Abstract:

This manuscript captures the leadership development of two Black leaders at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) as they navigated their way through the whirlwind of decisions that needed to be made during the 2020-2021 academic year of the pandemic and social and racial unrest. The leaders were the chancellor and the associate vice chancellor of equity, diversity, inclusion, and support programs. The leaders serve at a regional comprehensive university in a state system in the Midwest with a population of 11,900 students, including a 2-year campus. During the 2020-2021 academic year, the leaders embarked on an investigation of Whiteness through the lens of Blackness as they developed programs, practices, policies, and protocols to assist students, faculty, staff, and fellow administrators with decisions during a time of conflict, criticisms, and crisis.