Support for Equity-Minded Leadership
Project: HCM Equity Framework | Partnership length: Ongoing | HCM Service Area Spotlight: Strategic Advice and Counsel| Portfolio Category: Postsecondary
HCM believes state, system, institutional and community-based equity-minded leadership is needed to identify and eliminate postsecondary educational disparities that exist pervasively across racial, ethnic, income, geographic and gender lines.
OVERVIEW
By 2043, the majority of Americans will be African-American, Latino/a/x, Asian-American/Pacific Islander or American Indian. The nation cannot power its workforce or protect its democracy with fewer than 30 percent of people of color earning a credential beyond a high school diploma or when just 1 in 10 low-income students earn a postsecondary credential by age 25. Today, one-half of all public school children have family incomes low enough to qualify them for free or reduced lunch. Economic mobility through improved education access and outcomes is the key to establishing the middle class.
OUR WORK
Leveraging its field expertise and the prominent findings from renowned researchers in the field, HCM developed a framework to assist leaders in advancing student retention and completion and closing equity gaps.
Guided by this framework, HCM provides technical support that includes:
A high-level needs analysis to identify areas for policy improvement and student advocacy;
Analysis of institution and/or system level data;
Facilitated site visits with relevant stakeholders;
Robust implementation plans to increase attainment and close equity gaps; and
Board and stakeholder training as well as ongoing advice and counsel to aid implementation.
IMPACT
Our unwavering belief in equity-minded leadership and our research-backed framework resulted in HCM’s work as an intermediary or consultant with a broad range of leaders influencing postsecondary outcomes.
Our partnerships include:
State postsecondary agencies such as the Colorado Department of Higher Education and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission;
Statewide postsecondary systems such as the Ohio Association of Community Colleges and the University System of Georgia;
Historically Black Colleges and Universities such as Dillard University, Florida Memorial University, Howard University, Morgan State University, and the Southern University campuses at New Orleans and Shreveport; and
Community-based organizations, such as the United Way of Southeast Louisiana.
Testimonials from this work:
** “The HCM team has been relentless in assessing and evaluating each aspect of the work we do. The data they are collecting will give us the ability to have a laser focus on student outcomes and to achieve our larger goal of diversifying the legal profession.” -- Attorney Adria Kimbrough, Dillard University
** “HCM brings a level of national higher ed expertise that is hard to find elsewhere. The team is dynamically talented and can serve in a variety of roles depending on our needs. From facilitator, strategic, relationship-builder, project manager, coach, researcher, analyst and connector – these are all roles our HCM consultant has played, each of them with precision, sensitivity and excellence. -- Amanda DeLaRosa, Colorado Department of Higher Education