Dignity for Whom? How 4-Year Catholic Institutions Display Commitments to Diversity on Institutional Websites

This article presents the findings of a content analysis study that examined how Catholic institutional websites displayed commitments to diversity through their publicly available websites. This research project used a conceptual framework exploring the phenomenon of organizational impression management, which is concerned with how institutions shape their image to various audiences. The literature on non-performative diversity language in higher education is reviewed, illustrating how colleges and universities may profess a commitment to diversity in the abstract without engaging in meaningful change. Using a sample of 54 institutions representing 22 of the 25 Catholic congregations (i.e., religious orders), we surveyed their websites to understand how and where they discussed topics of diversity. This process involved examining what specific language each institution used to articulate its commitments (e.g., diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice) and who was associated with diversity work. Findings revealed that a majority of institutional websites included references to diversity-related terms, but failed to define the meaning of the words being used. Additionally, findings indicated that Catholic higher education institutions widely varied in the positioning of diversity-related content on their websites. Suggestions for future research and implications for practice are then offered for religiously affiliated institutions of higher education.