Date of Award

5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Communication Studies

Department

Communication Studies

First Reader/Committee Chair

Taylor, Julie

Abstract

Mission statements are a representation of an organization’s identity and can serve as a guiding factor for the development of policies and practices. However, in a setting of higher education where population demographics can shift over time, it may be necessary for periodic policy evaluation and adjustments to occur. A significant portion of the California State Universities’ students are being excluded from participating in their education to the best of their potential and excluded in a way that does not align with the overall California State University (CSU) mission. Through structurating activity theory, contradictions within policy processes can be used as guiding lights to update policies for the better. This study utilizes semi-structured interviews, participant observations, and document analysis to analyze contradictions between different discursive positions, and different levels of organizations. Exclusion does not have to be intentional, to be impactful.

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