Black Faculty and Student Outcomes: How Representation Influences Graduation Rates at HBCUs

Brandon Purnsley (), Erick Kitenge, Jaeyoung Cho and Reginald L. Bell
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Brandon Purnsley: Prairie View A&M University
Erick Kitenge: Prairie View A&M University
Jaeyoung Cho: Prairie View A&M University
Reginald L. Bell: Prairie View A&M University

Research in Higher Education, 2025, vol. 66, issue 7, No 5, 18 pages

Abstract: Abstract This study examines the influence of Black faculty representation on the graduation rates of Black students, with a particular focus on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Although HBCUs are only a small fraction of U.S. higher education institutions, they play an outsized role in the academic and economic success of Black students. Using a panel dataset of 2,716 four-year institutions from 2015 to 2022, which includes all 90 four-year HBCUs—sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), this research employs fixed effects linear regression models to examine how variations in Black faculty representation correlate with graduation outcomes. The results reveal that higher Black faculty representation is positively associated with Black student graduation rates across all institutions, with a more pronounced effect observed at HBCUs.

Keywords: HBCUs; Graduation rates; Black students; Black faculty; Higher education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s11162-025-09866-2

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