Liliana M. Garces is an associate professor at The University of Texas at Austin in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy and affiliate faculty at the University of Texas School of Law. Her scholarship, focused on the dynamics of law and educational policy, examines access, diversity, and equity policies for underserved populations in higher education and the use and influence of research in law.
Many postsecondary institutions respond to a legal and policy environment that seeks to end the consideration of race in education policies by adopting race-neutral policies and practices in admissions. Meanwhile, institutions have remained publicly committed to racial and ethnic diversity and to promoting inclusive learning environments. In this talk, Dr. Garces discusses how their research findings point to the importance of intentional efforts to implement diversity policy through a race- and racism-conscious lens, develop narratives that counter distorted narratives about racial discrimination, and address legal terms and definitions that do not reflect a realistic understanding of inequality or discrimination.
