Publication Date
Spring 2025
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Education
Advisor
Ferdinand Rivera; Maria Ledesma; Mylinh Pham
Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation study is to explore the conditions of Ethnic Studies departments and programs in the California State University (CSU) system nine years after the release of the CSU Ethnic Studies Task Force report released in 2016. Using a convergent parallel mixed methods analysis, this dissertation revisits several questions from the original CSU survey to assess the effectiveness of Ethnic Studies units in the CSU. Respondents to the survey included 13 of the 58 recognized department chairs and program directors for Ethnic Studies units among the 23 campuses of the CSU system, and interview participants included 5 of the 58 aforementioned leaders. Centering their perspectives, this study asked: What are the characteristics of a successful Ethnic Studies department or program at the university level? To what extent are Ethnic Studies departments and programs effective in meeting the policy objectives for Ethnic Studies? How do program reviews reflect the claims of effectiveness of chairs or directors? How do available resources affect Ethnic Studies departments and programs’ ability to fulfill their stated vision? The participants’ perspectives about their respective units’ effectiveness in light of current systemic and societal challenges were analyzed using Critical Race Theory.
Recommended Citation
Cox, Christopher Jarrett, "Perceptions of Department Chairs and Program Directors of Ethnic Studies in the California State University System: A Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods Study" (2025). Dissertations. 120.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.hrce-e6s2
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_dissertations/120
