Navigating the Margins of Power: A Qualitative Study Examining How Chief Diversity Officers Make Meaning of Their Role Conditions in U.S. Four-Year Institutions
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Authors
Nelson, Maurice Deangelo
Issue Date
2026-05-21
Type
Dissertation
Language
en_US
Keywords
Education, Higher , Universities and colleges--Administration , College administrators , Diversity in the workplace , Belonging (Social psychology) , Educational leadership , Educational equalization , Dissertations, Academic
Alternative Title
Abstract
Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) have become central to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives in higher education, yet research continues to document structural conditions that limit their authority, influence, and long-termsustainability. The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study was to examine how CDOs at U.S. four-year institutions make meaning of their role conditions and how those interpretations shape their leadership strategies. Guided by a constructivist epistemology and informed by institutional theory, transformational leadership theory, and intersectionality, semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior-level CDOs currently serving or recently serving within five years. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis. Findings revealed that participants frequently navigated proximity to executive leadership without corresponding authority, experienced resources as necessary but insufficient for institutional influence, and continuously negotiated professional legitimacy. Participants also described responding to external sociopolitical pressures while managing cumulative emotional and ethical burdens. Findings suggest that the effectiveness and sustainability of CDO roles depend on institutional alignment of authority, resources, organizational placement, and executive leadership support.
Description
Citation
Nelson, Maurice Deangelo. "Navigating the Margins of Power: A Qualitative Study Examining How Chief Diversity Officers Make Meaning of Their Role Conditions in U.S. Four-Year Institutions," Ed.D. diss., Valdosta State University, 2026. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10428/7737
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License
This dissertation is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, revised in 1976). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of the materials for financial gain with the author's expressed written permissions is not allowed.