Research Journal #7
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School
Arizona State University *
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Course
102
Subject
English
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
Pages
3
Uploaded by ikwsoccergirl
Research Journal #7
Imani Williams
ENG 102
03/26/2023
The most apparent issue of microaggressions in higher education settings is the negative
influence on mental health which carries over into academic challenges. With microaggressions
so prominent in a university setting, many minority students and students with disabilities are
struggling to get their degrees. Continuing this behavior will only aid in stereotypes put on these
students and stop them from reaching their long-term goals. The biggest challenge is their mental
health being damaged before anything else. “Whether subtle or aggressive in nature, the effects
of microaggressions can be physically, emotionally and psychologically detrimental” (Crandall,
2016). When taking into account the physical, emotional, and psychological aspects that can
restrict a student from even graduating affects not just the individual student, but the entire
college community. When you see that a student that shares similarities with you had to
withdraw from a class or drop out of the same college, it can instantly discourage students and
drive them to find alternative schools or career paths. That is why it is essential to start taking
intentional steps to bring inclusiveness to the classrooms and to the faculty. Many faculty
members will have a pension which forever keeps them into our school systems. But these same
teachers will abuse that power and fail to be inclusive or accommodating to their students. I feel
as though my thesis will be a good step forward in making a change in our higher education
systems.
“Currently, in the United States, research has shown that around 41 percent of college
students will not complete a degree within six years of enrollment (National Center for
Education Statistics, n.d.). At PWIs, a vast number of Black students will not complete their
degree” (McClain, K.S., 2017). Taking these percentages into consideration we see that
microaggressions are hurting our graduation rates and long-term goals as students. With such a
low graduation rate and many psychological effects on students, why do we barely hear of these
oppressive actions? Microaggressions are meant to be perceived as just that…small and
meaningless. When some students do speak up to higher faculty members they ensure the
students that “that’s just how the teacher acts”; however, the actions of this teacher are hurting
this student and yet they still have a position which keeps this cycle going. This continues on
with worse treatment for students with disabilities in which faculty will encourage them to
explore other options outside of the class they need or outside of the institution completely. But,
because their actions are subtle they are harder to catch and thus many students are discouraged
to speak up.
References
:
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education. (n.d). Graduation
rates. Retrieved from
http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=40
McClain, K.S., & Perry, A. (2017). Where Did They Go: Retention Rates for Students of Color at
Predominantly White Institutions.
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