Kaylan S. Baxter

I'm a fourth-year doctoral (Ph.D.) candidate in the Rossier School of Education and research assistant in the Pullias Center for Higher Education, both roles at the University of Southern California. Using critical organizational and race theory, I study approaches to postsecondary accountability and data use, examining their implications for the opportunities, experiences, and outcomes of racially minoritized students. My dissertation study will explore the roles of agency and advocacy in race-conscious practice, within the specific context of institutional research.

I hold a B.A. in economics from Wake Forest University and an M.A. in education policy and social analysis from Teachers College at Columbia University. A decade of justice-oriented practice, across universities and academic affairs units, informs my research and teaching interests.

#BlackLivesMatter #FreePalestine

• Baxter, K. S. (in preparation). #SayTheirNames: A critical discourse analysis of postsecondary institutional responses to the spring 2020 racial uprisings.
• Stokes, S., Patrón, O., Baxter, K. S., Toutant, S. M., Simmons, I., Bridgeforth, J., & Ortega, J. (in preparation). Anti-Blackness as the weather: The historical pervasiveness of anti-Black violence on college and university campuses.
• Baxter, K. S. (2020). Accountability during crisis: Institutional research and effectiveness in the struggle towards racial justice. The Community College Context, 6, 1-4.
• Harper, S. R., & Baxter, K. S. (2019). Engaging queer students. In S. J. Quaye, S. R. Harper, & S. L. Pendakur (Eds.), Student engagement in higher education: Theoretical perspectives and practical approaches for diverse populations (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.