Perspective for a Diverse America

1. Perspective for a Diverse America ACCSHRMA Diversity Conference October 17, 2013 Montgomery, Alabama

2. Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) • Educating Students for Personal and Social Responsibility Initiative • Reclaim/revitalize learning environments in which all students reach for excellence in the use of their talents • Take responsibility for the integrity of their work • Engage in meaningful practices that prepare them to fulfill their obligations as students in an academic community and as responsible global and local citizens.

3. Fall 2007 University of Michigan’s Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education surveyed students (24k), administrators, faculty, and student affair personnel (9k) at 23 colleges and universities selected from a national pool. Tool: Personal & Social Responsibility Inventory (PSRI): An Institutional Climate Measure (AAC&U) examined five dimensions

4. 5 Dimensions of Personal & Social Responsibility Striving for excellence: developing a strong work ethic and consciously doing one’s very best in all aspects Cultivating personal and academic integrity: recognizing and acting on a sense of honor, ranging from honesty in relationships to principled engagement with a formal academic honor code

5. 5 Dimensions of Personal & Social Responsibility Contributing to a larger community: recognizing and acting on one’s responsibility to the educational community and the wider society, locally, nationally, and globally Taking seriously the perspectives of others: recognizing and acting on the obligation to inform one’s own judgment; engaging diverse and competing perspectives as a resource for learning, citizenship, and work.

6. 5 Dimensions of Personal & Social Responsibility Developing competence in ethical and moral reasoning and action: developing ethical and moral reasoning in ways that incorporate the other four responsibilities; using such reasoning in learning and in life

7. The Role of Higher Education Respect for differing viewpoints Ability to thoroughly gather evidence to support ideas Capacity to consider diverse perspectives Potential to reconsider one’s own perspective Ability to explore diverse perspectives, cultures, and world views

8. Context • “Students are underperforming in areas related to public purposes of college such as respecting diverse perspectives and engaging in cultural and global activities that increase their capacity to consider varying perspectives. Our society must give new priority to a set of educational outcomes that all students need from higher learning- outcomes that are associated with the realities of our complex and volatile world.” • Source: Derek Bok, Underachieving Colleges (2006)

9. Context • “Students must possess wide-ranging and cross-disciplinary knowledge, a commitment to excellence, an active sense of personal and social responsibility- including engaging diverse perspectives- and a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge to real-world problems” • Source: AAC&U (2007)

10. Context • “There is an increasing consensus among accreditation agencies, employers, higher education administrators, and faculty that the desired learning outcomes of undergraduate education include cultural sensitivity and respect for diverse perspectives.” • Source: AAC&U (2004)

11. Context • “Matters of social justice should take priority in our society, and this can occur by leveraging higher education to foster relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities.” • Source: Nussbaum (2000)

12. Context • “A new framing for diversity is required at this juncture, one that examines ‘how the institution’s mission and goals can be improved through the lens of different groups and affirms both inclusiveness and differentiation.” • Source: Smith (2000)

13. Findings of the PSRI • A gap exists between the aspiration (what respondents believed their campuses should be doing) and the actuality (what respondents believed their campuses are doing) of the goal of helping students to take seriously the perspectives of others on campus. • 58.4% of students and 77.3% of professionals strongly agreed that helping students recognize the value of different perspectives should be a major focus. • Only 32.5% and only 33.0% of respondents strongly agreed that this was being done.

14. Findings of the PSRI • Professionals and students differ in their perceptions about students’ respect for diverse perspectives. • 63.1% of students and only 7.0% of professionals strongly agreed that students are respectful of diverse perspectives when they (students) enter college. • 52.6% of students and 40.5% of professionals strongly agreed that students developed an increased respect for different perspectives over the course of their (students’) college career. • Only 30.9% of students and only 22.1% of professionals strongly agreed that students are respectful of peers when discussing controversial issues.

15. Findings of the PSRI • Relatively few respondents feel it is safe to hold unpopular opinions on campus. • Only 35.6 % of students and only 18.8% of professionals strongly agreed it is safe to hold unpopular positions on campus.

16. Findings of the PSRI • Student demographic differences exist with respect to attitudes and perceptions. • 59.8% of males compared to 65.9% of women strongly agreed that they respected perspectives different from their own when they first came to college. • 30.9% of white students compared to 36.6% of students of color strongly agreed that their campus made helping students recognize the importance of taking others’ perspectives seriously a major focus. • 59.8% of white students compared to 69.5% of students of color strongly agreed that they came to college respecting diverse perspectives.

17. Findings of the PSRI • Campus professionals demographic differences affect attitude and perceptions. • Slightly more campus professionals of color (22.0%) strongly agreed that it is safe to hold unpopular opinions on campus compared to white professionals (17.9%). • Slightly more campus professionals of color (27.1%) strongly agreed that students are respectful of one another when discussing controversial issues or perspectives compared to white professionals (23.5%).

18. Findings of the PSRI • A gap exists between students’ views of the advocacy role of campus professionals and how professionals perceive themselves. • A greater percentage of campus professionals saw themselves frequently advocating publicly the need for students to respect perspectives different from their own, while fewer students perceived them (professionals) as advocates.

19. Findings of the PSRI • More students cite faculty as frequently advocating the need to respect different perspectives compared to other campus professionals and students. • 39.0% of students said that faculty frequently promote the importance of respecting different perspectives. • Less than 50% of students reported that classes frequently encourage them to research ideas and explore controversial issues using evidence-based claims.

20. Findings of the PSRI • Participation in community service, interacting with faculty outside of class, and spending more than six hours per week studying are each associated with students’ belief that the college experience promotes awareness of different perspectives. • Greater numbers of students who participated in community service strongly agreed that they had developed an enhanced ability to understand the perspectives of others and that their campuses promoted the connection between appreciating diverse perspectives and being a well-informed citizen as compared to their peers who didn’t participate in community service.

21. Findings of the PSRI • Participation in community service, interacting with faculty outside of class, and spending more than six hours per week studying are each associated with students’ belief that the college experience promotes awareness of different perspectives. • Students who interacted with faculty members outside of class were more likely to report that courses frequently encouraged them to explore controversial issues using evidence-based claims, and that out-of-class activities frequently encouraged them to explore diverse perspectives, world views, and cultures compared to students who did not.

22. Findings of the PSRI • Participation in community service, interacting with faculty outside of class, and spending more than six hours per week studying are each associated with students’ belief that the college experience promotes awareness of different perspectives. • 25.9% of students who studied less than 6 hours/week strongly agreed that helping students to recognize the importance of taking seriously the perspectives of others is a major focus of the campus, while 35.0% of students who studied between 6-15 hours/week strongly agreed.

23. Findings of the PSRI • Students’ and campus professionals’ perceptions regarding engaging difference vary by type of institution. • Students attending secular institutions were more likely to strongly agree that taking seriously the perspectives of others is or should be a major focus of their campuses than those who attended faith-based institutions. • A greater number of community college students strongly agreed that it is safe to hold unpopular positions compared to their peers at four-year institutions.

24. Findings of the PSRI • Students’ and campus professionals’ perceptions regarding engaging difference vary by type of institution. • Community college students were more likely to strongly agree (than their 4-year counterparts) that their campuses have high expectations for students regarding their ability to take others’ perspectives seriously, especially those with whom they disagree. • This group was also more likely to believe that their schools helped students understand the connection between appreciating differences of opinions and being well-informed citizens.

25. Findings of the PSRI • Students’ and campus professionals’ perceptions regarding engaging difference vary by type of institution. • Community college campus professionals were less likely (than 4-year counterparts) to strongly agree that their campuses have high expectations for students regarding their ability to take others’ perspectives seriously, especially those with whom they disagree. • This group was also less likely to believe that their schools helped students understand the connection between appreciating differences of opinions and being well-informed citizens.

26. Insights The overall campus experience and the diversity of the student body are important factors in exposing students to new perspectives. In-class and out-of-class activities offer valuable forums for perspective-taking. Informal and unstructured peer interactions matter as well. Coursework, including those representing less popular viewpoints, help students to engage difference.

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