The Graduate Student Assessment of Campus Climate

Summary

The Graduate Student Assessment of Campus Climate was mailed to 1,000 of 2,213 eligible graduate students enrolled at Virginia Tech during the fall 1998 semester. Of the 969 deliverable surveys, 470 completed surveys were returned for an overall response rate of 48.5 percent. In order to obtain sufficient numbers of minority responses for comparisons across racial/ethnic groups, surveys were sent to all African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic American and Native American graduate students. The survey included sections to gather information on students¹ perceptions of their departmental climate, the general climate at Virginia Tech, attitudes about diversity issues, experiences related to campus climate, familiarity with particular services and programs offered on campus, and demographic information.

Findings

Specific information on some of the results follow.

Differences by Gender

• Male and female graduate students appear to hold remarkably similar views of the Virginia Tech campus climate. Of the 17 dimensions on which gender differences were examined, the only significant difference was with respect to whether or not respondents felt they were free to voice their opinions about various groups on campus.
• Male and female graduate students were in agreement regarding the overall climate for diversity at Virginia Tech with both rating various aspects of the climate in a generally positive way. These included a belief that the university has a climate that fosters diversity (73 percent) and that faculty and administrators are committed not only to increasing diversity at Virginia Tech (79 percent) but also to promoting respect for and understanding of group differences (77 percent).
• For African-Americans there was a considerable disparity in perceptions of males and females regarding the presence of faculty or administrator role models with most African-American males (73 percent) and only half of the African-American females feeling there are role models for them at Virginia Tech.
• The overwhelming majority of graduate students agreed that diversity is good for Virginia Tech. However, 27 percent of females and 38 percent of males felt that Virginia Tech is placing too much emphasis on diversity. Additionally, 44 percent of females and 59 percent of males believe that affirmative action leads to admission of under-qualified graduate students.
• The greatest gender-based difference in perception was related to the university¹s commitment to the success of female graduate students with more males (86 percent) than females (76 percent) indicating the university¹s commitment is satisfactory.
• Neither male nor female graduate students (55 percent and 49 percent, respectively) seem to think the level of racial/ethnic integration at Virginia Tech is optimal. Nor did they rate the out-of-class interaction among graduate students of different racial/ethnic groups very positively (58 percent of male and 52 percent of females).
• Approximately one third of all graduate students had heard derogatory comments or read insulting materials concerning racial/ethnic minorities, non-heterosexuals, and individuals from Appalachia.
• As a group, graduate students do not appear to be highly involved in proactive diversity-related behaviors. Fewer than one-third of either male or female respondents have attended non-classroom programs or activities about women¹s issues although women were more than three times as likely (26 percent) as men (8 percent) to attend such a program. Both men and women were more apt to attend a program or activity related to the history, culture, or social concerns of various racial and ethnic groups (31 percent of women and 25 percent of men).
• For the most part, Virginia Tech graduate students do not seem to be keenly aware of services available to particular student populations. Less than 50 percent were familiar with the Women¹s Center, Project SAFE, the Multicultural Center, Black Cultural Center, and Services for Students with Disabilities. They were most familiar with the Cranwell International Center with 57 percent of male and 53 percent of female respondents indicating at least some familiarity.

Differences by Race

• Graduate student respondents were placed into four racial/ethnic categories: African-American, white American, international, and other (Asian-Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans).
• African-American females rated their social and interpersonal relations less favorably than did white American or other race students.
• Differences in perception were found in terms of the presence of sexism and racism in the department. More African-American (21 percent) and other race respondents (20 percent) believe their departments are racist in contrast to only 6 percent of white Americans.
• Three times as many African-American and international students as white Americans had been discriminated against at Virginia Tech because of their race.
• Most students in the four racial/ethnic groups thought that teaching opportunities as well as financial assistance are allocated fairly.
• There was some difference of opinion regarding the efforts of departments to recruit a diverse group of students. More international students (86 percent) than any other group (white American, 78 percent; other, 68 percent; African-American, 61 percent) rated their departments positively in this regard.
• When considering the general climate for diversity at Virginia Tech, African-American graduate students observed a significantly less hospitable environment than any other racial group. Racial/ethnic differences were most contrary regarding the level of racism on campus with 58 percent of African-American, 26 percent of other race, 14 percent of white American, and 11 percent of international graduate student respondents characterizing Virginia Tech as racist.
• The same basic patterns of racial/ethnic differences were also evident in the way students rated the value of diversity/affirmative action and the quality of interactions with faculty and administrators. White American respondents were most likely to believe that Virginia Tech is placing too much emphasis on diversity (42 percent) and that affirmative action results in admission of under-qualified graduate students (58 percent) while most African-American respondents disagreed.
• Overall, international students were the group most likely to have been treated unfairly or harassed due to personal characteristics. This was due primarily to their being mistreated on the basis of national origin (21 percent) as well as their accent or dialect (26 percent).
• Most graduate students, regardless of race, find the faculty within their departments to be generally supportive and fair in their treatment of students.

Differences Based on Sexual Orientation

Gay, lesbian, and bisexual graduate students do not generally seem to feel that their sexual orientation plays a role in their departmental treatment or in their interactions with faculty or students. However, they do see a fairly inhospitable climate overall for minority students at Virginia Tech, regardless of whether that minority status is based on race, gender, disability status, religious affiliation, etc.

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