Toward a Humanizing Framework for Student Success

This article centers seven second-year Black and Latinx students with the hopes of reframing the conversation around "student success." These students have prevailed over the "problem" of freshman to sophomore retention with which Midwest University (pseudonym) has historically struggled. However, we argue that current frameworks that quantify student success dehumanize students of color. In addition, we contend that a limited focus on research methods and assessment in higher education diverts attention from larger questions of culture and power in the institution-in other words, what kind of institution is needed in order to take responsibility for such data. A closer look at students' experiences reveals complexities and contradictions involved in "success." For example, peer support, while essential for students' survival, allows the institution to absorb racialized incidents and maintain the status quo. Grounded in student interviews, we work toward a humanizing framework for student success