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Raquel M. Rall

Associate Professor, University of California-Riverside
Chapter Member: Los Angeles Unified SSN
Areas of Expertise:

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(951) 827-5955

About Raquel

Rall's research focuses on leadership and governance in higher education. Overarching themes in Rall's writings include decision making, equity, and systemic change. Rall serves as a consultant for the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) and the Racial Equity and Justice Institute (Bridgewater State University). Rall is a research affiliate at the Pullias Center for Higher Education (University of Southern California) and a board member of the Council of African American Parents (CAAP). Rall serves as the Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives in the UCR School of Education and she is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Contributions | No Jargon Podcast | Member Spotlight | In the News | Publications

Contributions

University Governing Boards Must Protect the Mission of the Institution

  • Valeria Dominguez
  • Demetri L. Morgan
Key Findings Brief,

Where are the Boards?

  • Demetri L. Morgan
Commentary,

In the News

Research discussed by Dr. Aviva Legatt, in "New Initiatives Empowering Higher Education Leaders In Complex Times," Forbes, April 18, 2025.
Research discussed by Andrew Lounder, in "Realpolitik for Boards," Inside Higher Ed, April 16, 2025.
Quoted by Megan Zahneis in "How a Chancellor on the Ropes Regained Campus Confidence," The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 26, 2024.
Quoted by Kathryn Palmer in "Most Governing Boards Don’t Reflect Student Diversity," Inside Higher Ed, August 31, 2023.
Opinion: "Does Your Board of Trustees Reflect Your Student Body?," Raquel M. Rall (with Demetri L. Morgan and Richard Chait), Washington Monthly, August 27, 2023.
Interviewed in "With MSU in Turmoil, Politics May Play a Role," (with Demetri L. Morgan) Diverse: Issues In Higher Education, October 17, 2022.

Publications

"Decision-Making for the Public Good: Leveraging Higher Education Governing Boards for Equitable Student Success" (with Demetri L. Morgan). Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning 56, no. 2 (2024): 48-56 .

Examines how governing boards in higher education can use their decision making to maximize equity in higher education.

"Moving Beyond #GovernanceSoWhite: (Re)imagining a Demographic Shift in the Future of Boards of Higher Education" (with Valeria Dominguez and Carlos Galan), Berkeley Center for Studies in Higher Education , June 2024.

Examines how higher education governing boards can move beyond being overwhelmingly white and explores what a more diverse future could look like. Finds that increasing representation—especially of people of color—can reshape decision-making and priorities, but meaningful change requires intentional efforts rather than just small demographic shifts.

"State Postsecondary Boards as Policy Influencers During the Early Stages of COVID-19" (with Demetri L. Morgan, Felecia Commodore, Daniel A. Collier, and Dan Fitzpatrick). Educational Policy 39, no. 1 (2023): 170-206.

Explores how centralized state higher education governing boards influenced public universities’ decisions to hold in-person classes during fall 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"What Does it Take to Lead? The Hidden Curriculum of Qualifications for Service on Public Boards of Higher Education" (with Valeria Dominguez and Anaisabelle Garcia). Teacher’s College Record 124, no. -1 (2022).

Looks at how curriculum standards (rules about what students should learn) have developed over time and what shapes them. Finds that these standards are shaped by political, economic, and social forces, and often focus too much on testing instead of meaningful learning.

"I, Too, Am a Lead(her): The Power and Possibilities of Women of Color on Governing Boards of Higher Education in California" (with Valeria Dominguez). Journal of Higher Education Management 35, no. 1 (2020): 32-39.

Explores the experiences of women of color serving on higher education governing boards in California and what their leadership makes possible. Finds that while they bring valuable perspectives and push for more inclusive decision-making, they still face barriers like underrepresentation and bias that limit their full influence.