Date
3-10-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration (PhD)
Chair
Sherrita Rogers
Keywords
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Morrill Act, Predominately White Institutions (PWI), U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Critical Race Theory (CRT), Resource Dependence Theory (RDT), Student Support Services, Inequality, Land Grant, 1890
Disciplines
Educational Administration and Supervision | Higher Education
Recommended Citation
Andrews-Lott, Eloise, "The Suite Sixteen: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Exploration of Underfunded Student Services & Programs at 1890 HBCU Land-Grant Institutions" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7968.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7968
Abstract
The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of college students at 1890 Historically Black College and University (HBCU) land-grant institutions, and how the lack of funding from the Second Morrill Act is impacting the student support services on these campuses. A novel theoretical framework by combining Jeffrey Pfeffer and Gerald R. Salancik’s theory of resource dependence coupled with Derrick Bell’s critical race theory was used in guiding the study to bring validity to the assumptions and ideas of the lived experiences of the participants. This research contributes to the field of education as it examines other researcher’s theories of inequality in institutional organization and will present a roadmap for college students at financially, failing higher education institutions. The central question asks: what are the experiences of college students at 1890 HBCU land-grant institutions? This study is guided by Moustakas’ assertion of conducting interview questions, focus groups, and document analysis in the data collection process. The data pool consisted of Black male and female students and recent graduates, between the ages of 19-26 from seven of the sixteen underfunded 1890 HBCU land-grant institutions. The collected data has been organized into themes according to the research questions and applied to the theoretical frameworks to strategically provide a foundation in presenting an assertion to the conclusion of the researcher’s findings. The study found that although there are funding disparities, students on 1890 HBCU land-grant campuses were strategic in implementing ways to gain the full HBCU experience by embracing the cultural significance and traditions provided by HBCUs.
