Journal of Higher Education Management - Vol 36(1)

community that supports their graduate student success. Such models should include advice for nontraditional students, such as graduate students who are parents and those who are caregivers for family members. Program administrators can implement policies such as allowing cameras to be off during online synchronous meetings and encouraging participation via different communication modes.

Additionally, reevaluations of departmental practices and policies that perpetuate systems of oppression often faced by students of color need to be addressed (McGee, 2020). Failing to acknowledge systemic racism and struggling to engage in culturally responsive communication (Gay, 2018) can no longer be tolerated. Departments need to make meaning of the lived experiences of students and faculty of color and use it to help them learn from, communicate and relate respectfully with people from other cultures. As many scholars have suggested, institutions need to invest in building bidirectional relationships with graduate students, faculty and administrators (Felder et al., 2014, Greene 2015; Ramirez, 2017).

Lastly, we recommend creating virtual spaces of accountability for students to attend in the fall and spring semesters. Such accountability spaces can provide the necessary structure for students to engage in their academic work. These spaces also allow administrators to hear about some of the challenges students encounter during their remote learning experiences. These organic and semistructured spaces do not fully replace in-person interaction, but they allow students to engage with peers and community members invested in their success. While there are many unknowns of the pandemic's long-lasting implications, we are also cautious about suggesting that remote experiences can eliminate racial microaggressions that graduate students face in person. In fact, it is essential to take note of the ways that implicit biases can seep into remote and virtual settings and the limitations of developing holistic relationships with students. While we may not have any concrete suggestions for addressing these experiences, it's essential to recognize that implicit biases are present and to think of creative ways to address them in the future.

References Congleton, R. M. (2017). Formation of scholars: socialization of doctoral students of color in one summer program (Doctoral dissertation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign).

Felder, P. P., Stevenson, H. C., & Gasman, M. (2014). Understanding race in doctoral student socialization. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 9, 21-42.

Gardner, S.K. (2009). The Development of Doctoral Students: Phases of Challenge and Support.

Report of the American Society on Higher Education. San Francisco, CA. Jossey-Bass.

Gay, Geneva. (2018). “Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice. Third Edition. Multicultural Education Series.” Teachers College Press. New York, NY. Greene, M. (2015). Come hell or high water: Doctoral students’ perceptions on support services and persistence. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 10, 501-518.

Gillikin, C. et. al. (2016). "Trauma Exposure and PTSD Symptoms Associated with Violence in Inner-City Civilians." Journal of Psychiatric Research, 83, 1-7.

González, R. (2019). Graduate Students of Color: The Impact of Mentoring at Predominantly White Institutions (Doctoral dissertation, Colorado State University.

Libraries).https://hdl.handle.net/10217/197304 Lahenius, K. (2012). Communities of practice supporting doctoral studies. The International Journal of Management Education, 10(1), 29-38.

Maher, M. A., Wofford, A. M., Roksa, J., & Feldon, D. F. (2020). Exploring early exits: Doctoral attrition in the biomedical sciences. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 22(2), 205-226.

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