not have the financial means to otherwise pursue a postsecondary education. This study seeks to analyze the historical context of state relationships with higher education institutions, the historical context of funding inequality in higher education policy, the current climate for land grant and minority serving institutions’ role in higher education, the evolving emphasis on performance metrics for higher education institutions, and the analysis of funding practices in a more recent allocation year to investigate if funding inequality persists in the current climate.

This study examined the effects of peer tutoring and self-monitoring interventions on the oral reading performance of students exhibiting symptoms of AttentionDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Predominantly Inattentive Type. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the peer tutoring and self-monitoring interventions with four second grade students who were tutored by fourth grade students. Results indicated that the median number of words read correct per minute as measured by curriculum-based measurement reading probes increased from baseline to intervention phases for three of the four tutee participants. In addition, the median number of errors from baseline to intervention phases decreased for three of the four participants. However, data were highly variable for three of the four participants. In addition, the percentage of intervention data points that overlapped baseline data was higher than the percentage of non-overlapping data points. Consumer satisfaction was rated positively by tutee and teacher participants. All tutee participants rated peer tutoring as a fair intervention and agreed that this intervention would help them do better in school. In addition, teacher ratings indicated that peer tutoring was an acceptable and beneficial intervention for students. The teachers reported that they liked the procedures used in this intervention. Teacher ratings also indicated that these teachers would recommend this intervention to other teachers and would implement this intervention with other students. These teachers also strongly agreed that this intervention would be appropriate for a variety of students. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

The purpose of this case study was to explore the challenges African American students face when adjusting to predominantly White institutions and to review these institutions' diversity policies to determine whether the institutions are aligned with African American students' needs. The study was based on critical race theory to examine whether and how racial microaggressions influence racial tension at the predominantly White institutions selected for this study. The research questions were used to gauge (a) the level of comfort among African American students attending one of these predominantly White institutions, (b) their overall satisfaction with their decisions to attend the institution, and (c) whether an active diversity policy could be found at that institution. Qualitative data were collected from a sample of 107 African American students attending 1 of the 6 predominantly White institutions selected for this study. Descriptive statistics of cross-sectional survey data, along with the diversity policy within each institution, were employed to measure (a) the mean and standard deviation of participants' satisfaction with the environment their campus provided, (b) the decision to attend their institution, and (c) the awareness of their institution's diversity policy. The chi-square test was conducted to test student awareness of the diversity policy and their satisfaction with the organization of the policy. The results from this test were significant (p < .01), showing that the participants were aware of their institution's diversity policy and the protection it provides. Through effective policy changes, predominantly White institutions can positively affect graduation and retention rates among African American students and provide a greater opportunity to promote positive social change.

This qualitative study describes the experiences of Black undergraduate women who are involved in a Black student organization at a public predominantly White institution (PWI) beyond the freshman year. Understanding how these students are involved, the meaning they make of their participation, and how they simultaneously manage extracurricular activities, and their academic responsibilities is essential to providing Black women with support that will help reduce barriers to persistence. Questions about their level of involvement provide insight into how these students perceive their participation in student organizations. The following research questions are aligned with the theoretical suggestions made within Astin’s Theory of Student Involvement and Patricia Hill Collins’ Black Feminist Thought: How do Black undergraduate women describe their experience as members of a Black student organization on a predominantly White campus?, How do Black undergraduate women make meaning of their extracurricular involvement in a Black student organization on a predominantly White campus, How do Black undergraduate women simultaneously manage their extracurricular involvement and academic responsibilities while trying to reduce barriers to college retention, What perception do Black undergraduate women have regarding the role extracurricular involvement in a Black student organization plays in their persistence and academic outcomes? For this study, I utilized three tenants from Black Feminist Thought Framework (Collins, 2000) in collaboration with the Student Involvement Theory (Astin, 1984) to provide a critical lens during the investigation of Black undergraduate women who are involved in a Black student organization. The emerging themes from the study indicated the importance of Black student organizations on white campuses and the type of experiences Black undergraduate women have as members of such groups. Staff members indicated a lack of university services and support in retaining and assisting these students. The emerging themes of the study are creating culturally relevant experiences, taking on leadership roles, strategies to manage academic and extracurricular activities, Benefits of Involvement, controlling narratives and definitions. Findings from this dissertation study have the potential to contribute to the literature on Black undergraduate women and their experiences in culturally relevant student organizations. / Educational Administration