Shares novel insights into American colleges and universities that deliberately support the success of their first-generation, low-income students.

In American higher education, universities that prioritize inclusivity and equity over exclusivity and prestige are penalized rather than rewarded, both in terms of status and resources. Consequently, very few colleges and universities both enroll large shares of low-income students and graduate them at high rates. This is terrible news, both for the first-generation, low-income students with big aspirations and for a democratic society that relies on an educated citizenry and a representative government to function.

In Equity Engines, Becca Spindel Bassett shines a light on a small group of colleges that are quietly achieving the improbable. These “equity engines” open their doors widely to low-income students and graduate them at remarkably high rates. Immersing herself in two distinct institutions, a small private liberal arts university and a large regional public university, Bassett offers a window into the unseen mindsets and policies that drive universities toward equitable outcomes. By culturally and structurally centering first-generation, low-income students and challenging the superiority of exclusive, research-oriented cultures, the faculty, staff, and administrators of both institutions achieve extraordinary results. 

Combining ethnography with sociological analysis, Equity Engines presents a detailed and nuanced depiction of the people and practices that power equity engines, the pressures that challenge their operation, and how we can transform American higher education to promote a more democratic and equitable society.