Selected Results of the 2004 Campus Climate Survey

1. The University of Kentucky Selected Results of the 2004 Campus Climate Survey October 2004

2. Presentation Outline • Development of the campus climate survey • Administration of the survey • Characteristics of the sample • Findings of selected questions • Comfort levels in different campus settings • Use of unkind or negative language • Reported frequency of sexual harassment • Racial/ethnic relations on campus • Comparisons of different groups on scales ranging from students’ openness to diversity to perceptions of faculty behavior in the classroom • Summary

3. Development of the Survey • An adhoc committee met in fall 2002 to plan the administration of UK’s first Campus Climate Survey • The committee was composed of faculty and staff representing a diverse array of interests, including: • The President’s Commission on Women • The President’s Commission on Diversity • The Office of Undergraduate Education • The Graduate School • The Office of Institutional Research • Prototypes of climate surveys from several institutions were studied • The Provost and the Deans reviewed the draft survey and provided feedback on the instrument

4. Issues Assessed by the Survey • Openness to diversity • Freedom to express ideas and opinions • Interracial conflict/harmony on campus • Sensitivity to the treatment of gays and lesbians • Students’ comfort levels in various campus settings • Frequency of negative language directed at groups • Sexual harassment • Campus safety concerns • Opinions about alcohol use on campus • Activities essential for a satisfying social life at UK • Climate in the classroom • Overall satisfaction with the overall UK experience

5. Administration of the Survey • The final survey consisting of 106 items was administered to undergraduates in early March at an hour when about half of all undergraduates were enrolled in classes • An additional class time was scheduled in the evening to accommodate non-traditional students • Of the 9,168 undergraduates enrolled in targeted classes, 59% (5,441) completed the survey

6. Administration of the Survey • A web-based version of the survey was completed by graduate and first-professional students • Two email reminders were sent to students to maximize response rates • A total of 1,212 graduate students and 184 professional students completed the survey, which resulted in response rates of 24% and 13%, respectively

7. Sample Composition: By Level

8. Sample Composition: By Sex

9. Sample Composition: By Race/Ethnicity

10. Analysis of Survey Results To increase the likelihood that Campus Climate Survey results are representative of the UK student body’s perceptions, beliefs and opinions, responses are weighted in terms of: • Sex • Race/Ethnicity • Student level

11. How do students perceive the social climate on campus and in class? • Reported comfort in different campus settings • Perceived frequency of unkind or negative language used to describe different groups • Reported frequency of various forms of sexual harassment • Perceived racial/ethnic relations on campus Review of selected items pertaining to:

12. How comfortable do you feel in each setting?(Percent reporting ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ comfortable)

13. How comfortable do you feel in each setting?(Percent reporting ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ comfortable)

14. How comfortable do you feel in each setting?(Percent reporting ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ comfortable)

15. How comfortable do you feel in each setting?(Percent reporting ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ comfortable)

16. How often have you heard students make unkind or negative remarks about the following groups?(Percent reporting ‘occasionally’ or ‘frequently’)

17. How often have you heard students make unkind or negative remarks about the following groups?(Percent reporting ‘occasionally’ or ‘frequently’)

18. How often have you heard students make unkind or negative remarks about the following groups?(Percent reporting ‘occasionally’ or ‘frequently’)

19. Perceptions of Sexual Harassment by Other Students From August 2003 to March 2004(Percent reporting ‘Occasionally’ or ‘Frequently’) Note: ratings made on a 4-point scale: never, a few times, occasionally, frequently

20. Reports of Actual or Attempted Rapes (Sexual Assaults) From August 2003 to March 2004 {3.3%} {4.3%} 96.7% 95.7%

21. Percent of Students Reporting a Sexual Assault From August 2003 to March 2004 By Sex and Sexual Preference

22. Selected Items Assessing Racial and Ethnic Relations Campus race relations involve a complex set of dynamics. Nuances in the perceived meaning of various survey items can produce seemingly contradictory results. • How difficult is it to meet students of different races and ethnicities? • Who do students interact with most on campus? • Are there interracial/ethnic tensions in the classroom? • How well do students of different races work together on class projects?

23. “It has been difficult to meet and make friends with students of other races/ethnicities”

24. “My social interactions on campus are largely with students of my race/ethnicity”

25. “Different racial/ethnic groups in my college get along well”

26. “There are interracial/ethnic tensions in UK classrooms”

27. “I am comfortable working on projects with students of different races/ethnicities”

28. “I have been the target of racial/ethnic stereotyping in class”

29. How do students perceive the social climate on campus and in class? A look at factors that shape or reflect the prevailing climate on UK’s campus: • Openness to diversity • Social isolation • Freedom to express one’s beliefs • Campus safety • Unfairness in classroom management • Encouragement and respect from faculty • Overall satisfaction with UK

30. Advantages of Using Scales Over Individual Survey Items • Reduces a large pool of items to a smaller, manageable number • Minimizes the number of ‘chance’ findings that can be expected • Results in measures that are more reliable • Affords a clearer picture of students’ standing on an underlying construct (e.g., feelings of social isolation, campus safety concerns)

31. An Important Note on the Nature of Statistical Significance • A statistically significant result means that it is unlikely that a finding can be plausibly attributed solely to chance • Many of the comparisons between scale score means on the Campus Climate Survey are significant at the p< .05 level and beyond • Given the large size of this sample, very small differences between means are often statistically significant • A Final Caveat: Very small differences between group means can be statistically significant and yet be of little practical importance

32. Openness to Diversity • Measured by 5 items on a 5-point Likert scale (Cronbach’s alpha = .74) • Adapted from a scale developed by Pascarella, Edison, Nora, Hagedorn, & Terenzini, (1996) • Sample scale items include: • Learning about people from different cultures is a very important part of college education • I enjoy taking classes that challenge my beliefs and values • I enjoy discussions with people whose ideas and values are different from my own

33. Openness to Diversity • Graduate students score significantly higher on an index of openness to diversity than undergraduates and first-professional students • First-professional students score higher on this index than undergraduates

34. Openness to Diversity • Females score significantly higher than males on an index of openness to diversity

35. Openness to Diversity • Black students and students of other races express significantly greater openness to diversity than white students • Black students and students of other races do not differ significantly in their openness to diversity

36. Perceived Freedom to Express Opinions and Beliefs • Measured by 3 items (Cronbach’s alpha = .71) • Sample scale items include: • Students are able to express freely their opinions on this campus • The university provides an environment for the free and open expression of ideas, opinions, and beliefs • During the past year, how often have you felt safe to express your views and opinions

37. Perceived Freedom to Express Opinions and Beliefs • Undergraduates perceive significantly greater freedom to express opinions and beliefs than graduate and first-professional students • Graduate and first-professional students do not differ in their perceptions on this scale

38. Perceived Freedom to Express Opinions and Beliefs • Compared to male students, female students perceive the university environment as offering greater freedom to express opinions and beliefs

39. Perceived Freedom to Express Opinions and Beliefs • White students perceive significantly greater freedom to express opinions and beliefs than students of color • Black students and students of other races do not differ in their perceptions of freedom of expression

40. Campus Safety Concerns • Measured by 3 items (Cronbach’s alpha = .64) • Sample scale items include: • I am uncomfortable going places on campus by myself after dark • All students can feel safe on this campus (reverse scored) • How comfortable do you feel walking alone across campus at night (reverse scored)

41. Campus Safety Concerns • Graduate students express significantly more concerns about the safety of UK’s campus than undergraduate and first-professional students • Undergraduate and first-professional students do not differ in their level of concerns about campus safety

42. Campus Safety Concerns • Females have significantly more concerns about the safety of UK’s campus than males • The magnitude of this sex difference is dramatic

43. Feelings of Social Isolation • Measured by 5 items on a scale (Cronbach’s alpha = .70) • Sample scale items include: • It is difficult to make female (male) friends • During the past year, how often have you felt . . . • Isolated from others • Supported by your friends (reverse scored)

44. Feelings of Social Isolation • Graduate students report significantly greater feelings of social isolation than first-professional students and undergraduates • First-professional students and undergraduates do not differ significantly on this index

45. Feelings of Social Isolation • Students of other races report greater feelings of social isolation than either black or white students • Black and white students do not differ in their level of social isolation

46. The Climate in the Classroom Two dimensions of perceived faculty behavior were assessed: • Perceived encouragement and respect from faculty members • Perceived unfairness in classroom management

47. Perceived Encouragement and Respect from Faculty Members • Measured by 6 items on a 5-point Likert scale (Cronbach’s alpha = .70) • Sample scale items include: • My professors encourage me to pursue my academic and career goals. • I am comfortable asking instructors for academic help. • When I make a comment in the classroom, the instructor usually takes me seriously. • My professors present the contributions of minorities (women) in class.

48. Perceived Encouragement and Respect from Faculty • Graduate and first-professional students perceive faculty as offering significantly more encouragement and respect than undergraduates • Graduate and first-professional students do not differ in their perceptions of faculty on this dimension

49. Perceived Encouragement and Respect from Faculty • Females perceive faculty members as providing significantly more encouragement and respect than males

50. Perceived Encouragement and Respect from Faculty • White students perceived significantly greater levels of encouragement and respect from faculty than black students and students of other races • Students of other races gave higher marks to faculty respect and encouragement than black students