Accurate or Aspirational? A Rhetorical Analysis of One University's Representation of Student Diversity

Abstract

When approaching diversity within higher education, colleges and universities champion diversity initiatives as significant goals. Prospective students may choose colleges based on the aspirational role model, which inspires individuals who see themselves in visual representations (Allen & Collison, 2020). A 2013 Journal of Marketing for Higher Education study analyzed how 165 higher education institutions each portrayed racial and ethnic diversity of their student population. The study found that a majority of institutions presents inflated images of diversity to prospective students who were significantly different from the current student body (Pippert et al., 2013). This data is representative of findings from numerous studies exploring diversity misrepresentation in marketing and recruitment tactics. However, further examination of this issue reveals a more challenging ethical dilemma, which may not have a practical solution: higher education institutions pursuing actual vs. aspirational depictions of diversity in university rhetoric. Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is among a number of national universities that faces this ethically restricting binary construct. In this thesis I analyze LMU’s visual representation—including its depiction of diversity, interviews from LMU staff members and insights from my experience as an administrator at LMU—to advance the conversation and understanding of the challenges a university has with representing diversity.