Her work in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education (HALE) at Michigan State University bridges issues of access, equity, diversity, and policy in higher education. Current research examines research used in policy and practice, with a focus on the law. Additional research foci include admissions policies and affirmative action, the changing nature of Hispanic Serving Institutions, Latino students in higher education, and diversity in college classrooms. Her largest current project examines how the various actors in the Fisher affirmative action case engaged with research when preparing their briefs. The research also analyzes how the connections between researchers and the organizations generating the briefs influence the acquisition of research as well as how it was interpreted and used.