Latinx/a/o Senior Leaders in U.S Higher Education: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Latinx/a/o senior leaders remain underrepresented in the executive ranks, and more research is needed to adequately address equity gaps in higher education leadership. By employing a systematic literature review approach, we examined 57 pieces of scholarship that focused on the experiences of senior Latinx/a/o leaders in postsecondary education. This exploration was aimed at equipping higher education scholars and practitioners with the tools to understand how Latinx/a/o leaders navigate challenges and opportunities in higher education. We identified three major themes: 1) scholarship focusing on individual traits and important identity-based differences; 2) research describing the environmental and structural conditions that shape these leaders’ realities; and 3) literature describing these individuals’ leadership pathways. As an effort to make this body of work more accessible to researchers and decision makers, we provided implications for research and practice to shape the field of Latinx/a/o leadership in higher education.