| From Barriers to
Bridges: The Purdue University Plan for Enhancing
Diversity
A Report for the Lilly Endowment Grant Program Submitted by the Office of Human Relations, Purdue University Purdue
University
August 27, 1997 Dear Colleagues: The enclosed report, "From Barriers to Bridges: The Purdue University Plan for Enhancing Diversity," discusses the results of an assessment of our campus environment and programs and activities aimed at minority student recruitment and retention. It is the product of two years of work involving many members of our campus community. We are grateful for the support of the Lilly Endowment in this effort. Our first and foremost responsibility at Purdue University is to educate our students. To do this well we must prepare all our students to live and work in a global society. I believe our students benefit significantly when their education, both in and outside the classroom, occurs within a diverse setting and when they encounter and learn from others whose backgrounds and characteristics are very different from their own. Achieving a campus environment where all members of the community understand and appreciate diverse ideas, people, and cultures is essential for educating our students and for ensuring our competitive advantage among peer institutions in our teaching, research, and service activities. Purdue has much to be proud of in its efforts to recruit, retain, and graduate minority students and to build a campus community that values diversity, civility, and respect among its members. At the same time, we draw strength from our ability to assess our performance and commit ourselves to improvement. The key themes and recommendations in "Barriers to Bridges" provide direction for future efforts. I am inviting deans and vice presidents to review the report and respond to me with their reactions to the recommendations. Then, I will ask the Project Advisory Committee to propose University-wide action plans and Excellence 21 initiatives by the end of the Fall semester. Part of the legacy of our preparation for the twenty-first century should be that we have not only examined ourselves objectively but we have taken steps to provide an atmosphere that is intellectually and socially inclusive. I envision Purdue University as a place where all persons pursue their education or employment with full confidence that they will be supported in their efforts and that their contributions to the University will be respected and appreciated. "From Barriers to Bridges" gives us important insights into how to achieve these goals. I invite you to join me now in taking action to make these goals a reality at Purdue. Sincerely,
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In April 1995, the Lilly Endowment awarded a grant to the offices of the Vice President for Human Relations and Director of Diversity Resource for a project leading to a strategic plan for enhancing diversity. An advisory group whose members were Joan Marshall, associate dean, School of Liberal Arts; Harry Morrison, dean, School of Science; Christian Oseto, head, Department of Entomology; David Rollock, associate professor, Psychological Sciences; and, Marlesa Roney, registrar, has provided invaluable advice and assistance. Technical assistance for the assessment phase was provided by James Anderson, professor of sociology; George McCabe, professor of statistics; Jacque Frost, associate registrar; Regina Becker, research associate in statistics, and Logan Jordan, assistant dean in the School of Management. Also, William Jones, assistant director of the Social Research Institute and graduate assistant, Michael Schlehuber, played significant roles in the dissemination, collection, and analysis of the student questionnaires. Organizing focus groups was greatly facilitated by the minority program directors who served as liaisons to the project: Barb Doster, School of Management; Marion Blalock, School of Engineering; Wesley Campbell, School of Technology; Glenda Crippen, School of Liberal Arts; Regina Todd Hicks, School of Science; Jackie Jimerson, Pharmacy; Felicia Kornegay, School of Consumer and Family Sciences; Dwight Lewis, Graduate School; Denise Summers, School of Veterinary Medicine; and Deborah Godwin-Starks, Admissions. Other project liaison persons were Martha Chiscon, assistant dean, School of Science; Kathleen Fairfax, International Programs; Logan Jordan, assistant dean, School of Management; John VanVleet, associate dean, School of Veterinary Medicine; and John Sautter, then- director of Housing and Food Services. Also assisting were Judy Ware, chairperson of the Administrative and Professional Staff Advisory Committee and Claudette Smith, vice chair of the Clerical and Service Staff Advisory Committee. Professors Denise Driscoll and David Rollock reviewed and critiqued the student survey instrument. Graduate assistant Miriam Delphin conducted the first series of interviews with minority program directors. Wilmer Bonilla of the Affirmative Action Office provided needed background data, and Kathy Reynolds, secretary, Diversity Resource Office, prepared this document. External consultants to the project were Henry Hector, executive director, Alabama Commission for Higher Education; Laura Rendon, professor of education, Arizona State University; Reginald Wilson, senior scholar, American Council on Education; James Anderson, dean, division of undergraduate studies, North Carolina State University; and Dr. Wayne Wormley, senior associate at the American Institute for Managing Diversity. President Steven Beering and participating executive vice presidents, vice presidents, other members of the president¹s cabinet, students, faculty, and staff provided advice along the way and participated in focus groups. Samuel Cargile, education program director, the Lilly Endowment, shared our vision and made this project possible. Thank you all for
your commitment to enhancing diversity at Purdue.
MAJOR FINDINGS, KEY THEMES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Diversity is an integral part of Purdue University's mission and its "Excellence 21" quality initiatives. Purdue's competitive advantage among peer institutions is linked directly to how well it prepares all its students to live and work in a global society, and how well its teaching, research, and service activities meet the needs of a global society. These outcomes depend on a campus environment that understands and appreciates diverse ideas, people, and cultures, and provides high quality student experiences. Purdue has long recognized the role diversity plays in enhancing quality and maintaining a competitive advantage, and has much to be proud of in its efforts to recruit, retain, and graduate minority students, and to build a campus community that values diversity among its members and civility and respect for all. Over the years, programs and activities have been developed in the academic schools, student affairs, the graduate school, residence halls, the Black Cultural Center, and elsewhere. Efforts to recruit and retain a diverse faculty and staff and to incorporate sensitivity to diversity for all members of the campus community have occurred throughout the University. The following examples illustrate Purdue's accomplishments and commitment:
Purdue's programs and activities are critically important because many students experience their first opportunity to live and work with others from different backgrounds when they arrive at the campus. There are few places so well-equipped as the campus and few times in life when individuals may be so open to new experiences as during the college years. Educators can teach about diversity and foster conditions that facilitate tolerance and an appreciation of differences. Scholarly creativity is stimulated by the open, constructive engagement of minds from different properties and backgrounds, while a fair and inclusive workplace helps everyone feel more secure and productive. However, for Purdue to continue to do well in its diversity efforts, it must pay attention to the effects of its environment (e.g. climate issues) as they impact recruitment and retention of all students, especially minority students. While the University as a whole has produced some outstanding results, its decentralized nature also has led to fragmentation of efforts in programs aimed at minority recruitment and retention. This fragmentation has created a sense among campus constituencies that it is time to look at our diversity efforts from a campus-wide perspective and to consider the benefits that might accrue from collaborative efforts. "From Barriers to Bridges: Purdue University's Plan for Enhancing Diversity," has been supported by a planning grant from the Lilly Endowment. The focus of the project has been an assessment of the campus climate for diversity and minority student recruitment and retention at West Lafayette. We are grateful to the Lilly Endowment for making this assessment and planning effort possible. This report presents the results of the assessment for the West Lafayette campus, and key themes and recommendations for action. Our next steps will be to take these recommendations and develop University action plans which identify new initiatives and ways to integrate these recommendations into established strategic plans and Excellence 21 initiatives which are campus-wide and in various units. The key themes and recommendations were prepared by the Project Advisory Committee and project staff. They are aimed at building on what has already been accomplished at Purdue to do even more to ensure the campus climate attracts and retains diverse students, faculty, and staff. There are five key themes, each with its own recommendations:
Theme 1: Enhance Purdue's Environment to Improve the Experiences of Minority Students, Staff, and Faculty (Campus Climate) There is a great deal of interest in diversity and goodwill among members of the Purdue community. For the most part, participants in the assessment characterize Purdue as wanting a welcoming and inclusive campus environment which enhances the experiences of all members of the community, both majority and minority. There is also general recognition that improving the campus environment requires each individual member to take responsibility for his/her own actions, and that community building is everyone¹s business. Participants in the Barriers to Bridges Project emphasized the importance of the campus climate as the bedrock -- the underlying element of all campus actions -- that allows recruitment and retention activities to be effective. The everyday interactions among people are what create a work and learning place where people want to be. Several encouraging findings from the assessment are:
Central Administrative Leadership
Members of a community tend to look toward their leaders for direction and action. But every one of us, as members of the Purdue community, can be a leader, and has the individual responsibility for making Purdue a welcoming and inclusive environment. Individual actions -- both positive and negative -- carry at least as much weight in how students, faculty, and staff perceive Purdue as the actions of administrators. In focus group discussions, minority participants talked about how others' silence and ignoring different people creates a sense of isolation, frustration, and despair. Establishing eye contact and greeting people when walking across campuses were two examples discussed in focus groups of individual actions that would make a difference. Theme 2: Provide Centralized Resources, Services, and Assistance to Enhance Decentralized Programs and Activities Purdue is largely decentralized in its operations. As with other administrative areas (e.g. Development), each school and administrative unit takes responsibility for its minority programs. Nearly every school has its own minority program director and, in some cases, additional staff directed at minority student advising and support. This decentralized model has some excellent features; it has led to the creation of a wide variety of programs aimed specifically at the needs of minority students in each school and some innovative activities worthy of emulation elsewhere. At the time of the assessment, many different recruitment and retention programs for minority students existed in the schools, admissions office, and the graduate school. Minority program directors and student participants strongly believe the programs positively affect persistence and degree completion. Examples of good programs and dedicated efforts can be found throughout the campus. However, the decentralized model has disadvantages:
Centralized resources, services, and assistance should include:
The small numbers of African American, Hispanic American, and Native American students, staff, and faculty at Purdue are not unique. They are part of a problem intrinsic to predominately White research universities located away from major urban areas with large minority populations. Over the years, many recruitment initiatives for minority faculty, staff, and students have been tried, and some have been successful. The Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs has established incentives and assistance to aid efforts in the academic schools to hire and retain minority faculty. With regard to
student
enrollment and degree attainment:
A significant majority of all students participating in the student survey agreed that learning about people from different cultures is an important part of a college education. In the open-ended questions, students most frequently recommended that all students be required to take at least one multicultural course. Focus group participants described the need for all students to become more knowledgeable about diversity. Participants from the residence halls, in particular, stressed the need for a continuous emphasis upon diversity awareness during the entire first year and beyond. Examples of
efforts to make diversity part of the curriculum for all undergraduate
students include:
Activities
outside the classroom can contribute powerfully to students' overall
education
during their time at Purdue. Examples of valuable activities beyond the
classroom aimed at all students include:
The Project Advisory Committee also recognized that both intergroup and intragroup experiences are important, but sometimes difficult to achieve. As one Project Advisory Committee member remarked, "Every time you break out entities you create walls. We need to keep the separate support entities, but also keep the walls down." Recommendation:
More inclusion by faculty of relevant ethnic, minority, and global cultural
material in curricula with knowledge of global cultures can assist
achievement
of the goal of having all students at Purdue learn about diversity. These
efforts should accompany attention to the classroom climate for all
students.
Over the years, many worthwhile programs have been initiated at Purdue that embody the campus's desire to be welcoming and inclusive of diverse members. Minority programs have evolved in each school and in other areas of the campus. Convocations, other events, and speakers have highlighted diversity. But, the effectiveness of these efforts is often not evaluated. The Barriers to Bridges Project has given Purdue University an important opportunity to undertake a comprehensive assessment of these efforts and to see how effective they are in achieving Purdue¹s diversity goals. A key finding from this assessment is the current lack of evaluation of the effectiveness of each minority program and of our overall efforts. We are engaged in many activities about which we know very little in terms of outcomes. Recommendations:
Periodic assessment of the results of the University¹s many efforts
is essential to making improvements:
The five
major
themes and key recommendations have been developed by the Project
Advisory
Committee and the project staff, based on a thorough assessment of Purdue's
current efforts to recruit and retain minority students and improve its
campus environment for minority students, staff, and faculty. These themes,
with their recommendations, are:
The results
of the assessment and the key themes and recommendations provide clear
directions for the University to take to enhance its many programs and
activities aimed at improving the campus environment and recruiting and
retaining minority students. The next steps are to:
Evaluate systematically Purdue's success in diversity awareness and minority student recruitment and retention. INTRODUCTION "From Barriers to
Bridges: Purdue University's Plan for Enhancing Diversity" (the Barriers
to Bridges Project) was supported by a planning grant from the Lilly
Endowment
for the purpose of conducting an assessment and developing a strategic
plan for enhancing and institutionalizing diversity at the West Lafayette
campus. The goals of the project were to:
The Barriers to Bridges Project builds upon continuing efforts on behalf of minority student recruitment and retention and other assessments and initiatives aimed at improving the campus climate. The project has enlarged upon the University's 1988 (Cultivating Awareness and Respect for Everyone) task force, which presented the President with the first report about the campus environment. The C.A.R.E. report was one of the reasons behind the establishment of the Office of the Vice President for Human Relations, which includes directors of offices of Affirmative Action, Diversity Resource, and Women's Resource. Whereas the C.A.R.E. project emphasized the perceived need for a human relations office, the Barriers to Bridges Project takes the next step to identify and prioritize actions the campus can take to improve its recruitment and retention of minority students, staff, and faculty, and enhance its environment. Other similar initiatives currently underway include the Human Relations Advisory Committee's report, "Valuing People" (1997), and the work of the Task Force on Women¹s Issues. Over the years since C.A.R.E., there has been significant and sustained growth and creativity in programs and activities for recruitment and retention of minority students, staff, and faculty by the central administration, academic schools, student affairs, graduate school, residence halls, and the Black Cultural Center. These programs and activities have contributed greatly to the experiences of minority students at Purdue. But the decentralized nature of Purdue has also led to a certain amount of fragmentation of efforts. Because of decentralization, programs are not necessarily understood in relation to each other, linked to other ongoing initiatives, or well understood campus- wide. It was time for a comprehensive assessment of Purdue's activities with respect to recruitment and retention of minority students, staff, and faculty and the campus climate. Why Emphasize Diversity? The Barriers to Bridges Project has been a part of Excellence 21, the University's continuous quality improvement initiative. Purdue recognizes that quality initiatives should focus on what institutions are doing to be responsive to the needs of all constituencies. The quality of the student experience at Purdue and of the campus climate must be measured in terms of how diverse members of the Purdue community achieve their goals and realize the many opportunities Purdue provides. Purdue also recognizes that its competitive advantage among peer institutions is linked directly to the extent it prepares all students to live and work in a global society and to the extent to which its teaching, research, and service activities reflect knowledge about global issues. If America is to advance economically and technologically it must be able to call on an educated, creative, and competent workforce. Universities prepare students to enter this workforce where individuals who are knowledgeable about and comfortable with a diversity of people and cultures in a global society are increasingly sought by employers.
Many students experience their first opportunity to live and work with others from different backgrounds when they arrive on campuses. There are few places so well- equipped as the campus and few times in life when individuals may be as open to new experiences and changes as during the college years. Educators can teach about diversity and foster conditions that facilitate tolerance and an appreciation of differences. To examine empirically the question of the impact of diversity on students, Astin (1993) conducted a major national study of undergraduates attending 217 four-year colleges and universities. The study involved 25,000 students who entered college in the fall of 1985 and were followed up four years later in 1989. Pertinent questions included those related to values and beliefs about people of other cultures and races; affect of institutional policies on diversity; faculty role in impacting student attitudes and behavior; and, academic progress and values. Astin found that emphasizing diversity was associated with widespread beneficial effects on a student's cognitive and affective development. Positive outcomes of institutional policies and various student experiences regarding diversity were found to be: increased retention; increased satisfaction with the college experience; increased commitment to promoting racial understanding; increased commitment to environmental issues; heightened sense of citizenship; reduced materialistic values; and, commitment to developing a meaningful philosophy of life. Key Definitions Certain terms used in this report need common definition. These are diversity, campus climate, and institutionalizing diversity. Diversity for this project has been defined according to the full human potential model, which is the centerpiece of the "managing diversity" concept (R.R. Thomas, 1990). Diversity, as used in this report, means: Inclusiveness, wherein all members have equal opportunity to develop full human potential in an environment in which respect, mutual regard for differences, full participation, and partnership are the norm. Difference may include the full range of human variety including race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, physical capability, or other characteristics. Campus
climate
is defined as:
Institutionalizing
diversity derives from the inclusion versus exclusion
thinking:
In this report we did not adopt any one terminology for group memberships. This was chiefly due to the large number of references cited and variations among researchers and offices. We found that the terms ethnic, minorities, and members of underrepresented groups were all used to describe persons of African, Asian, Native American, and Hispanic descent. The term minority is used in the arithmetical sense as being descriptive of a group that is not a numerical majority on campus and in no way suggests a "value" statement. Other terms that were found to be used interchangeably were Latino and Hispanic, Black and African American, as well as Native American and American Indian. The Assessment Methodology A campus climate assessment attempts to discover the relative significance of various factors that contribute to or detract from equitable and high quality experiences, particularly for women and persons from historically underrepresented groups, and institutional experiences and policies that impact the achievement of all students. In developing the Barriers to Bridges assessment, the California Postsecondary Education Commission model (1992), which identifies major components for examining campus climate, was used. The Commission model uses these components: Academic
support
and service availability
The Barriers to Bridges Project concentrated on the first four components of the California model, dealing with student support, student life, campus image, and student interaction. These components were chosen because the project was focused on recruitment and retention of minority students. In the course of the assessment, other components were touched upon but not comprehensively examined, and issues pertaining to the recruitment of minority staff and faculty were also raised. The assessment used three different methodologies. These are discussed briefly here and presented more fully in the sections devoted to each methodology within this report. Individual, environmental, and outcome elements were threaded throughout the assessment strategies. Individual factors included demographic characteristics, prior contact with diversity, and attitudes/perceptions. Environmental experiences included sense of community and discrimination/harassment. Outcome perceptions dealt with overall satisfaction with the campus experience, self-perceptions of change, and campus initiatives. Varying emphases were placed on these elements, depending on the assessment method. Essentially we wanted to learn about participants' attitudes about diversity, their campus experiences, and their recommendations for enhancing the campus climate. Minority Programs Review: The minority programs review looked at the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students. A written profile (adapted from Laura Rendon's work) was completed by the directors of minority programs. The review of minority programs sought to determine the scope and efficacy of minority student recruitment/retention initiatives, attitudes of program participants, and recommendations for improvement. These reviews documented the various programs and activities in the academic schools, admissions office, and graduate school. In addition, prior to the commencement of the Bridges project, minority program directors had been interviewed individually. Results of these interviews were used in the Review of Minority Programs. Student Survey: The survey titled "Diversity at Purdue" was sent to 1374 non- minority and minority students with a return rate of 47.1 percent. The survey incorporated nearly all of the elements of the conceptual framework: attitudes/perceptions, campus experiences, and outcome perceptions. Useful surveys were returned by 647 students. Focus Groups and Interviews: Twenty-two focus groups were conducted by four external consultants. Participants included: minority students in general, students directly involved in minority programs, APSAC (administrative and professional staff) members, CSSAC (clerical and support staff) members, campus police officers, staff from the Office of Dean of Students, Black Cultural Center staff, minority program directors, residence hall managers, minority faculty, Caucasian junior and senior faculty, academic department heads, deans, and vice presidents. Individual interviews were held with the President, two Executive Vice Presidents, the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School, the Vice President for Student Services, the Acting Dean of Students, and other selected faculty, students, and staff. In addition, the project director led a discussion with students enrolled in "Prejudice and Stereotyping," a psychology course enrolling approximately 150 students. Relevant Information about Purdue University In 1995 the West Lafayette campus had an undergraduate enrollment of 27,982 students. Data from the Office of the Registrar show that the proportion of students representing ethnic groups had doubled since 1977, when ethnic enrollment totaled 1,389 (4.6 percent of total enrollment). By 1995, the ethnic enrollment had reached 2,783 or nearly ten percent of the total undergraduate student enrollment. The State of Indiana has a 10 percent ethnic population; however, university enrollment of certain groups is not always proportionate to state population groups. Black students, for example, are seriously "underrepresented" when college enrollments are compared with the state population. Minority Student Recruitment: To compare Purdue's minority enrollment with those of other Big Ten Universities, we used data from the Committee for Institutional Cooperation (CIC), a consortium of the Big Ten Universities and the University of Chicago. When the 12 residential institutions are looked at, Purdue is seventh in the total minority enrollment. Across all institutions, Asian Americans are the largest enrolled minority group, followed by African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and American Indians, in that order. When minorities are counted as a percentage of total enrollment, Purdue-West Lafayette ranks ninth. Only Indiana University, the University of Wisconsin- Madison, and the University of Iowa have smaller minority enrollment rates. Purdue University supports a number of recruitment initiatives. Examples are: Office of Admissions
Minority Technology Association High School Weekend, residential Technology 7th and 8th Grade Summer Program, residential Minority Student Retention: The Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) compares graduation rates for Indiana public postsecondary institutions. The findings of the six-year tracking study of baccalaureate degree seekers (1989-90 through 1994-95) show Purdue-West Lafayette to be significantly above average in graduation rates. According to CHE data, the average state graduation rate among the baccalaureate institutions was 51 percent in 1994-95. As it can be seen in Table 1, Purdue rates exceeded this figure for all categories of students. The rates for Whites and Asians is significantly above the average. Table 1.
Source: Indiana Commission for Higher Education, Degree Completion and Persistence in Indiana Postsecondary Education, Technical Report 1996, Tables B-1, B- 9, B-14, B-15, B-16. Though lagging behind White and Asian graduation rates, the Black graduation rate at Purdue of 54 percent is encouraging when compared with the state (and national) average of 25 percent. It is an indication that something positive is occurring at Purdue. Purdue's rates for Native American and Hispanic American students are also above the state averages. The Purdue minority student graduation rates indicate opportunities-and need- for further study. There is also need for further study of the reasons for the attainment gap which persists for Black, Hispanic, and Native American students. The University's own six-year retention study (1987-88 through 1993-94) breaks out degree attainment by student "academic quality," defined by high school class rank. As would be expected, students who entered the University in the upper third in quality had higher graduation rates than those in the lower two-thirds: 72 percent compared to 54 percent. However, when minority students are looked at separately, this trend breaks down. Table 2 shows the percentage of the minority student cohorts who entered the University in the upper third in quality. The figures in the quality rank column indicate the percentage of students of the entering cohort who had upper third class rank in high school. The proportions of entering upper third Asian and African Americans students is greater than for all other groups. (Information such as this, particularly as applied to Black students, is useful for dispelling the myth of the admission of large numbers of "unqualified" or "affirmative action" minority students.) Table 2.
Comparison of Upper Third Quality Rank and Degree Attainment by Ethnic Groups, 1987-88 through 1993-94 Source: Purdue University, Office of the Registrar, Undergraduate Student Retention Report, West Lafayette, Fall 1993-94. While Asian and "all" students had graduation rates corresponding to admission quality ranks, Black students showed significant negative discrepancy between quality rank and degree attainment. Further, American Indians and Hispanic Americans had degree attainment rates exceeding quality ranks. These data underscore the need for more research in student persistence and attainment. These outcomes could result from quality of high schools attended, or from perceived differences in study habits or other personal attributes. Environmental issues such as racism in grading could also be contributing factors. There is empirical documentation that race may be an indicator of college grade point average. Research has shown that White students have higher college grade point averages, even if their Black counterparts have equal SAT scores, high school grade point averages, and social and personal characteristics (Nettles, 1988). The critical issue here is that we do not know why these attainment differences occur. Retention Initiatives: The academic schools also have many programs aimed at retention of minority students. Examples of current minority student retention initiatives are listed below. These programs will be discussed more fully in the Review of Minority Programs. School of Agriculture
Figure 1. Number of Minority Faculty at Purdue between 1985 and 1995 Source:
Purdue University Affirmative Action Office, Number of Minority Faculty
1985-1995 (1996)
Source:
Purdue University Affirmative Action Office, Number of Minority Staff
Members
1985-1995 (1996)
MINORITY PROGRAMS Primary responsibility for the recruitment and retention of minority students at the West Lafayette campus is housed in minority programs in nine of the ten academic schools, the Office of Admissions, and Graduate School. The purpose of this review of the minority programs was to determine the relative status of these programs within their units and on the campus as a whole, to discover elements of the programs relative to each other, or to some national standards that have been successful and may be replicated elsewhere on campus, and to discover program components that may need to be strengthened. This review focused on program design and implementation, and the perceptions of those involved in the program. The review did not evaluate individual programs. We wanted to alleviate any fears on the part of individual program directors that this review could be construed to be an evaluation of their performance. Also, programs differ in available resources, goals, and objectives so they can not be compared. Minority program directors were identified in the Schools of Agriculture, Consumer and Family Science, Education, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Management, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology. The School of Veterinary Medicine did not have a minority program at the time of the review. Directors in the Office of Admissions and Graduate School were also included, though these units focus on recruitment only. Minority programs in these units are the subject of the review reported in this section of the report. Background Information and an Overview of the Richardson and Skinner Model for Institutional Intervention A considerable body of literature exists on minority -- particularly African American -- college students. Research informs us that students enter higher education institutions with various attitudes, behaviors, and pre-college characteristics. Therefore, each student perceives the institution in ways related to his or her background. A preponderance of findings indicate that minority students on predominantly White campuses perceive them to be alienating and isolating. Transition to college life has been found to be more difficult for students from low economic backgrounds, who encounter more negative experiences on campus than do more advantaged students. Minority students also encounter complications related to separations from previous environments. These students often experience frustration when they are expected to assimilate to another cultural standard. These factors ultimately lead to unacceptably high attrition rates. The need to counter the effects of difficult campus climates and relatively low minority student attainment has driven the creation of special support programs for the students (Harris & Nettles, 1994; Kobrack, 1992; Youn, 1992). Inadequate attention has been given to the assessment of minority intervention programs by researchers. Frequently, programs have been hurriedly designed in reaction to glaring needs before obtaining an adequate understanding of complex social, emotional, and academic interrelationships. Additionally, some programs persist for long periods of time with little attention given to their effectiveness in helping minority students overcome barriers that lead to high attrition rates. Purdue University's review of minority programs is based upon the Richardson and Skinner Model for Institutional Intervention, which describes three stages of development. Stage 1 (Reactive Stage): An institution at Stage 1 emphasizes increased minority enrollments through recruitment, financial aid, admissions, and scheduling. These interventions are typically initiated without any systematic planning. Stage 2 (Strategic Stage): Stage 2 has more comprehensive and better coordinated interventions than those in Stage 1. Characteristics of Stage 2 include longer-term outreach and collaboration aimed at expanding the pool of minority high school graduates; transition programs to help students prepare for college work and reduce the cultural shock of transition to campus; mentoring, advising, and career exploration; and systematic efforts to help minority students feel comfortable in the social environment through publications, cultural programs, designated gathering places, and other initiatives. Minority professionals in student affairs are hired to staff intervention programs and provide role models. There are two primary objectives at Stage 2: change the students so they are a better match for the institutional environment, and change the environment to make the institution less difficult to negotiate for students who may differ in preparation or skin color from other students. Stage 3 (Adaptive Stage): In Stage 3, leaders recognize that the efforts of the minority program professionals must be augmented by faculty involvement and changes in academic practice. Stage 3 institutions establish comprehensive learning assistance programs and services for all students not just targeted minorities. Attention is focused on providing services and programs according to student need, rather than race or ethnicity. The curriculum is revised to reflect the contributions of minority cultures in American life. All students are encouraged to develop sensitivity to the minority experience. Stage 3 institutions are diverse in composition and outlook, valuing their multicultural status as a strength rather than viewing diversity as a threat to quality. Methodology The review of minority programs required the completion of a ten-page "Purdue University Profile of Minority Programs." The original form was provided by consultant, Laura Rendon, and modified for use at Purdue. The profile was designed to provide an overview of the programs. An initial problem was that nearly all of the schools reported having several minority programs, ranging in number from 2 to 12. Directors were then advised to provide complete information for what each considered to be the major, or primary program. Eventually, all activities within one school were viewed as one program, with several components. Looking at programs in this manner had three enabling features. First, it was possible to obtain more coherent information by focusing on major components. Second, it facilitated application of the Richardson and Skinner model. Finally, it encouraged those responsible for program development to take a comprehensive view of how all necessary parts of a program "fit" together. The profile solicited information about program longevity, source of funding, purpose, problem(s) addressed, staffing, description of program activities, student tracking, and evaluation. To facilitate data collection, each of the 11 units was asked to identify a project liaison person to complete the profile. In most cases, this was the minority program director. Two of the 11 units under review did not submit a completed profile form. For these units, information was gleaned from data on file, and from the University's directory of minority programs ("Directory of Outreach and Support Services for African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans," Purdue University, 1994). Letters were mailed to program directors and selected students outlining the project purpose and seeking their participation in interviews and/or focus groups to ascertain their perceptions of and feelings about the minority programs, and the importance attached to them by students, faculty, and staff. Unit liaisons helped to identify focus group participants. Most of the focus groups were led by the four external consultants to the project. Other discussions and interviews were led by the project director and the graduate assistant. The results of the interviews with minority program directors and students in minority programs are reported in the section of this report about Focus Groups. Program Characteristics Based on the profiles, a summary of general characteristics of minority programs follows: Program Staff: Staff responsible for the minority programs have a variety of titles including: minority program director, coordinator of special programs, coordinator, academic advisor, coordinator of minority programs, director of minority programs, senior assistant director, and senior program manager. For consistency, we have referred to these professionals as "program directors" or "directors." Minority program directors have varied locations within their units. Three directors report that their programs are part of academic departments, and three report being in student services areas in their units. Others are administered by offices of deans or vice presidents. Eight of the directors work full-time with their respective programs, while three give part- time attention to programs. For the majority of programs, the staff consists of one full- time director and secretarial support, either full- or part-time. Three programs are administered by part-time staff. In one school, there appear to be two staff members, in two different offices working on the program part-time. Most directors hold a master's degree, one has a doctoral degree, and another is pursuing doctoral studies. Seventy-three percent of the program directors are Purdue graduates. Also, a majority of the directors are from urban centers of Gary, Hammond, and East Chicago in Northwest Indiana. Funding: Funding for the programs comes from three sources. Three programs receive institutional support, another three are supported by a combination of institutional and external funds, and three are totally dependent upon grants and corporate gifts. Most programs appear to depend upon a combination of institutional and external funding. This is especially true of high-cost residential components, which bring potential recruits to campus for extended stays. Students Served: The number of students served annually by each program ranged widely, from about 30 to more than 1,000. These variations in numbers of students served is attributable to several factors: newness of the program, relatively small minority enrollments in some schools, program purpose, or incomplete record keeping. Most minority programs target African American, Hispanic American, and Native American students, while a few include Asian Americans. The programs range in age from 2 to 27 years in existence. Program Objectives: Objectives for the programs were clearly defined and encompass three different types. Some program objectives are to recruit, retain, and graduate minority students. Other programs emphasize a pre-college orientation to promote awareness of career opportunities and to encourage students to enter the programs. A third set of objectives is to ease the transition to college for incoming students and to provide social interaction and support. This last objective is characteristic of the one school that serves only enrolled Purdue students. In one program where a faculty member administers a minority grant, the objective is to encourage minority college students to continue studies to the graduate level. Responses to the inquiry regarding the "problems addressed by the program," were not so clearly stated. Four directors did not respond to this item. Others reiterated objectives of providing support and increasing awareness of opportunities in particular fields. Other identified problems included: student preparation and competency levels, affective, non- cognitive concerns, and professional development for minority program directors. Recruitment: After program planning, the next important program function is to identify and recruit potential students. The program directors utilize a number of strategies for pool identification and recruitment. Directors visit middle schools, junior high schools, and high schools providing college information and motivation. There was also mention of involving alumni in recruitment, direct mailings to potential students and attendance at college fairs. The recruitment program within the Graduate School involves collaboration with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU's). Two schools report hosting luncheon meetings in many parts of the United States and in Puerto Rico. A popular recruitment tool for eight program directors is the campus visit for potential students. Each school brings to campus middle and/or high school students for residential experiences ranging from two days to seven weeks. During the shorter visits, students may attend presentations by faculty and staff members, tour the campus, visit the Black Cultural Center, participate in hands-on projects, attend cultural events and receive academic and financial aid information. One of the oldest and most comprehensive programs has four summer residential components including a two-week program for junior high school students that features exposure to the field, hands-on projects, laboratory tours and presentations by University officials. Three other components are for high school students (with one targeting females) and range from three days to two weeks. In addition to the above, activities may include computer instruction, industry tours and career-related workshops, seminars and panels. Another program brings teachers and counselors to the campus for tours, faculty presentations and laboratory experiences. Retention: A strength across all of the schools is the attempt to operate at the Stage 2 level described by Richardson and Skinner. The directors clearly are aware of the need to build bridges between schools and the university, and to provide retention services once students arrive on campus. Retention efforts vary from three-day orientations to semester-long courses. Two schools describe special orientations, one of which is an eight-week, summer, preentry program for up to 50 accepted students. In this program, students take courses in math, English, communications and computer science. Four schools offer sixteen-week, one-credit courses for new minority students. The courses usually include instruction in study skills, transition to college, managing stress, and an overview of the school curriculum. Almost all of the schools have a minority student association. One school has separate associations for Black, Hispanic American, and Native American students. These associations provide students with the opportunity for affiliation and social support. Associations may engage in tutoring, mentoring, cultural activities, fundraising, outreach to schools, field trips, retreats, and service projects. Many may also include professionally-related activities such as resume preparation, mock job interviews, co-ops, and internships. Evidence of Success: Directors were asked what evidence they have that demonstrates program effectiveness and success. Six of the nine program directors reported that they have no such data. Of the remaining three schools, one reported tracking graduation rates and entry into graduate or professional school. Another keeps records of grade point averages, graduation rates, job placement, and data on students who leave the program without completing it. The third school maintains longitudinal data on both minorities and women for enrollment, retention, graduation, and continuation to graduate school. No school reported having assessment data on the success (or lack thereof ) of the various program elements or other evaluative information about the programs themselves. An encouraging exception is in the school where the director reportedly is engaged in comparing students who participate in the minority program activities with those who do not. Faculty
Involvement:
Only two directors described specific faculty interactions with minority
programs. In these schools, individual faculty members have obtained
external
grants that they administer. It is assumed that in the schools offering
16 week transition courses some faculty involvement occurs. Schools need
to acknowledge the important role played by faculty in student success.
As Kobrack, (1992) observed:
The program aims to impress upon minority youth the need for a college education. It familiarizes students with the University, introduces minority students to career opportunities, and helps them prepare for college. Extensive collaboration with teachers and counselors helps identify potential students. Office activities include on-site assistance at high schools, providing individual assistance to help students complete the University admissions application, and bringing prospective students to campus. After potential students are admitted to Purdue, they and their parents are invited to spend a weekend on campus meeting faculty and staff and participating in cultural events, workshops, and other activities. Admitted minority students also receive letters and telephone calls from University students working with the Admissions Office. The Admissions Office also has a summer internship for five selected teachers, counselors, or administrators from high schools in urban centers to familiarize them with the University. The Graduate School: Minority programs aimed at graduate recruitment are housed in the School of Graduate Studies. Program objectives include: encouraging target students to pursue graduate education, informing students of opportunities and increasing the University's minority student enrollment. The program is staffed by a full-time director with secretarial support. The program director collaborates with eleven HBCU's, which identify honor graduate students. The director annually visits these institutions, as well as selected colleges in Puerto Rico. Selected students then visit Purdue for several days of meetings with faculty, staff, and students, and participation in social activities. The availability of student fellowships is key to the success of the recruitment effort at the graduate level. The director solicits funds from a variety of corporations and foundations. The director maintains documentation of program outcomes. Records on enrollment of various minority group members in graduate programs and student outcomes such as retention, graduation, job placement, and continuation to other programs are maintained by the director. Data are also kept on the number of students who have attained master's and doctoral degrees at Purdue. In the nine years of the program's existence, total minority enrollment growth outpaced the overall University graduate enrollment. Minority Program Directors' Attitudes and Perceptions Nationally, a common thread seems to bind a large number of minority program counselors and recruiters at predominantly White universities. Mercer (1992) found that these professionals often feel overburdened by the multiple roles they are required to play. These include recruiting students and developing programs, while also serving as parent, financial aid advisor, mentor and friend. In seeking to establish comfort zones for their students, these counselors note that they must strive to balance their needs with those of the institution. Compounding these challenges is the perception that these professionals are marginalized at their institutions. Because they are called upon to deal with all minority issues, and because their activities are specialized, they are often overlooked for promotion. Relatedly, their myriad responsibilities are often not included when job performance is assessed, as institutions fail to validate that what they do is important. Many of these themes are repeated among Purdue's minority program directors. There is consensus among the directors that their respective school deans are committed to the minority programs. However, many feel that this sense of commitment is not necessarily diffused throughout their schools among faculty and staff. Another overarching concern among Purdue's directors is to be respected and appreciated for what they do. Directors assert that their work requires them to greatly exceed a 40 hour week and speak to the many demands of their job. Some directors expressed the need for orientation to their jobs and their units early in their employment at the University. They felt they needed to know more about the administrative structure of their department and the University, and their place within that framework. Additionally, some directors felt that they would have benefited from having a clearer picture of their job expectations early in their employment. Directors expressed not always having a clear sense of their "niche" within their respective units. Experiences contributing to feelings of marginalization include: having to explain the need for, and purpose of particular programs, difficulties in obtaining enrollment data from the Registrar's Office, and not being included in meetings with, or introduced to, key people in the school or unit. Part of the lack of appreciation for their work, some directors believe, emanates from the perceived status of students in the minority programs. It is reported that among some faculty and staff, questions arise as to why minority students receive "special privileges." Minority program directors observed that while many faculty members are supportive, too many others have low expectations of minority students. Directors also emphasize the need for more program resources. Their funding is provided by the dean and from directors' fundraising activities. Directors expressed the desire to apply for more grants in order to secure additional funding, but said they had limited extra time to write grant proposals. Some felt they were not supported by departmental faculty and staff in developing proposals. Most directors spoke of the need for more staff support, particularly the services of a secretary and graduate assistant. Additional staff and resources would be used for summer programs, student retention activities, professional development, and outreach activities in elementary schools. Directors would also like to have more merit-based scholarships in order to compete with other universities in recruiting outstanding students. The directors strongly believe in the positive impact of their programs, though much of the evidence they cited was anecdotal. Some directors observed that there is mild competition across the schools, particularly when some recruitment/retention programs are viewed as models. While these programs and the work of their directors is commended, some directors feel that it is unfair to compare programs across schools, because of differences in size and resources. Minority program directors made these recommendations for enhancing diversity:
Overall, students value the minority programs for promoting affiliation among students like themselves, who are dealing with common problems and who are able to lend support to one another. Other values cited were opportunities for social activities and release from pressures. The program directors provide students with "someone to talk to." One student commented, "She is always there for the students. We have weekly meetings. She even reviews the papers I write. I don't see how she can do all this stuff and still get. . .work done in her office. She has so many responsibilities and that helps us look up to her." The minority program directors are often credited with being the persons who have contributed to student persistence, as exemplified by this statement from a student, "I mean, there's been times when I come in here crying and don't know what to do. . .and she pushed me, and that¹s why I'm still here. And I'm almost finished now." Student
recommendations
and observations regarding diversity include the following:
Summary Though the directors' dedication to their students and programs is evident, the review indicates the need to strengthen some programs. Nearly all of the programs attempt to operate in Stage 2 of the Richardson and Skinner model; however, few are as holistic or comprehensive as that model specifies. There appears to be a direct correlation between program longevity and comprehensiveness. The school programs which are usually held up as models -- engineering, management, and science -- are 8 to 27 years old. The directors of these programs apparently have achieved success in identifying student pools, and funding sources, and have gained experience in implementing recruitment, transition, and support components of programs. Newer directors are at a disadvantage in having little or no formal training in some areas for their jobs and having to learn by trial-and-error. Program development is also hampered by unclear job descriptions and lack of attention to the basics of program development, beginning with collecting necessary data and setting appropriate, realistic goals. This observation is based upon directors' responses to the profile item, "What is the problem addressed by the program(s)? Be as specific as possible." Overall, responses were general, as opposed to statements of specific issues as the "pipelines," student preparedness, knowledge of opportunities, negotiating "the system," student dropout and underachievement, valuing diversity, and the like. The program review also shows that a significant portion of minority students do not participate in the schools¹ minority programs. More needs to be known about the non- participants. Why do some minority students choose to participate in the programs while others do not? Is there a difference in outcomes between the students who participate and those who do not? What are the perceptions of non-participants of minority programs? A majority of the programs do not have program evaluation and assessment. These are key parts of program planning and should be built in at the beginning, not only to gauge program effectiveness, but also to help others understand the need for, and importance of the initiatives. Directors feel that their programs are successful, but the supporting evidence is generally non- existent. Program development would be strengthened by school-wide participation, particularly among faculty. Too often, minority programs have an add-on quality that tends to marginalize them. Many directors noted that only their deans are very supportive -- or even aware of -- their programs. Minority student success should not be the sole responsibility of the program directors, but should be shared by faculty and staff within the school. To further strengthen the programs, there needs to be a clear connection to the school's mission and goals. In consideration of the issues raised above, the following recommendations were offered: 1) Appoint a centralized University office to assist program directors in developing, implementing, and assessing programs. A centrally located office could assist in connecting University goals to program development within the schools. This office could assist directors -- particularly newer ones -- in program design, including research, identifying goals and objectives, and program assessment. A central office could also facilitate inter-school cooperation, enabling less experienced directors to learn from the more experienced. Such an office could also serve as a resource center and offer professional development workshops, and provide other services. 2) Involve faculty to a greater extent in the minority programs. A large body of research shows the critical role that faculty members play in student attainment. Students who interact frequently with faculty are more likely to be satisfied with their educational and personal development than those who do not. Student retention, attrition, and attainment are campus-wide concerns that need to be addressed by the total University community. 3) To the extent possible, include all minority program directors in "Excellence 21" initiatives. The
University
is currently engaged in "Excellence 21," a continuous improvement effort.
It is intended to streamline processes, improve services, and enhance student
learning experiences. Diversity initiatives must be viewed as an important
part of "Excellence 21." Including minority program directors offers many
benefits, including helping directors feel that they are an important part
of the institution and providing them with opportunities for professional
growth.
STUDENT SURVEY The major purpose of the student survey study was to better understand factors that foster or inhibit making diversity an intellectually challenging and broadening experience in the University community. Empirical evidence at the West Lafayette campus concerning the climate for diversity is limited. Though other campus studies have included a few diversity-related items, most diversity assessment has been informal. We believe this student survey to be the first campuswide study of campus climate from a student perspective. This student survey focused on students' perceptions and experiences with respect to diversity and explored differences and commonalties among students of different backgrounds. This section of the Barriers to Bridges report provides an overview of students' perceptions and experiences on campus and their recommendations for enhancing diversity. As with all summaries, the data required simplification. For example, group comparisons are limited to racial/ethnic groups and do not include those for disabilities, gender, sexual orientation, or status as an international student. In addition, rather than attempt to report on all of the questionnaire items, a few key items have been selected for analysis here. Components of Student Survey The student survey had several components. The survey sought to discover how certain student characteristics affected their approach to diversity, and to learn about students' diversity experiences on campus, student perceptions of the outcome of diversity experiences, and how the University might best approach enhancing diversity experiences. Three categories of variables were identified: individual factors; environmental experiences; and outcome perceptions. These elements are described below. Individual Factors Demographic characteristics: Characteristics such as race/ethnicity, gender disability status, status as an international student, and sexual orientation may affect how students experience diversity on campus. Prior contact with diversity: Students come to the university with differing experiences that might be correlated with how they approach diversity on campus. Attitudes and openness: Attitudes, including openness to differences, affect whether or not students engage in many opportunities available to them on campus. Environmental Experiences Not all students experience and evaluate the campus environment the same way when they arrive. The survey sought to better understand those campus experiences that are significant in defining the students' experience for diverse groups of students. Major categories of experiences that were examined were community and harassment: Community: To what extent do students experience the campus as a community? This includes the concept of "fitting in," whether students feel they must change some of their characteristics in order to feel accepted on campus. Harassment: Students potentially experience harassment on campus and/or witness harassment and take action against it. We wanted to know how diverse populations experienced harassment on campus. Outcome Perceptions Three variables were chosen to reflect some of the primary outcomes: Overall satisfaction: The ways in which students' individual characteristics, combined with their campus experiences, were related to their overall satisfaction as a student. Self- perceptions of change: This related to student attitudes concerning diverse groups and how their attitudes may have changed during their time on campus. Campus initiatives: How students thought the University might further address diversity issues. Methodology A national electronic mail network on assessment was tapped in search of survey material from other universities on the topic of diversity. Several campuses responded by sending copies of their instruments. This survey reflects the influence of several of these earlier instruments, particularly those from the University of Minnesota, Stanford University, The University of California at Los Angeles, and Memphis State University. The project director developed draft instruments that were reviewed and critiqued by members of the advisory committee, external consultants, selected faculty members, and the staff at Purdue's Social Research Institute (SRI), which administered the survey. A 163-item instrument was deemed suitable for our purposes and was pilot tested by students selected by the SRI. Survey Sample Due to the subject matter of the study, it was especially important to obtain samples of student groups on campus that are traditionally underrepresented. Standard random samples of the student body would not yield sufficient numbers of students in important subgroups for the study. Thus, it was necessary to employ a multi-level, stratified sample, taking random samples inside designated subpopulations. Samples were drawn from student files by the Office of the Registrar using total student enrollment as the sampling frame. The designated subgroups, or strata, were ethnicity (i.e., self-described African American, Asian American, Caucasian, Hispanic and Native American), disability, and citizen status. The American Indian sample is actually the entire population of that group on campus. It must be noted that there is ambiguity regarding who is a Native American. For example, some persons self-describe as Native American because they were born in the United States. It has been suggested that the true Native American or American Indian enrollment at West Lafayette is approximately one-third of the self-identified population. The process of multi-level stratified sampling provides for an accurate view of differences taking place within given subsamples and the ability to compare sample groups with others. Because of the homogeneous make-up of the student population at West Lafayette, this sample should not be construed as being representative of the total student population. Inference should be reserved to making judgments about the sample or subgroups as a whole. Survey Administration and Analysis The survey was conducted during the spring 1996 semester on the West Lafayette campus. Questionnaires were mailed by SRI during the week before spring break in February. Each of the 1374 questionnaires was assigned an identification code though students were not identified by name. The codes were used to track returned/non- returned instruments. After two weeks, a reminder postcard was mailed to those who had not returned the survey. If the postcard failed to yield a return, a second questionnaire and card stressing the importance of the survey was mailed. This procedure resulted in a return of 647 useful questionnaires for a response rate of 47.1 percent. The 1374 questionnaires were mailed to: 124 Native Americans; 150 African Americans; 150 Asian/Pacific Islanders; 150 Hispanics; 500 Caucasian students; 150 disabled students; and 150 international students. Table 6 shows enrollment percentage of each group, number of participants by race/ethnicity, and percent representation of each racial/ethnic group in the sample. Since the groups are not mutually exclusive, exclusivity was insured by randomly drawing replacement data, following the original criteria. Table 6. Participation in the Survey by Race & Ethnicity
The statistical analysis used to examine the survey items includes simple descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. Analysis of variance was used to uncover significant differences between group characteristics and question responses. The survey analysis contained in this report focuses primarily on racial/ethnic groups. We realize that this does not span the full range of student diversity at West Lafayette. However, due to the large amount of data generated by the questionnaire, it was not feasible to include all of the data in this report. Findings Highlights of the individual factors section of the survey are presented below: Diversity Experiences Prior to Entering the University Most Purdue students are from the state of Indiana, which is not as ethnically and racially diverse as many areas of the country. When studying the attitudes, opinions, and actions of students toward diversity, it is important to assess the extent of contact students had with diverse populations prior to entering the University. Prior contact for this survey included contact with different racial/ethnic groups. Students were asked, "Generally speaking, how much contact would you say you had with people of the following backgrounds before coming to Purdue?" Distribution of students who reported having frequent contact is shown in Table 7. Overall, students' prior contact with persons from different backgrounds is limited. Most prior contact reflects the racial/ethnic makeup of the state of Indiana, which is 90% Caucasian. It is not surprising then that all student groups had frequent contact with Caucasians. African Americans were the second most frequently contacted group, which may reflect the black-white character of many of the survey results. Few had contact with Native Americans, who constitute a small proportion of the state population. For Hispanics and African Americans, the second most frequent contact was with one another. Asians had little contact with any other group, except Caucasians. Fewer than half of the Caucasian students had frequent contacts outside their own group. Table 7. Prior Contact
Generally speaking, how much contact would you say that you had with people of the following backgrounds before coming to Purdue? Note: The comparison of same group to same group has been eliminated since this would be an in-group comparison. The value in parenthesis under the percentage is the raw data. Asterisks indicate significance at the alpha level of 0.05. Anova comparisons were made between groups with the Duncan test for betweencomparisons. Groups that differ significantly are labeled with alpha characters in superscript next to the raw data number. Students' limited prior contact with other groups presents both problems and opportunities. The problem is the inertia that must be overcome in order for students to reach out to those who are different from themselves. Opportunity exists in that the campus and college years provide an optimum place and time for intergroup interaction. Political Beliefs Members of the Purdue community generally describe it as being a "conservative" institution. This term is variously defined depending upon who is defining it. The terms "liberal" and "conservative" often take on value-laden meanings. Therefore, individuals may be reluctant to assume either label. Because of the ambiguity of the term conservative, we specifically asked students about their political beliefs with the question, "How would you characterize your political beliefs? " on a scale of very conservative, conservative, moderate, liberal, very liberal. As shown in Table 8, the responses are not consistent with the accepted conservative label applied to the University. More students from all groups describe themselves as liberal than conservative, with Asians being the most liberal. Though about half of Caucasian students describe themselves as liberal, a significant portion also self-describes as moderate. On average only about 30% of students describe themselves as being politically conservative. Table 8. Political Beliefs
How would you characterize your political beliefs? Perceptions of Campus Climate and Personal Reactions to Diversity A series of nine items were related to attitudes about frequently raised diversity issues. Items 1-5 in Table 9 sampled student perceptions of the campus climate. Items 6-9 deal with personal reactions to diversity issues. Learning about others (Item 1): More than 90% of African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians agreed that "Learning about people from different cultures is an important part of a college education." Though smaller percentages of Native American and Caucasian students agree, overall results indicate that students support this aspect of diversity. This is positive and encouraging, suggesting a general openness to diversity. Intergroup communication (Item 2): The results for intergroup communication are less encouraging. Few students agreed that "Students from diverse groups communicate well with one another at the University." There are significant group differences in that approximately one-third of Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans and one-fourth of Caucasian students agree with the statement, African Americans support the statement at a rate of only 8%. The response of Black students for this item may signal a greater sense of isolation than other groups. If communication is a vehicle for understanding and interaction, overall student responses are troubling. Responses suggest that students, who had limited intergroup contact prior to coming to the University, are not getting to know one another once they arrive.
Please tell us how much you agree or disagree with the each of the following statements. Note: The value in parenthesis under the percentage is the raw data. Asterisks indicate significance at the alpha level of 0.05. Anova comparisons were made between groups with the Duncan test for between group comparisons. Groups that differ significantly are labeled with alpha characters in superscript next to the raw data number. Climate (Item 3): The campus climate statement elicited a broad range of responses. More than half of Asian students agreed that "Purdue has achieved a positive climate for diversity." Less than half of other groups agreed. Again, Black students significantly differed from all student groups, indicating that they do not find the campus climate for diversity to be positive. Minority student preparation (Item 4): Students in this sample generally rebut the stereotype of the underprepared minority student, though the results are somewhat puzzling. While 75% to 85% of Caucasians, Hispanics, Indians, and Asians perceive minority students in their classes to be as well-prepared as others, just over half of Black students agree with the statement. Racial diversity (Item 5): A significant black-white difference is found in responses to, "There is adequate racial diversity among administrators, faculty, and staff at Purdue." More than half of Caucasian students agree with the statement, with Native Americans, Asians, and Hispanics agreeing about a third of the time. However, only 4% of African American students perceive adequate racial representation. Comfort with others: Respondents also gave little support to the statement "People who are racially and culturally different from me make me feel uncomfortable (Item 6)." However, Asian and Hispanic students tended to feel the need to change some of their personal characteristics in order to "fit in" (Item 8). The significantly small proportion of Caucasian students who feel a need to change probably reflects the homogeneity of the campus. Student representatives (Item 9): "Elected student leaders at the University represent my point of view," drew low support across all student groups, particularly among Native and African Americans. At about the time this survey was disseminated, Purdue Student Government was attempting to eliminate its minority affairs desk and other special interest committees. The reason for this, it was reported, was that the organization wanted to represent "all students." No direct, causal relationship is claimed for these activities and participant responses. However, more needs to be known regarding what students expect from their elected representatives. Findings from this section suggest that students are generally open to learning about people from different backgrounds and are comfortable with differences. However, there appears to be little intergroup interaction. While students appear to be open to diversity, they do not agree about how diversity should be achieved. This conflict is exemplified by the majority of Caucasian students who feel that there is adequate racial diversity among administrators, faculty, and staff and who are able to identify role models, as opposed to minority students who do not tend to support either opinion. Personal Friendships If diversity is realized, it will be reflected in all aspects of life--including personal friendships. This requires individuals to take the next steps from intellectualizing about equal rights to relating to people on a personal basis. As a measure of attitudes about relationships between persons of different racial/ethnic groups, students were asked to respond to the statement "I would be comfortable having close, personal friendships with persons from the following groups (African American, American Indian, Asian, Hispanic, and White)." Results in Table 10 summarize responses of students who agreed or agreed strongly. Overall, respondents strongly supported the statement, though Asians supported it by smaller proportions than other groups. Differences were found between Black and Asian students, who indicated less comfort with one another. The findings suggest that students are generally open to friendships with persons from other groups and are consistent with the prior findings of students¼ comfort with people who are different from themselves. Table 10. Personal Friendships
I would be comfortable having close, personal friendships with persons from the following groups. Percentage of students who agree or strongly agree Note: The comparison of same group to same group has been eliminated since this would be an in-group comparison. The value in parenthesis under the percentage is the raw data. Asterisks indicate significance at the alpha level of 0.05. Anova comparisons were made between groups with the Duncan test for between- group comparisons. Groups that differ significantly are labeled with alpha characters in superscript next to the raw data number. Diversity Emphasis Items in this portion of the questionnaire (shown in Table 11) focus on student perceptions of diversity. Items 1 - 3 sample perceptions of institutional responses to diversity, while Items 4 - 7 look at students' personal beliefs about diversity-related issues. Value of diversity: On average, 93% of African American, Hispanic, and Asian students agree that "Diversity is good for Purdue and should be actively promoted by students, faculty, staff, and administrators." Three-fourths of Native Americans and Caucasians agree with the statement. These results are interpreted as a general openness to diversity. This openness is bolstered by student rejection of commonly stated fears about emphasizing diversity. Students do not agree that including different perspectives in the curriculum "dilutes" it (Item 2). Nor do they support the contention that diversity weakens the University's standing as a top research institution (Item 3). It is significant that not one Black student agreed with this statement. Special interest groups: Group differences are more clearly seen in matters of personal beliefs. The statement, "Special interest groups among students promote separatism, (Item 4)" is reminiscent of Purdue Student Government, which viewed the elimination of special interest committees as a way of serving all students. More than half of Native Americans and 41% of Caucasian students agree with the statement. This differs significantly from the 21% response from Black students. African American student perceptions of need for support groups is illustrated in Item 5, where 79% agree that "Special interest groups among students provide needed support for specific constituencies." A majority of students in other groups agree by smaller rates, though the Native American response is somewhat inconsistent compared with their response to Item 4.
Percentage of students who agree or strongly agree Note: The value in parenthesis under the percentage is the raw data. Asterisks indicate significance at the alpha level of 0.05. Anova comparisons were made between groups with the Duncan test for between-group comparisons. Groups that differ significantly are labeled with alpha characters in superscript next to the raw data number. Conformity and opportunity: There is little support for Item 6, "People from minority groups should conform to the dominant American cultural standards if they want to be accepted." Though 27% of Asians and 16% of Caucasians agree with the statement, they differ significantly from the beliefs of African Americans (4%), Hispanics (7%), and Native Americans (8%). The statement, "Racial /ethnic minorities have as much of an opportunity as Caucasians to accomplish their goals (Item 7)," points up a deep divide of beliefs in our society where numerous public opinion polls report that Caucasians believe that race is no longer a problem in America. In this sample a majority of Caucasian (55%) and American Indian students (52%) agree with the statement, along with 45% of Hispanics and 40% of Asians. These responses are in stark contrast to the 13% of Black students who believe this. Students appear to be consistent in their support for diversity at the campus, including openness to new perspectives in the curriculum. In their personal beliefs, though, consistency breaks down. Different populations have different perceptions regarding equality of opportunity and, to a lesser degree, the idea that special interest groups are divisive. Many people overlook differences by asserting that "We are all Americans and, therefore, have equal opportunity." Black students in this sample do not share this belief. These colliding perspectives indicate the need for more interaction and education in order that different groups might better understand one another. Highlights of the environmental factors are presented in this section of the survey which looked at what happens to students in the University environment. It includes learning about others, feeling a part of the community, and classroom and other experiences. Knowledge of Others In order to plan for enhancing diversity it is important to know how students usually learn about people from other groups. Students were asked, "At the University have you participated in any of the following activities that increased your knowledge or sensitivity to other groups?" Students were provided with ten options as shown in Table 12. A 50% and above response rate is considered to be a "most likely" method; 49% and below is "least likely." A significant number of students learn about others through courses, textbooks, and lectures. Among Asian and Caucasian students, courses are the primary mode of learning about others. This is encouraging as it indicates that diversity information is being provided through some University courses or curricula. Special events/celebrations are a primary mode of multicultural learning for minority students, second only to reading textbooks for Black students. Students from minority groups may view special events/celebrations as also being a way to acknowledge and celebrate their cultures. Significantly few Caucasian students (33%) are attracted to these events. Plays/movies are the primary learning modes for Hispanics and Native Americans and are among the most likely for all groups. Most student groups also selected informal discussion as a most likely method. However, Asian students (43%) selected informal discussion and concerts as their last choices. Students from all groups are least likely to learn about others by attending concerts. Conferences and workshops are also among the least likely activities, except for Hispanics, 53% of whom selected this option. To promote intergroup communication, interactive events such as informal discussion, workshops, and special events/celebrations are frequently recommended by researchers and other educators. Though a majority of Black, Indian, Hispanic, and Caucasian students participate in informal discussion, this was not a first option for any group. Though participating in workshops is among the least likely option for students in this sample, it is highly recommended throughout the literature. The low standing of this activity among our sample may reflect lack of opportunity. It is encouraging that a significant number of students are being exposed to diverse groups through coursework, lectures, and textbooks. Table 12. Knowledge of Others
At the University have you participated in any of the following activities that increased your knowledge or sensitivity to other groups? Note: The value in parenthesis under the percentage is the raw data. Asterisks indicate significance at the alpha level of 0.05. Anova comparisons were made between groups with the Duncan test for between-group comparisons. Groups that differ significantly are labeled with alpha characters in superscript next to the raw data number. Sense of Community/Belonging Sense of
community
was addressed in the survey through two questions:
To what extent do you experience a sense of belonging or community at the University? Looking at those who actually experience a sense of belonging or community at the University (Table 14), two-thirds of Caucasians and Hispanics feel a sense of belonging to a great or moderate extent. Only 44% of Native Americans and 41% of Black Americans feel a sense of belonging or community. Leaving the Community Related to feeling
comfortable in a community is the ability to have personal needs met.
Frequent
leave-taking from the community may be an indication that needs are not
being met. Students were asked two questions about periodic leave-taking
from campus:
In the past year how often have you felt the need to leave West Lafayette for interaction with people to whom you can relate?
To what extent is it important for you to experience belonging or community at Purdue? X2 = 18.07 p-value = 0.114 Table 14. Extent of Belonging
To what extent do you experience a sense of belonging or community at the University? X2 = 27.34 p-value = 0.007* Asterisk denotes significance at alpha = 0.05 As regards to goods and services, half of all students frequently left West Lafayette, as seen in Table 15. Black and Native American students have a significantly higher rate of leave-taking. These are the same groups that report a diminished sense of belonging and community in Table 14. It is known that some African American students miss hearing music that they like, which is not often heard over local airways. Other reasons may be ethnically related and involve such services as hair care. Students from all groups expressed desire for more leisure opportunities such as a local movie theatre, alcohol-free dance clubs, and music. Fewer students leave the area to find people to whom they can relate--about 30 percent across the groups. African American students differ in that just over half report leaving to be with people to whom they can relate. (See Table 16.) Table 15. Need to Leave West Lafayette for Services
In the past year how often have you felt the need to leave West Lafayette for goods, services (e.g., food, music, entertainment, personal services)? X2 = 20.08 p-value = 0.066 Table 16. Need to Leave West Lafayette for Relating
In the past year how often have you felt the need to leave West Lafayette for interaction with people to whom you can relate? X2 = 21.50 p-value = .043* Asterisk denotes significance at Alpha = 0.05. Stereotyping Experiences Table 17 reports results about stereotyping experiences. Sixty-six percent of Caucasian students and a majority of Asian, Native American, and Hispanic students reported that classroom instructors expect especially high performance from them, contrasted with 38% of African American students. When asked if instructors expect especially low academic performance nearly 30% of Black students agreed, contrasted with much lower frequencies for other groups. This is troubling for many reasons. Among them is the implication that there is a failure to acknowledge that Purdue enrolls Black students of high academic quality. Another familiar stereotype is being "singled out as an authority or spokesperson for my group when issues of race/ethnicity come up." Not surprisingly, 55% of African American students have been stereotyped in this manner, the highest for all groups. Stereotypes affecting Asian and Hispanic students involve their being frequently asked what is their native language and if they are United States citizens. Thirty percent of Black students, 20% of Native Americans, and 23% of Asians reported feeling isolated or left out when working on class assignments in a group. Overall, Caucasian students differ from other groups in that they do not perceive themselves as negatively stereotyped. Discrimination and Harassment The survey asked a series of questions about the kinds of discriminatory events students may have experienced at the University. These could include both minor day-to-day events as well as larger, serious concerns. Students were asked "Have you ever been discriminated against or harassed even subtly on this campus?" Results are shown in Table 18. Table 18 shows that minority students feel they have experienced several forms of discrimination/harassment. It is disturbing that any group of students encounters discrimination and harassment on campus. Sixty-six percent of Black student respondents said they had experienced discrimination and/or harassment. Considering that 55% of Asian and 51% Hispanic student respondents also said they had experienced discrimination and harassment indicates that there are racial issues that must be confronted and dealt with. The discrimination and harassment experienced by students most often takes the form of verbal comments, looks/stares/glances, and being ignored. Nearly half of African American students identify the classroom as the location of their experiences. Asian and Hispanic students also named residence halls as locales for this experience. Students also indicated "other" places on campus, which cannot be identified from this survey. Table 17. Stereotyping Experience
Students who agree or strongly agree Note: The value in parenthesis under the percentage is the raw data. Asterisks indicate significance at the alpha level of 0.05. Anova comparisons were made between groups with the Duncan test for between-group comparisons. Groups that differ significantly are labeled with alpha characters in superscript next to the raw data number. Table 18. Discrimination & Harassment
Percent of students for each group
Percent of students for each group Note: Frequencies and percentages reflect those students who have experienced some form of discrimination. Totals may exceed 100% as respondents may have experienced multiple forms of discrimination. Across all groups the major sources of discrimination and harassment are other students. Thirty percent of Black students also cite professors as the source of negative experiences. This is a finding that needs attention. Even if perceived discriminatory behavior results more from misunderstanding than from malice, the survey results point to the need for special attention to classroom climate. Outcome Perceptions One of the most commonly asked questions in student surveys is student satisfaction with their university experience. Table 19 reports the distribution of student groups by satisfaction and dissatisfaction. The largest groups of satisfied students are Caucasians, followed by Hispanics and Asians. African American and American Indian students are least satisfied or neutral. Affecting the Campus Climate It is natural to ask at the end of the survey, "What do we do now?" Students were asked to help answer this question. The first of two questions asked was "In your opinion, how would each of the following affect the campus climate." In Table 20, students were given five options and were asked if the options would improve, worsen, or have no effect. A majority of students appeared optimistic about the prospects of improving the campus climate for diversity by the use of more art, music and cultural events. More than half of the students supported a course requirement for all University students. Students also believed that more informal intergroup discussion and interaction would improve the climate for diversity. Table 19. How satisfied are you with your experiences as a student at this University?
Table 20. Diversity Action
In your opinion, how would each of the following affect the campus climate? Note: The value in parenthesis under the percentage is the raw data. Asterisks indicate significance at the alpha level of 0.05. Anova comparisons were made between groups with the Duncan test run for between group comparisons. Groups that were significantly different are labeled with alpha characters in superscript next to the raw data number. Caucasian students differed from minorities on two of the options. Fewer than half of Caucasian students support more awareness/sensitivity workshops and programs. Only 40% believe that the climate would improve through the recruitment of more underrepresented students, faculty, and staff members. African American students strongly support all five options. Summary of Responses to the Open-Ended Question The final
questionnaire
item was an open-ended question seeking student recommendations for
enhancing
diversity. Two hundred thirty-three students from the total sample
responded
to this question:
Within each
category, examples of subject responses are presented here. To make the
responses manageable, they are shortened. Core ideas are retained, but
extra commentary is eliminated. For example, the response,
Participant responses are listed by category: Education: The most frequently cited response was the suggestion that all students take a required cultural awareness class. Topics put forth as areas to cover included: global history looking at a variety of cultures, Asian American history, American history, gender and sexual orientation issues, Latin American studies, African American studies, Jewish studies, and general religious studies. Additional responses included: Infuse diversity and multicultural issues in all courses; provide diversity training and workshops for faculty, staff, and students; educate faculty and staff about discrimination and diversity first, since they teach by example; and hold anti-homophobia seminars for faculty and staff. Informal Planning: The most frequently cited response was the suggestion that more informal cultural events be provided including: informal lectures, discussion groups, dinners, plays, concerts, card tournaments, sports events, and art exhibits. It was suggested that these events be publicized well in advance of their actual dates. Additional responses included: create more informal places on campus for students of different ethnic groups to mingle, hang out, and get to know one another; develop more minority programs and clubs for minority students; include Muslim holidays in the Mortarboard; allow special interest groups to advertise their events all over campus; and do not group students by ethnicity in the residence halls. Formal Planning: Suggestions for activities that would require significant planning and/ or resources included: Have a Diversity Week; expand the Black Cultural Center; build a Multicultural Center instead of a Black Cultural Center; build cultural centers for other ethnic groups, not just African Americans (i.e., Native Americans, Latin Americans, Asian Americans); build a new creative arts building; develop Latin American and Native American Studies Departments; and make classes smaller so that students can interact easier. Other suggestions that would help intergroup interaction included: provide more support for diverse programs that already exist; assign seats in classrooms so that different ethnic groups are forced to interact; and assign students to classes so that classes are more ethnically diverse. Recruitment: The most frequently cited response was the suggestion that the university hire more minority staff. Participants also mentioned that minority staff who are hired need to be culturally sensitive and aware, not just "token minorities." Students also commented that the University should not hire teaching assistants and professors who are unable to speak or understand English well. Sentiments expressed here included the ideas that courses are difficult enough so students need to be able to understand their instructors in order to learn; students pay tuition so they should have instructors whom they can understand; and stereotypes and negative feelings are perpetuated when students cannot understand their instructors. Other comments were: recruit more minority and international students, as well as students from other states; recruit more female faculty; hire more people for the Diversity Resource Office; recruit open minded students; there are not enough minority mentors on campus; and help new non-native students adjust to Purdue. Sentiments in Opposition to Diversity: Some students commented that the University should not force the diversity issue, as doing so promotes division and resentment among the races, causes certain ethnic groups to feel left out, leads to reverse racism, discriminates against Caucasian males, and takes the focus away from students and their educational experience. Sentiments
in opposition to the hiring of minority staff included the idea that hiring
according to racial quotas breeds resentment and animosity among different
ethnic groups on campus, promotes racism, discriminates against Caucasian
males, and allows unqualified people into the University. It was suggested
that the University strike a better balance between equal opportunity and
special privileges. Examples of such comments were:
"Diversity issues are given too much attention. The University should promote "American Awareness."" "The University should stop appeasing special interest groups. We are more alike than we think." "Intercultural acceptance and interaction is a personal choice - one the University should stay out of." "Accepting gays and lesbians is a bad idea. God condemns this act of fornication. Why should we accept it?" Miscellaneous comments about discrimination included: make the Exponent more diverse and critical of racism; create a task force to address harassment and discrimination of gays and lesbians; increase the acceptance of women in engineering; and deal with minorities who create racist acts. Students commented philosophically that: there will always be racists here; people need to overcome stereotypes; and cultures need to learn to work together. Miscellaneous Issues: A variety of responses defied categorization. These are representative:
There are several positive and encouraging aspects of the results of the student survey. Notably, a majority of respondents demonstrated support for diversity. They also suggested action items: Faculty and staff development: Findings from the stereotyping and discrimination/ harassment questions point to the importance of activities to assist faculty and staff in dealing with a diverse population of students. Activities that deal with classroom climate are essential to achieving the goal of diversity and community at the University. Faculty and staff leadership: Vocal and visible leadership is needed among all faculty and staff to serve as role models for students and to set the tone for inclusiveness and community. Stereotyping: Assuming that every student in a particular group is the same is a prescription for failure. There is much variability and diversity within racial/ethnic groups as there are across groups. All faculty and staff should learn about stereotypes and their effects on diverse groups and individuals. Acknowledging racism and other 'isms: The great enemy of progress in diversity is silence. There are many agents: Virtually all university and community activities play a role in shaping a student's sense of belonging. Everything is important, from courses and faculty to student support services, student organizations, residence halls, alumni groups, and community groups. Numbers are important: The more students, staff, and faculty of color on campus, the easier it is for students to find others who are seen as similar and supportive. There is a need to forcefully dispel myths concerning "quotas" and "lowering of standards." Minority students tend to assess diversity in terms of institutional commitments, including respect and representation. Respond to
student needs: Social as well as academic integration is important to student
success. In addition to formal courses, students have asked for more informal
opportunities for interaction and other activities to foster diversity
in student life.
FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEWS During the Spring semester 1996, external consultants Dr. Laura Rendon, Dr. James Anderson, Dr. Reginald Wilson, and Dr. Henry Hector interviewed faculty, students, and staff at Purdue University. These interviews were conducted in small groups using established protocols. The primary objective of the focus group interviews was to ascertain how diverse groups characterized the institutional climate at Purdue University. In addition, participants discussed their experiences at Purdue and their suggestions for improving the climate. Focus groups were organized by constituency and racial/ethnic group membership. Focus group participants were identified by the project liaison persons in the University units. Approximately 160 persons participated in 22 focus groups. Interviewees included Black, Asian, and Hispanic students, minority faculty members, junior and senior Caucasian faculty members, department heads, deans, members of the President's cabinet, the President, members of APSAC and CSSAC, the residence halls staff, the Dean of Students Office, minority program directors, staff at the Black Cultural Center, and members of the Purdue police. Most of the focus groups were taped, transcribed, and analyzed. The results are summarized in this section. Focus group interviews are a legitimate qualitative research methodology used frequently in the social sciences. The methodology has certain advantages. It is socially oriented and allows for study of participants in a natural, real life atmosphere. The format allows the facilitator flexibility to explore unanticipated issues as they arise in discussion. The results have high face validity. The method is readily understood, the findings provide general descriptive information and insights into what the real issues are. The method is also relatively low cost and provides quick results. By interviewing in small groups, the sample size can be increased and often the group interaction produces new insights. By letting people talk freely, the researchers can obtain a richer view of participants' views and experiences (Krueger 1988, Marshall and Rossman 1995, and Patton 1990). In the Barriers to Bridges Project, it was decided to use multiple research methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative as the best way to validate results. The description of minority programs and the focus groups are qualitative methods; the student survey is quantitative. Neither qualitative or quantitative methods are complete within themselves for the assessment objectives of this Project. However, when used together, researchers can obtain a convergence about what is happening with regard to campus climate. An understanding of the context in which the focus group interviews were conducted may be helpful. During the spring semester of 1996, there was conflict over the leadership and mission of the Black Cultural Center and plans for the new building had not yet been announced. In the preceding year, the K.K.K. held a demonstration on the courthouse steps in Lafayette. Some members of the campus community were involved in a Race Unity Coalition which worked to defuse and counter the K.K.K. demonstration. A summary of the focus group interviews follows. The quotations are from participants in the focus groups, and are representative of comments made by at least several participants. All participants were guaranteed confidentiality, and these quotes do not allow identification of individuals. Minority Students African American, Asian American, or Hispanic American students participated in five different focus groups organized by racial/ethnic group. One focus group was made up of students participating in minority programs in the schools. The minority
students described their feelings of alienation, being different, and
unwelcome
in classes, residence halls, local night clubs, and restaurants where they
are often the only students of color and witness racist remarks and
behaviors:
In my ________ class I'm the only Latino there, and there's this one Indian person and that is it. The professor is Caucasian. . .and every student had to go up and introduce themselves and give a little bit about their culture. And the majority of Caucasians that went up there, they were very racist in my opinion. For instance, this one guy said he was in this school where there were 1,500 African Americans and only 500 Caucasians. So they integrated that school. They made 200 Caucasians go into that school and he happened to be one of those chosen to go. And he was all upset. He said, "Can you believe they made me go to a school where there's 1,500 African Americans? Well, that's not right." And he was upset because of that. And I laughed because I don't have any problem where I come from. He was like, "Why are you laughing?" I was like, "Well in East Chicago everyone gets along with each other. And there¹s not that problem over there." And there's this other person who talked about how they were from the K.K.K. capitol of Indiana, and how he was proud to be 100% White. I used to call
home and say, "I get these stares." Like they're staring at you when they're
walking at you -- like five feet ahead of you -- and staring at you until
they get right beside you. . .I think another place is stores. When you
walk in the stores in the Chauncey area they stare at you. They don't hand
the money to you in your hand. They put it on the counter and slide it
to you. That irritates me. Or they don't even slide it to you -- you have
to reach over the counter to get it. Or they give you a bag rather than
putting your things in the bag for you. You go up to the counter and they
will do anything and everything but help you. They make you feel invisible,
they act like they don't even see you. And in the restaurants, they sit
you by the kitchen or the bathroom or the door.
There was only one pharmacy school in Illinois and that was in Chicago, and I didn't want to be at home. It's such a well-known program, and I wanted to be a part of graduating from Purdue. Because you say "Purdue" and it opens so many doors. When asked
about the most significant pressures they had encountered, two were
mentioned.
The first was the feeling associated with being alone in classes with no
support systems; this was not as true for minority students in schools
like Engineering, Management, and Agriculture, which seem to provide
strong
support. The second pressure resulted from the general perception of
minority
students that majority students and faculty did not think minority students
are academically strong.
In another
group session, African American students talked about Purdue being
conservative
and that the climate was characterized by "academic snobbery." They spoke
about a restrictive atmosphere where different groups were subdued and
undemonstrative. They also spoke at length about feeling uncomfortable
in classes. Often, they found they were the only Black student in their
classes. When group assignments were made, they felt the group was
unwelcoming.
Asian and Hispanic students characterized the Purdue climate as very conservative. Asian students felt unwelcome in fraternities and in off-campus night clubs frequented by members.
The director in ________ really made a difference. Without her support. . .I probably wouldn't even be here now. . .(s)he started pushing me. . .if you have somebody like that who you can talk to inside the school, it's helpful for you. A student
credited
some minority programs with serving to increase the visibility of the schools
and their programs by pointing out,
Interviewees commented that Purdue as an institution was not really serious about diversity.
Two groups
of minority program directors met with two different consultants. The
minority
program directors are very committed to their jobs, to their students,
to their school and/or program, and to the University as a whole. They
are seen as valuable anchors to the students who participate in the programs.
They play multiple roles in their schools, some of which, from their
perspective,
are not part of their job descriptions. They feel very supported by their
deans, but generally not appreciated by faculty and other staff within
their schools. There is little perceived institutional support as
well.
The minority effort is in place because of the dean. If he leaves tomorrow, I had better be looking for another job.
Purdue truly needs to get a strategic plan around its diversity issues. I think there's lots of hits and misses all over the place. The fact that no one coordinates any of that, that no real dollars are a part of the overall budget to deal with diversity issues.
I think the challenge here is for the University and the folk in our schools to recognize what we do and how much of what we do. They don't realize, recognize, appreciate the different hats that we wear, the different responsibilities that we have as directors of these programs. If they don¹t recognize it, they don¹t understand why you need a clerical person. Why you may need a work study person. Yes, you are involved in fund development, academic advising, you're counseling students, you're also teaching and creating curriculums, you are planning programs, you're evaluating programs, you are delivering the programs. Jump, jump, jump, jump! There are only so many hours in the day.
Most of the
directors admitted that they conduct little to no formal assessment of
the effectiveness of their programs. They measure program success through
graduation and employment data, personal conversations with students or
anecdotal information. They attributed lack of formal assessments to lack
of knowledge and time constraints.
For me success is the number of students that will enter the professional program. But more importantly, how the students feel about themselves, that they feel they can achieve, will achieve and will be successful. That there is a sense of community for the minority students in this school.
Yesterday we were in a meeting talking about admissions. "Well if they can't write just like we want them to write, which is perfect English, then we're not even going to consider them." And all of these little things which say, "One must fit into this little box and be a perfect match." And you¹re sitting there, and you try to explain and it is discounted, disregarded. They forget what diversity really means and how much of value it is to the _______ profession. The primary reason many of us are in these positions is because the corporate world and some outside people say, "We need someone" and Purdue University says, "Okay we¹ve got this person here." When it is necessary, they can pull us out and show us off, and we can talk about what we're doing and how we are making a difference. But is there real value? Do they respect and appreciate what we are doing? I wonder.
And so we have to realize that the institution needs to recognize who we're bringing to this University and what their needs are academically, socially, personally, and what needs to be in place to address those needs. I think minority students are very fortunate because they have folk like us. They have programs in place. And if the truth be told, what is being done for minority students needs to be done for all students. The minority
program directors also recommend increased collaboration among the
programs:
To sum up, the minority program directors recommend the following actions to strengthen minority student recruitment and retention and improve the campus climate:
Five different focus groups of faculty participants were conducted. Caucasian junior faculty, Caucasian senior faculty, and minority faculty members were interviewed in separate groups. Black, Asian, and Hispanic faculty were included in the minority faculty focus groups. This section reports on the perceptions of minority faculty; the next section describes the perceptions of junior and senior Caucasian faculty. We have chosen to separate the faculty groups because their perceptions are so different. Minority faculty tend to view the campus climate negatively and have very different experiences than Caucasian faculty. Caucasian faculty who participated in the interviews, while more positive about the climate, indicated understanding and empathy for the experiences of minority faculty. Minority
faculty
are concerned about the way they are treated by students in their classes,
and by the response of their faculty colleagues in their
departments.
The first semester I taught. . .I came into the classroom, and someone had written K.K.K. on my blackboard. I said, "Well, who did this?" I didn't assume that anyone in my classroom had done it, and I erased it. A student came up afterwards and said someone in my classroom, another student, had written it right before I came in. And again, I felt that because the other students didn't say anything, and speak out in class, there was a kind of an atmosphere of fear to speak out that was created. The only case of direct harassment was last fall. My door to my office was tampered with. I had various flyers up, taped down on all four sides, and I came in the next day and they were gone. So, I put another one back up. And I came in the next day and it¹s gone and something else was put up in its place, a flyer for some other event. It happened three or four times. It was a cat and mouse game. I wondered, "What's my office door going to look like this morning?" And I don't know why someone would do that but it was certainly disheartening to realize that someone was targeting me. It wasn't random, because if it was random, it would have happened only once. Now I put nothing on my door.
On the one hand, they really want to pat themselves on the back for hiring minority faculty. On the other hand, they are completely unwilling to ask questions about the climate which they create, or the presuppositions about their own goodwill. I don't think that they are racists. . .but I do think that they are very blind. They have no idea of the kinds of things that happen, of how alienating it is to be singled out as a representative of this group. I would have to say that the distressing thing that some of my colleagues -- if I can call them colleagues -- that we've talked about is the treatment of faculty members and the great silence surrounding the treatment. It's all whispers in the hallways and there really hasn't been anything said by the department at all. I can kind of feel that they are disturbed by incidents but there really isn't anything said openly about it in the ________ department.
They also are
angry and cynical. They pointed out the stereotyping that occurs. They
worry about the double bind they are in as junior faculty who have one
set of expectations to achieve tenure but numerous requests for service
or assistance that interfere with their need to do research and publish.
And they speak out about silence.
It sends the message loud and clear that I've got one job here and that's to publish. That's the only criteria upon which I will be recognized. And I do all this other stuff, and that's fine and dandy. And they'll even say, "Okay, isn't that good" and I'll get back slapping for it. But in the end, it won't count for anything. That's not going to give me tenure. . .so it's a double bind. And I don't
see any statement on behalf of this University which says, "We are interested
in benefiting from experiences of diverse groups of people, especially
African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, and so on." The
silence on the issue really speaks louder than anything else. I don't hear
anyone saying, "Yeah, we realize that we have a small minority of faculty
of color, and that fact makes it harder for faculty of color to feel comfortable
here, so we want to do something about that." I don't see anyone saying
anything like that to me.
To improve
the climate the faculty recommended that the silence be broken at all levels,
including the central administration.
Caucasian Faculty Caucasian
faculty
viewed the campus climate from the perspective of the climate in their
particular schools and departments.
And I know
within my own little unit, we're doing things proactively, but the climate
is a problem. I mean we have these diversity groups and so forth, and
celebrating
different cultures, and that's great. There's something really positive
that occurs there. Yet, there's also another level where I think there's
a different feeling about talking about diversity internationally and diversity
among African Americans specifically. I think there really is a sense that
this is not a safe, comfortable place. And I do think that the perceived
reality is reality. And I think there's a reality for a lot of minorities,
particularly African Americans, who say this isn't a safe place.
We lack
cultural
centers of any sort on any scale. I would not be opposed to seeing a Black
Cultural Center, a Native American Cultural Center, a Hispanic Cultural
Center, an Asian Cultural Center. . .but it has to be a true cultural center,
not an afterthought, not one of the Purdue Research Foundation semi-
derelict
houses down the road that is conveniently hidden from the rest of the
campus
by a garage.
All of my research is how people learn (science discipline) and what we can do to help them learn this better. And I'm beginning to realize that one of the most powerful tools we have is interactive group work. I think that applies to these issues. When people open up and start to really say what they believe and what they think, then they begin to realize what a diversity of beliefs we all hold, even about something as intrinsically abstract as (science discipline). So I'm basically training professors how to teach interactively. And we're finding out that we have minority students there -- and the more we get them (students) to talk to each other, the more they see each other as people, not as stereotypes. You put a human face on this. All the way
through we're talking about how will you teach people who learn differently,
or cultural groups who have a different tradition of learning. And I meet
with resistance because the students are all from small towns in Indiana.
They have never seen anyone different from themselves or had a
meaningful
conversation with anyone different. And they simply don't get the point
until we start bringing people in. I bring in education professors who
are minority or who are diversity experts. I bring in newspapers. I show
them classrooms in Indianapolis and say "look."
Recruitment and
retention
success seemed to vary by schools. The faculty believed that good programs
and strategies were available at Purdue but the organizational structure
makes it difficult to share these ideas. When asked about hiring more
minority
faculty, White faculty responded with hiring stereotypes:
If there's a quality minority applicant, somebody we would consider having in our department, they will go to Harvard. They'll
choose
to go to big cities or the coasts.
The University of Michigan was described as having a series of programs and events that regularly bring faculty together. They suggested that Purdue examine successful programs elsewhere for different approaches. The faculty believed it was very difficult to meet faculty from other schools. They felt that the general feeling of isolation was attributable to the organizational structure. Deans and Department Heads Two groups of deans were interviewed. Overall, the deans were knowledgeable about diversity efforts within the University and their own schools, had many ideas to offer, and showed a great deal of commitment to achieving more diversity within their students, staff and faculty. With regard
to strategic planning, the deans felt that the overall expectation of the
University for diversity had been verbalized quite well, but there was
no framework to demand it or hold people accountable for results. Most
schools have diversity in their strategic plans, but they do not receive
a University response.
Since we
don't
have a University strategic plan, we do not have a University strategic
plan which includes a diversity element. So, basically, the nature of this
place is that it is the sum of its component parts.
The deans
think
they are proactive about diversity within their schools' strategic plans.
In addition to focusing on demographics and numbers in annual affirmative
action goal setting, deans are focusing on environmental
issues.
We didn't initially have diversity in our strategic plan, but when we ran the plan by the Dean¹s Advisory Council we got roasted pretty well for that, and we put it in - - both gender and race. We're setting
goals and ten-year plans with what's going to happen next year and the
year after, up to ten years. Our philosophy is just keep the pressure on
in many ways. Try to get more faculty hired, try to get more students into
our ________ programs, try to get out into the community more and then
set goals for each of those things.
I think we would all agree that there have been considerable philosophical and financial support mechanisms put in place and there's a genuine commitment. From the top,
since there are no pronounced targets, I don't see anything to be accountable
to.
We know that there are more minority candidates in ________ than in a lot of fields, but our pools were not sufficiently rich. So I am not letting any invitations to candidates go out to visit our campus until the pools are sufficiently rich, or I am personally satisfied that we have done everything possible that we can do and there are not candidates available. I've defined a sufficiently rich pool to be that we have not only found minority candidates, but they have, with the usual screening, emerged as part of the top group. Then we know we have the rich pool, and we can proceed with interviewing. I truly believe
that our best bet is to use our networks and target individuals who we
know would fit nicely within our disciplines and expend the effort to recruit
them and that takes sometimes a couple of years.
We've lost
minority faculty members. One was hired away to a much bigger job but the
other one left, and I think he was a very fine individual. He did not say
this was the problem, but I think he did not receive the mentoring. He
was left too much on his own, and it was tough for him. And there was a
lack of group support because of polarization in the area.
The deans
also
discussed their programs aimed at recruiting and retaining minority students.
While they occasionally saw faculty attitudes as a deterrent to their efforts,
overall they were optimistic:
I believe I
see some very good signs. We have a new minority student in the hospital.
We talked about how to configure a support group. The conversation had
to do with his prospects here. I heard a lot of good things about finding
the right teaching assistantship to optimize his contribution and add to
his experience here. It was typical of what I'm hearing now, but I think
we have to keep on it all the time.
We need
every
faculty person walking across this campus, speaking to all the students,
greeting them with a smile, being interested in them. I've often marveled
at how many students walk across our campus with their heads down who
aren't
getting any eye contact. Quite frankly, I think you can notice a
disproportionate
number who are minority students. It has to be a chilly climate. All of
us have to express ourselves every day consistently.
Department heads echoed the deans' commitment to diversity. They cited, as obstacles to hiring minority faculty, Purdue's location and the pay scale. But they also felt that increasing the salary too high would create resentment among other faculty. (The deans disagreed with this assessment.) Most said they lost minority faculty because they got better job offers in locations where they preferred to live. The department heads are also looking for administrative commitment. According to the department heads, many faculty believe diversity does not have a high institutional priority; therefore, many faculty seem to be reluctant to involve themselves in efforts to improve the situation. The department heads felt that a clear directive from the central administration on the importance of diversity would be extremely helpful to the University. They felt the main problem was inertia, not resistance. Members of the focus group felt that large numbers of faculty and students do not understand the importance of diversity to the educational process. The predominant attitude, they felt, was that a student comes to the campus to acquire certain knowledge and skills, and diversity was not perceived as having a close relationship with that goal. All of the department heads felt that preparing students for the global environment necessitates enhancing the campus climate and promoting the interaction of majority and minority students. The President's Cabinet This term applies to the vice presidents and to directors who report directly to the President. Some of these individuals were interviewed one-on-one. Others participated in a focus group. One
participant
began by noting that he was a student at Purdue twenty years ago and recently
returned.
Participants were
clear that, "you find what you're looking for" at Purdue.
I would
suggest
that the University has a responsibility to create an environment for diversity
so that everyone can find a comfortable home and be part of the University.
And I think the University's done a lot to create an environment of
expectations
on diversity. But it has to get done at the grass roots level. I, as a
department head, or my staff as people who hire individuals, must really
believe and want to reach out to try to find minority staff members to
join us or it won¹t get done.
Suggestions
were solicited for improving the climate. One participant affirmed the
need to continue to be aggressive in recruitment, adding that it is important
to have large enough numbers within a group for people to feel they fit
in. Participants also said that helping minority students feel comfortable
was everyone's responsibility. Several participants talked about having
a model or a road map that would motivate them to keep pushing
ahead.
Dean of Students Staff Participants from the Office of the Dean of Students felt diversity has grown in importance but it still did not command a high University priority. Participants felt there was a greater awareness of the need for diversity, but that Purdue was a long way from embracing change. They did not feel that the majority of people at Purdue understand why the issue of diversity has any relevance to the Purdue community. No one appears to have made a pragmatic case to students and faculty of how a more diverse population will improve the working and learning environment at Purdue. They also thought responsibility for recruiting and retaining minority students was diluted among too many different offices at Purdue. The lack of coordination among units left these efforts fragmented. They felt that the University community was often unaware of how isolated and excluded minorities feel, and that the surrounding communities did not offer them much social life. Social activities for the Purdue minority community is often so limited that some students and faculty often go to Chicago or Indianapolis to find friends and things to do on the weekends. According to this focus group the campus needs to make a greater effort at including both students and faculty in more public and private functions. The small numbers of minority students and faculty and the nature of the community make recruiting and retaining minorities difficult; this is a "chicken and egg" problem. In response to questions about diversity programs within the Office of the Dean of Students, participants said the one they had fell short of achieving its goals. In making recommendations, they said that the University would be well served to give search committees sensitivity training for the interview process with minority candidates. They offered several examples of comments made during interviews, which caused a negative reaction from the minority candidate. Staff members also suggested a more formal approach, such as a course on diversity, to help enhance the campus climate. Finally, staff members felt that a firm commitment from the top was essential. They sensed that most people in their office and in many parts of the campus are ready to follow the leadership of the administration. (This session was not taped or transcribed; this text has been synthesized from notes prepared by the interviewer.) Black Cultural Center The Black
Cultural
Center staff expressed pride in the accomplishments of the
BCC:
I know a lot of people deal with it in their curricula -- if they deal with it at all -- during a week when they talk about Black history or prejudice issues or cultural awareness. It should be presented throughout the curriculum. You're dealing with a diverse society now and getting even more diverse. And to ignore that fact or not act upon that fact as it relates to teaching is wrong. I hear some students say that they feel that they are treated differently or with a reduced level of respect by some of the staff they interact with here at the University. I say, employee evaluations could send a message that this is something important to us, something we are going to evaluate. Everyone
should
feel ownership in making this an environment in which everyone can be
successful.
Administrative and Professional Staff Advisory Committee (APSAC) The APSAC group was asked to profile, in general, the administrative staff at Purdue. Their responses were quite succinct: Caucasian males at the top in decision-making positions, and women and minorities at the bottom. However, APSAC members felt there have been improvements and hope there will continue to be. They also felt that diversity issues at Purdue are centered on faculty-student relations and are seldom raised as A/P issues. The APSAC
participants
indicated that as an organization APSAC has made no formal statements nor
developed a philosophy about diversity issues at
Purdue.
The CSSAC group was extremely supportive of the goals of diversity. They felt that diversity training would pay dividends across many areas because it would make everyone more sensitive. CCSAC members felt that supervisory staff was, for the most part, insensitive and not well-trained for leadership positions. Participants perceive that most supervisors come up through the ranks and then imitate their former supervisors' behaviors. These behaviors were often not attributes desired in a good supervisor, in their opinion. This focus group strongly urged the administration to provide supervisor training and to require leadership training before movement into a supervisory position. Participants also expressed a sense of helplessness. They felt no one represents their interests. They believed if clerical and service employees complained through proper channels, that action would hurt their chances of promotion or affect merit increases. Residence Hall Managers Residence
hall
managers stated that many of their activities and much of their program
planning is geared toward providing a broad range of experiences for a
diverse student body. Participants in the focus group were articulate,
knowledgeable, and aware of what is happening in the residence
halls.
The focus group participants were enthusiastic about diversity. They talked about doing comprehensive longitudinal surveys of graduates which include, as one of the outcomes, an expanded knowledge of diversity. They are pleased with the diversity and other modules for the new freshman orientation program and think it is important to expose first year students to issues of diversity. They recommended a more comprehensive, year-long freshman diversity program. They
recommended
expanding diversity training, recognizing the diversity accomplishments
of staff members, and more emphasis upon freshman
orientation.
Purdue Police Participants
in the campus police focus group were diverse, well-trained, enthusiastic
professionals. They understand their roles, their constituencies, and how
to respond in a positive manner to negative situations.
We arrested
a guy for D.W.I. a month ago. We arrested him and we were taking him to
jail. On the way to jail he said, "You know, I've never been treated this
well by police officers. You guys treat me with respect."
In their
comments,
police participants showed their understanding of racial incidents and
how to handle them; they were "relaxed" about race, and very able to deal
with it:
Now I'm just
speaking for myself and for the way I treat people and for the way people
have treated me. I think a lot of times, as opposed to being labeled as
a Native American, or American Indian, or Indian or whatever you want to
call me, I don't care, it is -- I am probably labeled as Hispanic or Middle
Eastern. And even given that, I have not been the object of any kind of
ridicule because of my skin color, or who I am that I can recall. You know,
we tell jokes every once in awhile and I'm just as much the joke-teller
about my race as everybody else is. I've got a couple of good ones. It's
all taken in stride. I'm proud of who I am and I show that.
Statistics-wise
do we have race bashing here? I don't believe so. We've taken reports of
graffiti or racial slurs written on walls or sidewalks. We've taken reports
of people running through hallways at the dorms yelling racial slurs. You
know there are skinheads here; there are racists here; there are people
whose families are from the Klu Klux Klan, just the same as there are people
here whose families are members of the Black Panthers or the American
Indian
Movement. Those people are all here. But statistics-wise, I don't think
that there is a tendency towards race bashing here.
people of minority cultures do not trust the police.
While the 22
focus group interviews contain a wealth of opinions and ideas, there were
several common themes expressed in nearly all of the focus groups. A
summary
of these themes follows:
Minority participants view the conservative climate very differently from their Caucasian colleagues. They resent the treatment they get and the fact that they are expected to "fit in" to Purdue rather than have the campus change to accept and value who they are. Some feel the campus is more receptive to change now than it used to be. Many minority students said they felt alienated, "different," and unwelcome in classes, residence halls, local night clubs, and restaurants where they are often the only student of color, and where they experience racist remarks and behaviors. This leads to frustration, anger, resentment, and loneliness. The students said they often feel unsupported -- they have few places on- or off-campus where they feel comfortable socializing and "being themselves." Participants do use the minority programs in the schools as an important source of contact, networking, and assistance. Students tend to socialize with members of their own racial/ethnic group. They cited lack of a critical mass of minority students and faculty, and an unwelcoming environment for minorities as the key obstacles to feeling academically and socially integrated at Purdue. They indicated that freshman students, in particular, would have a difficult time making the transition to Purdue. They want the campus to recognize they come to Purdue for the same reasons all students come to Purdue. Minority
faculty
were critical of the campus climate. They cited relations between the races
on campus, harassment by students, and the local communities as reasons.
Participants in the one minority faculty focus group felt that minority
faculty are not sufficiently supported or mentored and suffer, consequently,
in the tenure process.
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