Women in STEM fields often face multidimensional gendered disadvantage via gendered occupational segregation within academic labor in terms of pay, type of work, institution of employment, rank of position and perceived prestige of work and job (Baker, 2012; Ceci, Ginther, Kahn, & Williams, 2015; Ecklund, Lincoln, & Tansey, 2012; Fox, 2001; Fox & Stephan, 2001; Frehill, Abreu, & Zippel, 2015; Kulis, Sicotte, & Collins, 2002; Mavriplis et al., 2010; Umbach, 2007). Additionally, these multidimensional gender gaps are persisting in a context of increasing commercial influence, resulting in increased commodification of academic research(Slaughter & Leslie, 1997; Slaughter & Rhoads, 2004). Using critical frameworks, this study applies a multilevel model to data with departments nested within higher education institutions, to analyze gender funding disproportionality among those receiving reproductive (R-GFD) funding mechanisms and those receiving productive funding mechanisms (P-GFD). Results find that field average ratio of productive funding to reproductive funding is associated with increased P-GFD and decreased R-GFD, while both department and field average gender disparities were both significantly associated with change in R-GFD. Furthermore, this study found an association between the share of R&D expenditures, representing market influence with a department, and R-GFD. Results as they relate to the expectations based in the theoretical frameworks are discussed.

Using narrative inquiry this study sought to further understand the college-going experiences of Black foster youth within a racialized context. Much of the research on the foster youth community treats them as raceless. Minimal research, especially around education, explores the differential experiences and outcomes of foster youth based on race. Yet, Black foster youth face significant educational disparities in comparison to their foster youth peers of other races. Critical race theory, critical race praxis in education, and community cultural wealth were used as the theoretical framework and analytical tool in this research. Together the theoretical framework centered the lived experiences of current and former foster youth and the staff that support them. Findings reveal how staff and students subvert traditional higher education practices that are oppressive to create counter spaces.

The objective of this research was to identify relationships that are associated with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduation rates among the California State University (CSU) system. Specifically targeting resource allocation strategies and institutional characteristics, this investigation examined relationships unique within the STEM pipeline and success rates of underrepresented minority (URM, including Black, Latinx, and Southeast Asian) STEM students. The dataset for this investigation was constructed from three public access sources, with research questions targeting aspects unique to public comprehensive universities in California. The statistical technique employed was a piecewise-multilevel growth model used to examine relationships among resource allocation strategies, institutional characteristics, the Great Recession, and URM STEM graduation rates with overall STEM graduation rates.

Analysis revealed a positive relationship of overall STEM graduation rates to student services support, a negative relationship to institutional support, and no significant relationship found with federal training grant support. Latnix STEM graduation rates showed the strongest positive relationship with overall STEM graduation rates, and both Black and Southeast Asian showing a positive relationship but to a lesser degree. The unique context of comprehensive institutions highlights the need for decision-makers to evaluate their resource allocation strategies and possibly divert more resources to student services support over instructional support. This research clearly highlights the importance of better understanding the relationship between institutional efforts and STEM student outcomes.