The Future of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Post-Secondary Education

Katelynn Carter-Rogers^1,2, Steven M. Smith², Chiedza Chigumba², and Vurain Tabvuma<sup>2

1</sup>St. Francis Xavier University
²Saint Mary’s University

Introduction

In this chapter we will discuss some of the many ways in which equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) are being considered in post-secondary education, and how the role of EDIA is likely to evolve over the coming years. We will start with an examination of the shift in the nature of the people at academic institutions over time, both in terms of students, and the faculty teaching them. Next, we will discuss what we mean by EDIA, how the definitions of EDIA have changed over time in general within the literature, and how post-secondary education (PSE) is leading the way in many instances. We will address the role and need for inclusive practices in post-secondary education and the benefits of EDIA for students, faculty, and institutions. Finally, we will take an educated guess at what the future of EDIA in PSE will bring, and how institutions can prepare for, facilitate, and manage those changes.

Student Demographics Over Time

There are now over 2.2 million students at colleges and universities in Canada, and that is more than double the number that attended in 1980 (Statistics Canada, 2023). Despite a push to increase access to PSE for Indigenous students in Canada, Indigenous youth were half as likely (37%) to have taken some form of post-secondary education as non-Indigenous youth (72%) (Layton, 2023). Interestingly, although there is already significant diversity in Canadian undergraduates, we see that some groups are over-represented compared to the general Canadian population (e.g., South Asian, Chinese, Korean) some are essentially at par with population (e.g., Arab, Southeast Asian, Japanese) and some are lower than would be expected by population (Latin American, Black, Filipino);  overall, some 30% of PSE students identify as a visible minority (Brunet & Galarneau, 2022). Over 400,000 of the students (or 18%) are international, which is 10 times the number of international students since 1980 (Statistics Canada, 2023). Students with disabilities also face challenges, with only 42% achieving some level of PSE (Furrie, 2017).

How is EDIA operationalized?

Seeing how the university population has changed and become more diverse over the last several decades, it has become apparent that resources and course content is not as relevant or relatable to everyone who is within the learning environment, there may also be cases where the content is not applicable, or generalizable for all populations equally. How do we ensure that everyone who is experiencing our learning environment fundamentally feels like they belong within this space and that it is relevant to them? That is what the intention of implementing EDIA within organizations and institutions is meant to do. There has been an evolution of EDIA, drastic changes to the way it is talked about (transitioning from EDI to EDIA, and other abbreviations) (see Table 1), and also changes within the literature describing what the best way to work with diverse people.

Table 1
Common Abbreviations used within the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility space

Prior to the 1980’s, organizations focused on equality, and equal opportunity for the groups that were legally protected from discrimination, which focused more broadly on race and sex (Kelly & Dobbin, 1998). Historically, shifts towards equity have come with climates that have necessitated uncomfortable conversations. When diversity became the focus, this brings attention to the importance of how it can benefit the organization overall (Trawalter et al., 2016). Progress in achieving diversity goals has come because of social movements driving change and causing society to recognize the lived experiences of racialized groups (Ray & Melaku, 2023). If left to voluntary targets, EDIA progress would be slow (Cukier, 2023) and inequalities would persist. Over the years, we have seen significant changes to how diversity is considered, including gender identity, ability, personality characteristics, religion, and ethnicity, just to name a few (Kirby et al., 2023; Pascual et al., 2023; Unzueta & Binning, 2012).

There has also been discourse in the inclusion literature (Shore et al., 2011), calling for a shift from measuring diversity to actively considering how to create an inclusive space for everyone (Ferdman, 2014; Mor Barak, 2022; Nishii & Rich, 2013; see also Tabvuma et al., 2023). However, a focus on making the majority feel comfortable risks experiencing a repeat of history when calls for EDIA were widely devalued and labelled as ineffective (e.g., Chambers et al., 2023; Chilton et al., 2022; Winnick, 2010). It is important for all sides to be heard; inclusion is not about the majority deriding the realties that equity seeking groups face. It is just as important to have conversations about uncomfortable topics with a goal to foster a sense of belonging and not silence the voices of those whose lived experiences are negatively impacted by policies aimed at maintaining the status quo. Myth busting is one way to steer perceptions away from misconceptions and towards common understanding of the EDIA issues in PSE (Chambers et al., 2023).

These issues show the importance for considering more than just recruitment initiatives when seeking to promote inclusion. Research by Gebert et al. (2017) highlights that during transitions, insufficient tolerance for diverse populations among leadership can create discomfort and unwelcoming atmospheres and lower retention. Despite extensive discourse on EDIA, numerous organizations still lack diversity, particularly within their leadership ranks (Statistics Canada, 2021a; 2021b). Despite decades of trying to enhance diversity, significant wage gaps and underrepresentation persist within organizations, signaling systemic barriers to acceptance, cultural transformation, and sustained diversity. With the backlash against race-based admission approaches linked to affirmative action, PSE institutions in the USA are now expected to seek diversity in their admissions process through factors other than race (Savage, 2023). It remains to be seen how much of an impact this will have on the visible diversity of students in PSE and the workforce. Backlash and myths are effective tools in silencing the voices of those who would otherwise advocate against self-segregation in favor of inclusive approaches that foster a sense of belonging; over time, they can breed assimilation as people conform (Shore et al., 2011) to be accepted as insiders for personal and professional. Recognizing these challenges, scholars have begun advocating for a paradigm shift from merely studying diversity to focusing on inclusion (Carter-Rogers et al., 2022a; Ferdman, 2014; Mor Barak, 2022; Nishii & Rich, 2013; Shore et al., 2011; Smith, et al., 2022).

Issues such as unwelcoming environments and underrepresentation at least partly stem from leadership using these terms interchangeably, and thus missing important considerations when it comes to facilitating inclusion. When “diversity” is discussed, most are referring to the people’s “affinity” that makes them different or unique within a space (Star, 2022). This is problematic because these diverse traits become a metric that is measured as an outcome of success, instead of adjusting or making change within an environment. These affinities are also typically assessed visibly, which then negates hidden or invisible diversity. The Canadian Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has done a great job explaining and defining EDIA as it impacts the Canadian education system and showing that each dimension needs to be considered differently (see Table 1).

Table 2
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA) Good Practices toolkit (Baker & Vasseur, 2021).

What is not discussed within Table 2 but is starting to surface within the EDIA literature, is the idea around belonging, or belongingness (Kirby & Zhang, 2024). Although Shore et al. (2018) begins to speak on the sense of belonging in the context of inclusion, and the uniqueness that one feels within their environment leading to them ultimately being retained, the concept from an EDIA perspective is still new in the organizational context. Belonging is where the PSE literature is more informed on implementing change within the academic space.

Value of EDIA in Post Secondary Education 

In 1998 the U.S. Court of Appeals ruling in Wessmann v Gittens (1998) struck down the school’s race-based admissions quota that reserved half the seats for students from diverse racial backgrounds; in the 1997-98 school year this half was comprised of 18 White, 13 Black, 9 Asian-American and 5 Hispanic students (Wessmann v. Gittens, 1998). Similarly, in the Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (2023) race-based considerations were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The key takeaway highlighted from media articles was the need to prove the value of diversity (Axtman, 1998; Lewin, 1998; Liptak, 2023). At the PSE level, the value of EDIA comes through when tertiary education aids in developing individuals who can work in teams with, or manage people from, diverse backgrounds. Diversity in higher education fosters interactions that bring value to the development of strategy through diverse thought. Furthermore, diversity creates room for the generation of innovative ideas (Díaz-García et al., 2013) by bringing together minds, perspectives and experiences from different backgrounds and identities.

At PSE institutions, the diverse student population brings together diversity in thought and experience at an advanced level of maturity compared to high school. Students who come from different backgrounds often come with diverse ways of learning and differing notions of what is expected of them both in the classroom and in their academic work (Nelson, 1996). What is often presumed to be lack of motivation, means or ability can also be a function of differences in how students learn, including attitudes towards peer-learning, or differences in how the standard of their high school education prepared them for college (Nelson, 1996; Treisman, 1992). Often students from different backgrounds, with different levels of college preparation, are expected to know and understand the expectations of their professors (Nelson, 1996), and supporting student diversity involves providing opportunities and resources for equitable learning. This may include taking time to set expectations and ensuring understanding using exercises that are reviewed collectively (Nelson, 1996). Creating opportunities for regular peer-learning has been found to be beneficial for students who come from backgrounds that discourage such a strategy as it may be misunderstood as cheating, or from social environments where such a strategy may risk students facing bullying for appearing as being nerdy (Nelson, 1996). Notably peer learning through study groups is a strategy that other successful student groups regularly make use of, such as Asians and those from social environments where peer learning was encouraged, (Nelson, 1996).

EDIA and Sense of Belonging in PSE 

When creating pipelines within the education system so that more diverse students can access PSE and subsequently enter the workforce, we must consider their integration into this space (Tienda, 2013). Students who are experiencing more educational barriers (i.e., first generation students, Black and Indigenous students, students living with disabilities, working students, etc.) experience the most uncertainty in their sense of belonging within PSE, leading to feelings of isolation (Brooms, 2020; DeRossett et al., 2021; Fong et al., 2021). We see that the students’ sense of belonging has a significant impact on whether they are successful in their integration.

Students with increased connection to the environment have increased sense of belonging (Astin, 1994; 2007; Malone et al., 2012; Schachner et al., 2019; Slaten et al., 2018; Tinto, 1993; 2010). Astin’s (1994) Inputs-Environment-Output (I-E-O) model allows for consideration of students’ demographic backgrounds when implementing and assessing the outcomes for successful transition into PSE. These approaches are essential to academic success; the integration into campus life is just as important as obtaining high grades (Astin, 1994; 2007). A student’s failure to integrate into the campus culture, both socially and intellectually, is a factor in why students struggle and/or fail in PSE (Tinto, 1993; 2010). Carter-Rogers, et al. (2022b) found that there were clear educational barriers being experienced by the diverse student population ranging from financial hardships, housing insecurity, lack of social support, generational trauma, family substance abuse, and negative relationship dynamics.  These barriers, though out of the control of the institution, put into perspective the importance of sense of belonging, and continued social support systems needed within the PSE environment. Resources on campus must exist so that students who are from more diverse backgrounds can find a sense of belonging within the educational space, ensuring they can stay and feel safe within the academic environment.

Programming to Facilitate Belonging for Students

Student transitions are hard, and in most cases, it is not the challenge of doing well in class, it is the adjustment to the academic culture that is most impactful. Geography, gender, ethnic background, and socioeconomics all influence this outcome. In PSE institutions, graduation rates vary dramatically from close to 90% to well under 50% — and that is just from those who are reporting statistics (see MacLean’s, 2018).

Most colleges and universities in North America have specific programs put in place to help students transition from high school (or other institutions) to their programs. Indeed, there are multiple national (e.g., the Annual Conference on First Year Experience; the National Student Success Conference) and regional (e.g., the Atlantic Association of College and University Student Services; the California Strengthening Student Success Conference) conferences and organisations that specifically aim to support student transition and success. At each of these conferences (as illustrated in their associated journals and newsletters) there are countless programs being run every year, all with the goal of easing the transition of students from where they were, to where they are at. In a recent survey of Canadian first year experience and students in transition programming being offered at Canadian colleges and universities, every institution responding offered more than one program for students to support their acclimation to academia and the institution (see Smith, et al., in press).

First-year experience and students in transition programs take a wide variety of forms, including first year seminars to support student academic and writing skills,  programs integrated with required academic courses, programs for transfer students, programs for international students, mental health programming, Indigenous student programming, programs for racialized students, career development programs, programs for students with disabilities, and many others (see Smith et al., in press, for a review of current Canadian programming). Fundamentally, each program is trying to make the student more comfortable, more acclimated, and more successful. The goal of these programs is to enhance academic skills, engage students and make them feel included in the school’s culture, and increase commitment to educational goals – they aim to make the student feel like they belong at the institution.

Does EDIA exist for Faculty?

Current State of EDIA in Academia

In both the US and Canada, faculty from diverse backgrounds remain under-represented in academia, both in terms of percentages in the population, and in the workforce (e.g., CAUT, 2018; Ellsworth et al., 2022). Perhaps this is not surprising given the data we highlighted above that students are not graduating from high school or attending university at the rates that would be expected given their proportion of the population. This inequity persists throughout graduate work and likely results in even fewer racialized, gender and sexually diverse, and disabled individuals achieving the credentials required to become academics. Even though 95% of research-intensive institutions in the US have a senior administrative position dedicated to diversity and inclusion, only 8% of institutions have at least equitable student representation and graduation rates, and 88% of not-for-profit colleges and universities have full time faculty that are less diverse than the US population (Ellsworth et al., 2022).

Yet, in Canada, there have been some important gains over the years (CAUT, 2018). The percentage of racialized faculty rose from 17% in 2006 to 21% in 2016, keeping pace with the percentage of racialized individuals in the population. There are more women faculty than ever before, but women, and especially racialized women, are least likely to have full-time employment positions in academia. Indigenous faculty are also underrepresented, at less than half the rate than would be expected by the number of Indigenous people in the labour force, and less than a third the rate that would be expected by population. Finally, there are clear and consistent wage gaps between non-indigenous non-racialized men and all other groups, with racialized women being the lowest paid. Further, the pace of change is slow. Ellsworth et al., 2022 report that at the current pace of change it would take 300-400 years for faculty diversity to reach parity with the US population.

Does Merit Really Exist in Academia?

As noted above, there are systematic issues that need to be dealt with for more diverse representation in faculty. Academia, and jobs in academia, have long been argued to be based on merit. Our peer-review system ensures that the people who are better at being academics (better researchers, better professors, better administrators) get the academic jobs, get tenure, get promoted, etc. But as with any general statement of value such as this, there are caveats. We don’t have to look far before we see some of the flaws in the system. The structure of merit within academia was developed at a time when (often White) male professors were the status quo, so perhaps it is no surprise that academic structures tend to work better for men (Van den Brink & Benschop, 2012). Indeed, there has been evidence that women are seen as less qualified than men to be faculty members (Bourabain, 2021; Johansson & Śliwa, 2013) which can lead to discrimination, higher standards for women, lower salaries, and slower progression though the ranks. Despite evidence to the contrary, women are considered slower to achieve their academic success (Krefting, 2003; Staub & Rafnsdóttir, 2020; Van den Brink & Benschop, 2012), which has been attributed to their family situations (i.e., having children). As such women are more likely to be asked about their family at hiring and promotion (Bourabain, 2021; Mixon & Treviño, 2005; Orbogu & Bisiriyu, 2012; Rivera, 2017; Treviño et al., 2018). Not surprisingly, these perceptions of less “value” from women academics has contributed to the well-established pay gap in academia (Bailey et al., 2016; Schulz & Tanguay, 2006; Woodhams et al., 2022).

For minorities, and women of colour in particular, realities are even worse, as they experience minimization of their skills and qualifications are questions as they are perceived to be “diversity hires” rather than “qualified” applicants (Griffin et al., 2013; Johansson & Śliwa, 2013; Maseti, 2018: Zambrana et al., 2017). Some minority faculty members have indicated that they are consistently fighting to be seen as an academic and not just as their skin colour (Johansson & Śliwa, 2013). These faculty felt that because of who they were they were held to an unfair standard (Griffin et al., 2013) of behaviour while also feeling like they need to offset stereotypes of being “angry” or “aggressive” by smiling and being mindful of their body language (Jackson, 2008).

Another issue that affects “diverse” academics is their workload related to administrative duties. Many faculty members coming from minority groups feel pressure to mentor and support the “next generation” of students who may be looking up to them as a role model (e.g., Griffin et al., 2013). Most universities and colleges in North America are also launching working groups, special projects, policy teams, etc., which specifically require membership from people representing diverse groups. As such this can add significantly to the workload of people who belong to those groups. Added to the disparagement of many academics’ experiences toward their work on diversity issues (e.g., Simpson, 2010; being told this “Niche” research is not “rigorous” enough and will therefore not help them achieve promotion and tenure) this can lead to burnout and lack of progress.

How to support diverse faculty

Employees that belong to one of more categories of having a disability, being racialized, or a sexual or gender minority have greater sense of belonging and job satisfaction in diverse and inclusive environments; But how do we create such an environment for new employees? One strategy that has been used by many academic employers in recent years is the idea of “cluster hires” (e.g., Chilton, 2020; Flaherty, 2015) though not without controversy (Sa, 2019). The basic idea is that a department (or group of departments) decide that they need to hire a diverse group of faculty in one particular area of research. The criticism of this approach (e.g., Sa, 2019) is that this forces departments to group hires into similar research areas within a small number of departments (unless institutional finances are very strong) and this could functionally act to isolate those hires into niche fields. It is certainly the case that groups of faculty hired at the same time will increase a sense of belonginess and comradery among those faculty, but it is important that cluster hires be across disciplines and across institutions to maximize benefits. In addition, continuing the approach over time as part of an institutional strategy will reduce the chances of people feeling that the hires were “tokens” (Chilton, 2020). Importantly, cluster hires should include ongoing support in terms of mentoring programs, support for faculty as they work toward tenure and promotion.

It is worth noting that even with cluster hiring, which can be effective, there must be an awareness of what is meant by “diverse” applicants. As we have highlighted above, often diversity strategies focus on “visible” diversity. Although this is clearly important, we must also be sure to create opportunities for less visibly diverse people to join the faculty ranks, including those with invisible disabilities, sexual minorities, and people with different personalities, values, and attitudes (e.g., Tabvuma et al., 2023).

Gaps in the Literature

There have been several identified gaps within the literature as it relates to EDIA that need to be further researched. As stated previously, focusing on diversity alone within this space is not going to lead to increased retention of diverse individuals. Further investigation is needed related to the practice, resources, and overall climate within PSE, as well as how faculty approach their curriculum and pedagogy. For example, experiential learning has shown to be effective in helping students develop new skills, enhance their problem-solving abilities, and gain a more in-depth understanding of lived experiences; meaning that if we diversify and create a more inclusive classroom, all students benefit within this space (Fede et al., 2018; Winsett et al., 2016).  Many studies, and our own research, have found that co-curricular approaches to learning improve intellectual engagement, self-efficacy, satisfaction, and feelings of support from the institution (Kilpatrick & Wilburn, 2010; Lourens, 2014; Pasque & Murphy, 2005; Stirling & Kerr, 2015; Tabvuma et al., 2023), while simultaneously providing an inclusive space that mitigates the impacts of educational barriers (Carter-Rogers et al., 2022b). This may be because co-curricular learning helps students better understand people from different backgrounds and helps to develop relationships with their peers who are different from them (Keen & Hall, 2009).  This point is key to understanding strong sense of belonging within the institution and needs to be explored further.

Yet most if not all research within this space has considered a singular axis of diversity, and has not approached the advancement of inclusion, belongingness, or diversity within higher education from an intersectional perspective. Research needs to consider how to identify the barriers related to retention and success among students who are from underrepresented populations, especially from an intersectional perspective. There is also a divide related to the implementation of policies and practices within institutions. There is little to no discussion related to the first voice experience about implementing these practices, and whether they are effective or not. Also, it should be noted that it is not the responsibility of diverse faculty or student body to implement these practices. There is need for an investigation into the impacts of tokenism and cosmetic diversity initiatives within higher education which cannot be the sole responsibility of diverse academics (which, as noted above, can lead to excessive administrative workloads). For example, one of the authors of this chapter is an Indigenous scholar, who encourages non-Indigenous colleagues to do the work needed to be active and ongoing allies, as it can be exhausting for Indigenous scholars to bear the emotional labour of convincing fellow colleagues to do the right thing and educate themselves on the ongoing and persistent discrimination of Indigenous peoples within higher education. This would be the same burden put on neurodiverse faculty continuously having to advocate for accommodations for students or other faculty, or the only Black scholar within the department being put on all committees simply because they are Black. Furthermore, to facilitate this “all on board” approach there must be a willingness to accept that non-diverse faculty may be doing good work on these issues, and have meaningful and valuable information to contribute, even when they belong to the majority.

This leads to the final point of recruitment, retention, and advancement of underrepresented faculty members. In this chapter we touched on supporting diverse faculty, and the discussion around meritocratic practices within higher education, but there is a significant gap within the literature as it relates to removing the barriers that these faculty members experience. Academics are beginning to discuss the decolonization of education (see Russ Walsh and David Danto’s chapter in this volume), but there is a discourse that is emerging related to Cosmetic Indigenization (Bastien et al., 2023), and tokenized scholars (Price et al., 2024). Black scholars have discussed having to identity shift to feel like they belong, causing severe health implications (Dickens & Chavez, 2018; Dickens et al., 2019; Hall et al., 2012), and it is about time that this discussion is not just happening within the diverse academic circles. The whole academic community needs to start looking inward to how they themselves can begin implementing change within their institution.

The Future of EDIA in Higher Education

The future of EDIA in higher education is very likely to be driven by the ongoing efforts to addressing the systemic inequalities, promote diversity and inclusion, and enhance accessibility for all. Currently it makes sense that data-driven decision-making will help institutions understand the needs of diverse student and faculty populations to ensure that resources are allocated in a more efficient and effective manner. Further, by actively collaborating with diverse communities, institutions will better understand their needs and goals, which in turn helps to develop a more effective strategy for engaging and promoting EDIA.

To advance initiatives and to make change, there will need to be a commitment from senior academic leadership who must demonstrate their commitment to EDIA and ensure institutional core values are grounded in inclusive practices (Shore et al., 2018). This would mean that strategic planning would have measurable goals that are advancing EDIA, including the perceived belongingness that these individuals experience. Student success programs and funding supports are crucial for advancement of EDIA within institutions, as well as providing for the infrastructure needed for hybrid education, meetings, and health supports. Continuous evaluation of practices and constant improvements are also needed, meaning institutions need to assess effectiveness of EDIA initiatives and adapt as needed. There also needs to be engagement with community and active listening to people’s perspectives which can support informed decision making. By implementing strategies like these, institutions can create a more inclusive and accessible space within the institutional environment, ensuring that they are supporting the success and well-being of all the institutional members.

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