There is a widely-studied equity problem in academia: students from different demographic groups have different outcomes in terms of both grades and completion rates, and these differences are often robust to controls for preparation and academic ability. We have examined the patterns in these inequities and learned that they are far more powerful for students who intersect multiple under-served groups such as first-generation students who are also from underrepresented minorities. Furthermore, the inequity is more apparent in some courses than others, particularly courses that are large, occur early in students’ college careers, and use normalized grading systems. We are currently working to identify separate effects of these factors to determine how they contribute to inequitable outcomes. The results of this project are being used to help faculty and administrators support under-served students at UC Davis.

By: Marco Molinaro, Meryl Motika, Kavi Tan, Tiffany Johnson