Heather N. McCambly

Investigates how partisanship and race shape the distribution of government resources through congressional spending decisions. Demonstrates that distributive politics can produce unequal outcomes across communities, highlighting the ways political power and racial dynamics influence who benefits from public investments.

Examines how faculty cluster hiring initiatives are designed to advance racial equity within colleges and universities. Reveals that cluster hiring can support institutional equity goals by improving faculty diversity and fostering broader organizational change, though its impact depends on how these initiatives are structured and implemented.

Interrogates how narratives about educational quality are constructed and used in debates over higher education policy and reform. Argues that claims of a “quality crisis” can obscure questions of equity and contribute to racialized outcomes that extend beyond the groups ostensibly targeted by policy interventions.

Explores whether efforts to promote racial equity in postsecondary education genuinely challenge racialized systems or merely repackage existing inequalities. Contends that change initiatives can fall short of transformative goals when they fail to address the deeper structures that produce and sustain racial inequities.

Investigates how grantmaking practices influence equity within postsecondary education organizations. Finds that funding structures can unintentionally reinforce racial inequalities, even when they are designed to support educational improvement and access, highlighting the need for more equity-centered approaches to resource distribution.