Climate for Minorities at UK A Summary of Various Survey Findings (1997 – 2001)

Survey Results Compiled from...  The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE, 2001)  Undergraduate Alumni Survey (1999, 2000, 2001)  New Freshmen Survey (2001)  Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (1997, 2000)

NSSE 2001: Percent of students reporting they ‘often’ or ‘very often’ had serious conversations with...  Students of another race –Less than four in ten (38%) UK students –Over half (56%) of students at other doctoral/research extensive institutions  Students who differ in terms of religion, politics, or personal values –Over half (56%) of UK students –Two-thirds (67%) of students at other doctoral/research extensive institutions

Percent Satisfied with Opportunities to Interact with Different Backgrounds and Cultures (N=393) Completely Satisfied Don’t Know Not at All Satisfied Source: CPE Sponsored Alumni Survey,

How often have you had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than your own? (N=155) Note: Differences are significant at p<.001. Source: National Survey of Student Engagement,

How often have you had serious conversations with students who differ from you in terms of their religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values? (N=155) Source: National Survey of Student Engagement,

To what extent has your experience at UK contributed to your understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds? (N=151) Source: National Survey of Student Engagement,

To what extent does UK emphasize encouraging contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds? (N=151) Note: Differences are significant at p<.001. Source: National Survey of Student Engagement,

Note: Results are compiled from three years of surveys Source: Undergraduate Alumni Survey Results for 1999, 2000, 2001 Perceived Academic Climate for African- American Students at UK (Overall N=2358, African-American N=68)

Note: Results are compiled from three years of surveys Source: Undergraduate Alumni Survey Results for 1999, 2000, 2001 Perceived Academic Climate for Other Minority Students at UK (Overall N=2328, Other Minorities N=82)

Source: Undergraduate Alumni Survey Results for 2001 Perceived Academic Climate for Women at UK

Note: Results are compiled from three years of surveys Source: Undergraduate Alumni Survey Results for 1999, 2000, 2001 Perceived Social Climate for African-American Students at UK (Overall N=2298, African-American N=68)

Note: Results are compiled from three years of surveys Source: Undergraduate Alumni Survey Results for 1999, 2000, 2001 Perceived Social Climate for Other Minority Students at UK (Overall N=2291, Other Minorities N=80)

Source: Undergraduate Alumni Survey Results for 2001 Perceived Social Climate for Women at UK

Source: Undergraduate Alumni Survey Results for 2001 Would You Enroll Again at UK?

New Freshman Survey to ask:  During the past year, how often have you engaged in the following activities with an African American, a white American, and a person from another minority group?  Worked on a school project  Had a long conversation about a topic of mutual interest  Went to a movie or social event  Invited him/her to your home  Counted him/her among your good friends  Went to his/her home

Freshman Survey Findings When asked how frequently they had worked on a high school project with a student of another race...  Over one-third (37%) of white students said they had ‘never’ worked with an African American student  Only 1% of African American students reported that they had ‘never’ worked with a white student

Freshman Survey Findings When asked how frequently during the past year they had had a long conversation with a student of another race...  Less than half (40%) of white students reported conversing with an African American student on 4 or more occasions  84% of African American students reported conversing with a white student on 4 or more occasions

There is a strong commitment to racial harmony on campus. (1=not satisfied at all to 7= very satisfied) Source: Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, 1997 and 2000

There is a strong commitment to racial harmony on campus. Source: Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, 1997 Note: A Gap of 1.5 or greater suggests an area of concern. A gap is defined as the difference between importance and satisfaction.

Faculty…..fair/unbiased in treatment of individual students. Source: Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, 1997 Note: A Gap of 1.5 or greater suggests an area of concern. A gap is defined as the difference between importance and satisfaction.

This institution shows concern for students as individuals. Source: Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, 1997 Note: A Gap of 1.5 or greater suggests an area of concern. A gap is defined as the difference between importance and satisfaction.

Faculty care about me as an individual. Source: Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, 1997 Note: A Gap of 1.5 or greater suggests an area of concern. A gap is defined as the difference between importance and satisfaction.

Campus staff are caring and helpful. Source: Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, 1997 Note: A Gap of 1.5 or greater suggests an area of concern. A gap is defined as the difference between importance and satisfaction.

Campus is safe and secure for all students. Source: Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, 1997 Note: A Gap of 1.5 or greater suggests an area of concern. A gap is defined as the difference between importance and satisfaction.

Summary  UK students are less likely than students from other doctoral institutions to converse with students who are very different from themselves (NSSE)  UK students perceive the university as not emphasizing the importance of contact with students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds (NSSE)  Female and African American alumni perceive the social climate at UK as less supportive than the overall sample of alumni (UK Alumni Survey)

Summary  African American students are more likely to express concern with UK’s commitment to racial harmony on campus (Noel-Levitz Inventory)  African American freshmen are more likely to report working and conversing with whites than vice versa (New Freshman Survey)  Both African Americans and women are less likely than the overall group of respondents to believe the campus is safe and secure.

What else do you need to know?