Diversity in Higher Education: Promoting Acceptance in the College Classroom (original) (raw)
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Learning Inquiry, 2008
This study examined student perceptions of their learning environments at 130 American colleges and universities. Results indicate that students of color, women students, and gay/lesbian students are the most likely to observe and experience prejudice and discrimination within and outside of their classrooms. Fortunately, the development of strong student-faculty relationships significantly mitigate negative campus climate and support the formation of inclusive learning communities. Institutional implications are discussed. Keywords Campus climate Á Student-faculty relationships Á Higher education Á Students of color Á Women students Á Gay/lesbian students Á Students with disabilities Over the last decade, higher education affirmative action programs have continued to come under question. Despite legal battles to curb diversity initiatives, most Americans support efforts to bring different perspectives to campus in creating inclusive learning communities. Two-thirds of survey respondents (of which 75% identified themselves as white) said that it is very important for colleges and universities to prepare students to function in a diverse society and 55% said these students should be required to study different cultures as a graduation requirement. Another 71% said that diversity education on college campuses is bringing Americans together (Estrin 1998). Moreover, multiple U.S. Fortune 500 companies filed Amicus Briefs in support of the University of Michigan's Law School policy (and subsequent court case) to include the consideration of race/ethnicity as a part of applicants' admissions materials. Despite a U.S. Supreme Court opinion affirming the importance of a diverse student body in achieving educational gains, higher education students report that women and students of color still face stereotypes (Bresciani 2003), incidents of racial harassment persist (Kotori and Malaney 2003) causing increased stress for students of color (Johnson
Journal of Humanities and Social Studies, 2017
African American Students' Attitudes and Beliefs about Ethnic and Racial Diversity at a Predominantly White Public University in the Mid-West 1.Introduction Even though the number of diverse students has increased across universities/colleges in the United States, various studies have shown that historically underrepresented ethnic minorities continue to perceive the campus environment differently than their white counterparts (Ancis, Sedlacek & Mohr, 2000; Cress & Ikeda, 2003; Hurtado, 1994). Consequently, universities/colleges are increasingly involved in efforts to improve the campus climate and diversity on campus. Hence, the purpose of the current research is to extend previous studies that examined perceptions of campus climate by probing the attitudes and beliefs of African American students about racial and ethnic diversity at a MWU where no such study has been done previously. 2. Literature Review Climate on a university campus is a term that is used to discuss how individuals and groups experience membership in the campus community. The term also encompasses the inclusivity dynamics of the institution and the degree to which various stake holders feel included or excluded in the environment. It also covers real and perceived realities of different groups, an idea which is ingrained in broader socio-historical context of differences defined in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability and a wide range of social identities (Pieterse, Carter, Evans & Walter 2010). According to Hurtado, Carter & Kardia (1998), campus climate is shaped by four dimensions which is a result of educational programs and practices. The first of these dimensions is an institution's legacy of inclusion or exclusion of various racial/ethnic groups. Duster (1993) argues that, how a university or college reacted to the policy of desegregation in the past continues to influence the climate on a particular campus. For instance, where there was resistance to desegregation on a particular campus environment or community, policies, attitudes and behaviors that prevent interaction across racial and ethnic lines continue because of being ingrained in the culture of the segregated community. This is especially true in predominantly white institutions that had served a homogeneous population and would continue with the same policy of giving benefits to the same student group excluding and limiting access to non-white groups. Additionally, diversity scholars have argued that historical legacy of exclusion can be changed if the university/college creates a supportive campus environment, by making diversity a central purpose of their educational commitment. They could do it by clearly explaining their past histories of exclusion and the insidious impact that it had on the institution and then articulating a vision for an inclusive future. This could be supplemented by a positive response to the admission of students of color through an enactment of policies that support the education of such students, commitment to affirmative action, promotion of minority specific programs and
Cultural diversity & ethnic minority psychology, 2011
We investigated the impact of required diversity courses on students' understanding of racial inequality and their social development with regard to racial outgroups, with a specific focus on the effects of student race and empathy as moderators of diversity course effectiveness. First-semester students (N = 173), enrolled in either diversity courses or introduction to psychology, completed surveys at the beginning and end of the semester. Diversity courses increased understanding of White privilege, acknowledgment of blatant racism, and intersectional consciousness overall, but had a greater impact on intersectional consciousness for White students compared with students of color. White students taking diversity courses experienced a reduction in Protestant work ethic ideology that was absent for White students in psychology courses and for all students of color. Notably, empathy moderated the effect of diversity courses on both outgroup comfort and willingness to act to promo...