On Diversity: Access Ain’t Inclusion | Anthony Jack | TEDxCambridge

Summary

The speaker, a Harvard professor, shares his journey from a poor, segregated Miami community to academia, highlighting the challenges faced by underprivileged students in elite institutions. He discusses the 'hidden curriculum' of unspoken expectations and the cultural divide between 'privileged poor' students from private schools and 'doubly disadvantaged' ones from public schools. The speech also addresses issues like food insecurity and the need for true inclusion beyond mere access to education.

Takeaways

• 🏫 The speaker's journey from a poor, segregated Miami neighborhood to becoming a Harvard professor illustrates the power of education to overcome adversity.
• 👨‍👧‍👦 The speaker's family background, with a middle school security guard for a father and a janitor for a brother, highlights the importance of hard work and the impact of socioeconomic status on educational opportunities.
• 🏛️ The speaker points out the disconnect between diversity recruitment in colleges and the actual inclusion of students once they arrive on campus, emphasizing that access does not equate to inclusion.
• 📊 The speaker's research reveals that colleges often recruit from a narrow pool of schools, leading to a disproportionate number of 'privileged poor' students from private schools.
• 🤝 The concept of the 'hidden curriculum' is introduced, which includes unwritten rules and expectations that can disadvantage students who are not familiar with these norms.
• 📚 The speaker explains how engaging with professors during office hours can significantly impact a student's GPA, but this expectation is often unspoken and can be a barrier for some students.
• 🏆 The importance of cultural capital is underscored, as it can provide students with the unspoken knowledge and behaviors that are valued in mainstream institutions.
• 🌐 The speaker's personal experience and that of others demonstrate the cultural shock and challenges faced by students from underprivileged backgrounds when navigating college life.
• 🍽️ The script addresses the issue of food insecurity among college students, particularly during times when campuses close, leaving some students without access to meals.
• 🏆 The speaker argues for a shift from mere access to true inclusion in educational institutions, using data to support the need for systemic changes to support diverse student populations.
• 🤔 The script concludes with a call to question what else institutions take for granted, suggesting that a deeper examination of systemic biases and assumptions is necessary for true inclusivity.

Q & A

What was the speaker's first impression of Amherst College campus?

The speaker's first impression of Amherst College was that it was a fresh and different world, with the experience being marked by the sight of a chipmunk that was mistaken for a rat by his brother.

What does the speaker identify as the 'privileged poor' in the context of college students?

The 'privileged poor' refers to students from private schools who have cultural capital and are more likely to be accepted into colleges due to the cultural behaviors and ways of being that are valued in mainstream institutions.

What challenges do 'doubly disadvantaged' students face when entering college?

Doubly disadvantaged students, who typically come from distressed public schools, face challenges such as not having the same cultural capital as their privileged peers, which can hinder their integration into the college environment and their ability to navigate the unwritten rules of academia.

What is the 'hidden curriculum' mentioned in the script?

The 'hidden curriculum' refers to the system of unwritten rules and unspoken expectations within an academic institution, such as the importance of engaging with professors during office hours, which can significantly impact a student's academic success.

How does the speaker suggest that office hours can impact a student's final grade?

The speaker suggests that there is a correlation between visiting office hours and an increase in final grades, with each visit corresponding to a 1.25% bump in the final grade for that course.

What cultural shock did Valeria, a lower-income student from the Midwest, experience in college?

Valeria experienced a cultural shock as her previous education had emphasized maintaining order over making connections, and she entered college with the belief that advancement should be based solely on hard work.

How does the speaker describe the experience of 'privileged poor' students like Aragon?

Aragon, as a 'privileged poor' student, had attended a New England boarding school where she was taught by PhDs and was encouraged to engage with faculty, giving her a sense of entitlement to interact with professors in college.

What is the issue with the assumption that all students can leave campus during spring break?

The issue is that not all students can afford to leave campus or have a home to return to, leading to a lack of food and security for those who remain, which can be particularly challenging for lower-income students.

How did the speaker describe the situation of food insecurity among college students?

The speaker described the situation as critical, with two out of every five undergraduates in America being food insecure, often having to resort to desperate measures to make ends meet.

What is the speaker's call to action for institutions to improve diversity and inclusion?

The speaker calls for a shift from mere access to true inclusion, using data to identify and address issues like the hidden curriculum and food insecurity, and to challenge the unwritten rules and structural barriers that hinder the success of diverse students.

What is the significance of the speaker's personal story in the script?

The speaker's personal story serves as a testament to the possibility of overcoming adversity and achieving success despite coming from a poor, segregated community, and it underscores the importance of moving beyond mere access to education to ensure true inclusion and support for all students.

Outlines

00:00

🏫 Overcoming Barriers to Inclusion in Higher Education

The speaker reflects on their journey from a poor, segregated Miami community to becoming a Harvard professor, highlighting the challenges faced by underprivileged students in higher education. They discuss the concept of 'access vs. inclusion', emphasizing that mere admission is not enough; institutions must also support diverse students once they arrive on campus. The speaker introduces the idea of 'privileged poor', who have cultural capital from private schools, in contrast to 'doubly disadvantaged' students from distressed public schools. They also touch on the 'hidden curriculum', a set of unwritten rules and expectations that can hinder students who are not familiar with the academic culture, such as the importance of office hours for building relationships with professors.

05:03

🤔 The Hidden Curriculum and Cultural Capital

This paragraph delves into the cultural divide between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds and how it affects their college experience. The speaker uses the example of 'office hours' to illustrate the gap in understanding and expectations between students who are accustomed to engaging with faculty and those who are not. The narrative includes personal anecdotes and experiences of students like 'a goon', who attended a boarding school and felt entitled to interact with professors, contrasting with students from underprivileged backgrounds who may not have the same cultural capital. The speaker also addresses the broader implications of these disparities in the workplace, where relationships and visibility can impact career advancement.

10:06

🍽️ Food Insecurity and the Struggle for Inclusion

The final paragraph addresses the issue of food insecurity among college students, particularly during periods when campuses are closed, such as spring break. The speaker shares stories of students resorting to online dating for meals or struggling with the lack of resources on campus. They emphasize the need for institutions to move beyond mere access to education and actively work towards inclusion, considering the social and structural barriers that students face. The speaker calls for a deeper understanding and acknowledgment of the unwritten rules and systemic hurdles that can prevent diverse students from fully participating in and benefiting from higher education.

Keywords

💡Amherst College

Amherst College is a private liberal arts college in Massachusetts, known for its academic excellence. In the script, it represents the new environment and opportunity that the speaker and his family encounter, signifying a stark contrast to their previous life in Miami. The mention of Amherst College sets the stage for discussing the challenges and experiences of students from underprivileged backgrounds in elite educational institutions.

💡Cultural Capital

Cultural capital refers to the non-material aspects of social status, such as education, knowledge, skills, and cultural tastes that an individual possesses. In the video, the speaker discusses how students from private schools have cultural capital that is valued in mainstream institutions, giving them an advantage over those from underprivileged backgrounds who lack this unspoken understanding of how to navigate academic and social environments.

💡Privileged Poor

The term 'Privileged Poor' is used to describe students from lower-income backgrounds who have attended private or boarding schools, thus gaining some advantages in cultural capital and social networks. The speaker uses this term to highlight the differences between these students and the 'doubly disadvantaged,' who come from distressed public schools and face greater challenges in adapting to college life.

💡Doubly Disadvantaged

Doubly Disadvantaged refers to students who are both from low-income backgrounds and attend under-resourced public schools, lacking the cultural capital that is valued in elite institutions. The speaker uses interviews with such students to illustrate how poverty and inequality impact their college experience, as they face additional barriers in accessing opportunities and resources.

💡Hidden Curriculum

The hidden curriculum consists of the unwritten rules, expectations, and norms that students are expected to learn and follow in an educational setting. In the script, the speaker explains how the hidden curriculum, such as the importance of engaging with professors during office hours, can be a barrier for students who are not familiar with these expectations, impacting their academic success.

💡Office Hours

Office hours are designated times when professors are available to meet with students outside of class to discuss academic matters. The speaker points out that while professors may mention office hours, they often do not explain their purpose, which can lead to confusion and missed opportunities for students who are not aware of the benefits of these interactions, such as improved grades and emotional support.

💡Recommendation Letters

Recommendation letters are written endorsements from professors or other authorities that can influence a student's future academic or professional opportunities. In the video, the speaker notes the importance of building relationships with faculty to secure such letters, which can be a challenge for students who are not adept at navigating the unspoken rules of academic engagement.

💡Food Insecurity

Food insecurity refers to the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. The speaker discusses how food insecurity affects a significant number of college students, particularly those from lower-income backgrounds, and provides examples of the desperate measures some students take to secure meals, such as increasing online dating activity to ensure being invited out to eat.

💡Spring Break

Spring Break is a recess period in the academic calendar when many students travel or return home. However, the speaker highlights the challenges it presents for lower-income students who may not have a home to return to or the means to travel, leading to increased food insecurity and feelings of isolation on campus.

💡Inclusion

Inclusion refers to the active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity, ensuring the presence, voice, and participation of all members of a group. The speaker argues that while colleges invest in diversity recruitment, they often fail to create inclusive environments, which requires more than just access but also addressing the hidden curriculum and other barriers to full participation.

💡Diversity Recruitment

Diversity recruitment is the process of actively seeking out and attracting a diverse pool of candidates or students to an organization or institution. The speaker notes that while colleges invest in recruiting a diverse student body, they may not adequately consider how to support and include these students once they arrive, leading to ongoing challenges in creating a truly diverse and inclusive community.

Highlights

First-time experience at Amherst College with family, highlighting the contrast between urban and rural environments.

The speaker's background as a Harvard professor from a low-income, non-college-educated family.

The reality of poverty creating a divide between the haves and have-nots in education.

Colleges' focus on diversity recruitment but lack of attention to inclusion post-arrival.

Research revealing the disproportionate source of colleges' diverse student bodies from boarding and prep schools.

The concept of 'privileged poor' students having an advantage due to cultural capital.

The existence of a 'hidden curriculum' in colleges, including unwritten rules and expectations.

The importance of engaging with faculty for academic success and support.

Cultural shock experienced by lower-income students from different educational backgrounds.

The misconception among students about the purpose of office hours and their actual benefits.

The speaker's personal journey learning to navigate the academic environment for success.

The impact of college policies on lower-income students, such as campus closures during breaks.

The struggle of food insecurity among college students and its implications on their academic focus.

The speaker's call to action for moving from access to inclusion in educational institutions.

The need for data-driven approaches to address and improve diversity and inclusion efforts.

The acknowledgment of the challenges faced by diverse groups in navigating institutional norms.

The conclusion emphasizing the importance of recognizing and addressing what is taken for granted in educational settings.

Transcripts

I remember the first time I stepped foot

on the Amherst College campus it was

with my mother and brother we drove up

from Miami the flights were too

expensive and besides we were all afraid

of flying anyway we pulled dr. Pratt

door got out of the car took deep

breaths a fresh country air but then my

brother starts to laugh he saw a little

critter run across the yard he said Tony

y'all pay how much for school here and

y'all got rats yeah it was a chipmunk we

had never seen a real one before his

joke barely hid his excitement it did

nothing for his nerves we were in

another world

so yeah me here a Harvard professor in

an opera house it's a testament to the

fact that even under impe dreams come

true

I'm the proud son of a middle school

security guard the brother of a janitor

both hard-working but neither

college-educated

I'm from a poor segregated community in

Miami that even my local newspaper

called a place time for God they're

often more struggles and celebrations

high school was the finish line when I

was growing up there were only three Ivy

League schools Harvard Yale and

Princeton and the only reason why

Princeton makes the list is because of

the Fresh Prince of bel-air but such is

the pernicious power of poverty it

isolates and it separates it creates two

worlds occupied by the haves and the

have Nevers so much so that people

equate poor students like myself making

it into college as having made it the

golden ticket not to Willy Wonka's

chocolate factory but to those bastions

of power and privilege yet getting in is

only half the battle

colleges like many organizations have

invested millions in diversity

recruitment but have thought less about

what to do when students arrive on

campus access ain't inclusion

part of the reason why is because

colleges get their new diversity from

old sources my research is the first to

show that colleges get half of their

poor black students from boarding in Bay

schools one-third of Latinos are - I

call these students the privileged poor

colleges like poor students from private

schools because they have cultural

capital those taken for granted ways of

being that are valued in mainstream

institutions the other poor black and

Latino students at in local typically

distressed public schools they don't

enter with the same cultural capital I

call these students that doubly

disadvantaged it was my interviews with

a hundred and three undergraduates that

show how poverty and inequality stopped

those who made it you see

when students into college whether a

community college or an Ivy League

institution they encounter a hidden

curriculum a system of unwritten rules

and unset expectation professors throw

around class terms like office hours yet

they only say when they are they never

say what they are

you see colleges expect students to be

comfortable engaging faculty I mean this

is the road to recommendation letters

it's the road to emotional support when

times gets rough connect you and faculty

is even valuable for your GPA one

research project showed that each visit

to office hours corresponds with a 1.2

5% bump in your final grade for that

course yet this expectation goes unsaid

there's no manuals of do's and dont's

wins the house and unspoken if

undergraduates want something they will

come operates as the gold ticket the

college corollary to the squeaky wheel

gets the grease

imagine the culture shock then that the

doubly disadvantaged experience it was

otherworldly for valaria a lower-income

student from the Midwest her teachers

spent more time maintaining order than

making connections she into college

believing in the American Dream she

believed that her advancement should be

about the work it was how her father saw

the world

it was also how he told her to see it as

well

mija you don't want to get ahead by

kissing ass right you want it based on

hard work it'll take longer mija but

you'll feel more proud let us not be

quick to label this father's advice as

bad in 2016 a dean from dean college

reached out to me she wanted to know how

could she increase academic engagement

among her lower income students I said

let's start with something basic let's

define office hours

something I said resonated with her when

she finally asked her students why they

didn't visit

her in office hours they said miss we

thought that was your time to do your

work in your office undisturbed it's a

reasonable assumption to make something

was lost in translation that had nothing

to do with English proficiency but let

us remember the privileged poor those

alumni of prep schools where contact

with faculty is not only encouraged but

built into the structure of the place

students like a goon a reflective latina

a goon hails from a troubled

neighborhood but attended a New England

boarding school she was taught in high

school by PhDs

PhDs were also dorm parents she entered

college feeling entitled to talk to a

professor and say hey I want to meet

with you my high school told me I can do

that it's actually my right even when

her professor was away from campus she

had no qualms calling him for virtual

office hours despite friends surprised

looks undergraduates from America's

forgotten neighborhoods and ignored

schools are truly disadvantaged if

colleges continue to privilege privilege

we cannot assume that all students have

had a chance to practice let alone

master these skills before they arrive

on campus and as office hours in college

become open-door policies at work this

process can continue we wonder why we

can hire diverse applicants but we can't

seem to promote them recommendation

letters in college are dependent upon

relationships with faculty just as

promotion at work is dependent upon

relationships with superiors for me I

watch the gull of a crowd and learn how

to navigate office hours similar to a

goon I got those letters of

recommendation 1 even coming from the

college president I learned that is not

just what you know and who you know but

also about who knows you and how well

they do

but I am not so naive the stumbling

blocks to inclusion are not merely

social colleges take for granted not

just what students know but also what

they can't afford sometimes the very

policies that colleges implement hurt

they hurt all lower-income students the

privileged poor and the doubly

disadvantaged alike colleges decision to

shut down during spring break assuming

that all people can leave for fun in the

Sun is a case in point but what if you

can't go home well what if you don't

have a home to go to what about for you

if hurt in home are synonymous campus

for better or for worse is your refuge

yet professors flee and friends leave

buildings close they even turn down the

heat in the dorms you walk past the

cafeteria and the lights are out in the

chairs they're stacked on top of the

tables you walk past the cafeteria and

the lights are out you literally can

still tho see the plates and trays the

forks and knives through the fence that

bar you from entry it comes as no

surprise why poor students like ariana

call spring break the real hunger games

but just how close it comes to living in

the districts is downright depressing

when campus is closed students come back

food and security not knowing where

their next meal is coming from sometimes

desperate times call for desperate

measures I attended a conference for

first-generation college students

and I met a young woman she was white

witty and wore her hair in a pixie

haircut she had on a blue Columbia

University sweatshirt she she stood

brave in a room to discuss how she spent

her last spring break at one of the most

wealthiest colleges in the country she

increased her online dating activity the

week before spring break to secure dates

the following week banking on gender

norms of older men paying for the first

meal she treated OkCupid as if it was

door - she treated tinder as if it was

GrubHub out-priced and overextended she

offered her time this makes no sense but

this is a reality for many students

across the country two out of every five

undergraduates in America are food

insecure instead of investing time

learning linear algebra many invest

their times making ends meet you know

the question of if diversity is worth it

it's ever-present and not just at

colleges but I organizations of all

stripes the answer is yes it is but we

should not be surprised when certain new

groups struggle these unwritten rules

and injuries hurdles don't just trip

them up it keeps them on the outs we

must move from access to inclusion and

data will help in this endeavor I've

shared with you just two issues that

undercut diversity efforts the hidden

curriculum and food and security there

are many more both social and structural

in nature so I'll leave y'all with this

what else do we take for granted thank

you

[Applause]

[Music]