Change Mapping of Models to Diversify STEM Faculty as Practiced by Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate

The dearth of historically underrepresented minorities (URMs) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty positions is one of the most significant challenges in higher education in the U.S. Increasing underrepresented groups' success in academia through achieving and retention in tenure-track faculty roles has been the central goal of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) program. In the present study, we draw on organizational change theories in higher education reform and interpret the landscape of AGEP project alliances through mapping their theories of change, barriers to success, levels of change, and foci of change, based on semistructured interviews with 17 AGEP alliances' core teams. Our mapping reveals local structures as well as interesting patterns across AGEP alliances that inform national trends. We identify alignment and misalignment between our analysis frameworks and AGEP projects which amplifies contemporary questions of providing direct student support within a deficit mindset context as well as sustainability and scalability for both the AGEP community and the broader community of diversifying STEM.