President’s Commission on Diversity
Preliminary Results of the
2004 Campus Climate Survey
Dr. Roger P. Sugarman
Director of Institutional Research
Boone Faculty Club
May 11, 2004
Presentation Outline
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Development of the campus climate survey
Administration of the survey
Characteristics of the sample
Results for selected items on the questionnaire
 Reported comfort in different campus settings
 Perceived frequency of unkind or negative
language used to describe different groups
 Perceived racial/ethnic relations on campus
Results for several scales, such as openness to
diversity and overall satisfaction with UK
Summary of major findings
Development of the Survey
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An adhoc committee of PCW members and IR staff
met in fall 2002 to plan the survey
Prototypes of climate surveys from several
institutions were studied
Initial survey draft was designed to measure:
 Openness to diversity
 Interracial conflict/harmony on campus
 Perceived freedom to express ideas and opinions
 Sensitivity to the treatment of gays and lesbians
 Sexual harassment
 Campus safety concerns
 Climate in the classroom
 Satisfaction with the overall UK experience
Administration of the Survey

President Todd’s letter to faculty teaching during
targeted timeslots and his email to the entire
student body alerted the campus community to the
survey and emphasized the importance of the
project

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
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An additional class time was scheduled in the
evening to accommodate non-traditional students
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Of the 9,168 undergraduates enrolled in targeted
classes, 58% (5,315) completed the survey
Administration of the Survey
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An initial email to graduate and professional
students from the Dean of Graduate Studies and
contacts at the professional schools introduced the
survey and provided a link to a web-based form
Two email reminders were sent to students’ to
maximize response rates
A total of 1,194 graduate students and 180
professional students completed the survey, which
resulted in response rates of 24% and 13%,
respectively
The sampling error for the graduate and
professional results is plus or minus 2 percent
Sample Composition:
By Level
Group
Undergraduate
Graduate
1st-Professional
Sam.
79%
Pop.
72%
18%
22%
3%
6%
Sample Composition:
By Sex
Group
Male
Female
Undergrad. Graduate 1st-Profess.
Sam. Pop. Sam. Pop. Sam. Pop.
46% 48% 43% 39% 35% 50%
54% 52% 57% 61% 65% 50%
Sample Composition:
By Race/Ethnicity
Group
Black
White
Other
Undergrad. Graduate 1st-Profess.
Sam. Pop. Sam. Pop. Sam. Pop.
5% 5% 5% 5% 6% 4%
89% 89% 77% 66% 84% 85%
6%
6%
19% 29%
9%
11%
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
How do students perceive the social
climate on campus and in class?
Review of selected items pertaining to:
Reported comfort in different campus settings
 Perceived frequency of unkind or negative
language used to describe different groups
 Perceived racial/ethnic relations on campus

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
 Feelings of social isolation
 Perceived freedom to express beliefs and
opinions
 Perceived unfairness in classroom management
 Perceived encouragement and respect from
faculty
 Overall satisfaction with the UK experience
How comfortable do you feel in each setting?
(Percent reporting ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ comfortable)
49.4%
Hanging out in the Student Center
59.0%
64.3%
69.8%
72.5%
68.3%
Walking into the food court by myself
26.0%
30.6%
32.3%
Walking alone across campus at night
84.1%
81.4%
79.0%
Using the library
74.0%
75.6%
75.2%
Talking to my advisor
0%
20%
40%
Black
60%
White
80%
Other
100%
How comfortable do you feel in each setting?
(Percent reporting ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ comfortable)
85.7%
92.3%
88.9%
Attending classes
Asking a question in class
65.2%
63.5%
66.1%
Answering a question in class
65.1%
65.7%
67.1%
44.7%
47.1%
55.3%
Expressing controversial opinions in class
75.2%
75.6%
74.9%
Talking to faculty during office hours
0%
20%
40%
Black
60%
White
80%
Other
100%
How often have you heard students make unkind
or negative remarks about the following groups?
(Percent reporting ‘occasionally’ or ‘frequently’)
Women
Men
Racial/ethnic minorities
Gays, lesbians, bisexuals
Whites
International students
Students from rural KY
Out-of-state students
Religious minorities
0%
5%
10%
15%
Undergraduate
20%
25%
30%
35%
Graduate/Professional
40%
45%
How often have you heard students make unkind
or negative remarks about the following groups?
(Percent reporting ‘occasionally’ or ‘frequently’)
44.1%
Racial/ethnic
minorities
30.9%
33.8%
46.9%
International
students
23.2%
33.0%
14.6%
11.6%
Whites
45.3%
0%
5%
10%
15%
Black
20%
25%
White
30%
Other
35%
40%
45%
50%
“Different racial/ethnic groups
in my college get along well”
60%
55%
50%
49%
48%
40%
33%
29% 28%
30%
20%
13%
10%
4%
0%
13%
10%
6% 6%
5%
1% 2%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Black
Not Sure
White
Agree
Other
Strongly
Agree
“There are interracial/ethnic tensions
in UK classrooms”
60%
51%
50%
40%
38%
32%
31%
30%
28%
24%
20%
10%
26%
18%
12%
11%11%
8%
4%
2%
0%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Black
Not Sure
White
Agree
Other
5%
Strongly
Agree
“I am comfortable working on projects with
students of different races/ethnicities”
60%
56%55%
50%
48%
40%
37%
34%
31%
30%
20%
10%
0%
8%
2% 1% 4%
3% 3% 3%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Black
7%
9%
Not Sure
White
Agree
Other
Strongly
Agree
“It has been difficult to meet and make friends
with students of other races/ethnicities”
60%
50%
48%46%
50%
40%
30%
20%
14%
10%
23%
21% 21%
17%
16%
11%
8%
12%
5%
3%
6%
0%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Black
Not Sure
White
Agree
Other
Strongly
Agree
“My social interactions on campus are largely
with students of my race/ethnicity”
70%
63%
60%
50%
40%
31%
30%
20%
10%
0%
38%
35%
36%
19%17%
13%
14%
7%
5% 5% 6%
2% 1%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Black
Not Sure
Agree
White
Other
Strongly
Agree
“I have been the target of
racial/ethnic stereotyping in class”
50%
50%
40%
36%
35%
31%
30%
20%
27%
21%
22%
20%
17%
10%
15%
9%
5%
6%
5%
2%
0%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Not Sure
Black
White
Agree
Other
Strongly
Agree
“Sometimes I get singled out in class
to speak because of my race/ethnicity”
50%
44%
40%
40%
34%
30%
29%
27%
25%
20%
19%
16%
17%
14%
14%
11%
10%
5%
4%
1%
0%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Black
Not Sure
White
Agree
Other
Strongly
Agree
“My professors present the contributions of
minorities in their courses and readings”
50%
40%
38%
40%
30%
20%
29%
39%
27%
26%
20%
20%
16%
10%
9%
12%
8% 8%
4%
3%
0%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Black
Not Sure
Agree
White
Other
Strongly
Agree
“When I make a comment in the classroom, the
instructor usually takes me seriously”
70%
65%
60%
55%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
20%
17% 17%
17% 18%
11%
4%
4% 3% 6%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
1% 1%
Black
Not Sure
White
Agree
Other
Strongly
Agree
“I am comfortable asking
my instructors for academic help”
60%
56%
53% 53%
50%
40%
30%
21% 20%
19%
20%
10%
10%11%
9%
5%
3%
14%
12%12%
5%
0%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Black
Not Sure
Agree
White
Other
Strongly
Agree
Openness to Diversity
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Measured by 5 items on a 5-point Likert scale
(Cronbach’s alpha = .73)
Adapted from a scale developed by (Pascarella,
Edison, Nora, Hagedorn, and 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
Openness to Diversity
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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
20
19.48
19.42
19
18.27
18
17
16
Black
White
Other
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)
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Feelings of Social Isolation
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Students of other races report
a higher level of social
isolation than either black or
white students
Black and white students do
not differ in their level of
social isolation
13
12
11.25
10.87
10.70
11
10
Black
White
Other
Perceived freedom to express
opinions and beliefs
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Measured by 3 items (Cronbach’s alpha = .68)
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
Perceived freedom to express
opinions and beliefs
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White students perceived
significantly greater freedom
to express opinions and
beliefs on campus than either
black students or students of
other races
Black students and students
of other races do not differ in
their perceptions of freedom
to express opinions and
beliefs
11
10.24
9.85
10
9.66
9
8
Black
White
Other
The Climate in the Classroom
Two dimensions of perceived faculty behavior
were assessed:
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Perceived encouragement and respect from
faculty members
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Perceived unfairness in classroom
management
Perceived Encouragement and
Respect from Faculty Members
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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.
Perceived Encouragement and
Respect from Faculty
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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
24
23
21.57
22
21
20.79
20.07
20
19
18
Black
White
Other
Perceived Unfairness in
Classroom Management
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Measured by 5 items on a 5-point Likert scale
(Cronbach’s alpha = .77)
Sample scale items include:
 I have been graded unfairly based on irrelevant
factors.
 My professors make unkind remarks about my
abilities.
 Sometimes I get singled out in class to speak on
behalf of my race/ethnicity.
 Faculty have expectations about my academic
performance because of my gender.
Perceived Unfairness in
Classroom Management
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Black students perceived
significantly greater levels
of unfairness in classroom
management than white
students and students of
other races
Students of other races
perceived more unfairness
in classroom management
than white students
14
13
12.33
11.65
12
11
9.84
10
9
8
Black
White
Other
Overall Satisfaction with
The UK Experience
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Measured by 3 items on a 5-point Likert scale
(Cronbach’s alpha = .88)
Sample scale items include:
 I am satisfied with my decision to attend
college at UK.
 Overall, my experiences at UK have been
rewarding.
 I would recommend UK to another student as a
good place to go to college.
Overall Satisfaction with
The UK Experience
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White students were more
satisfied with their
experiences at UK than
either black students or
students of other races
Blacks and students of other
races did not differ from one
another in their level of
satisfaction with UK
14
13
11.70
12
11.12
10.94
11
10
9
Black
White
Other
“I would recommend UK to another student
as a good place to go to college”
60%
56%
51% 51%
50%
40%
30%
22%
18%
21%
20%
12%
10%
4% 3%
7%
10%
6%
15%
13%
12%
0%
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Black
Not Sure
Agree
White
Other
Strongly
Agree
Summary of Main Findings
by Race and Ethnicity
1. Campus race relations involve a
complex set of dynamics. Nuances in the
perceived meaning of various survey
items can produce seemingly
contradictory results.
2. Most statistically significant differences
between students of differing races and
ethnicities are actually small in
magnitude
Summary of Main Findings
by Race and Ethnicity
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Students of different races vary in their comfort levels
when ‘hanging out in the Student Center’ and using the
library
Students of different races do not appear to differ to any
great extent in their level of comfort in typical
classroom situations, such as asking and answering
questions
Students of different races differ markedly in their
perceptions of the frequency of negative language used
to describe various groups
White students perceive less interracial conflict or
tension on campus than students of color
Summary of Main Findings
by Race and Ethnicity
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Most students report being comfortable working
on projects with students of different races
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Most students believe it is not difficult to meet and
make friends with students of different races
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Yet the majority of white and black students report
interacting mostly with students of their own
race/ethnicity
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Students of other races report a higher level of
social isolation than either black or white students
Summary of Main Findings
by Race and Ethnicity
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Students of color express significantly greater
openness to diversity than white students
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White students perceived significantly greater
freedom to express opinions and beliefs on
campus than students of color
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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
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Summary of Main Findings
by Race and Ethnicity
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Black students perceived significantly greater
levels of unfairness in classroom management
than white students and students of other races
Students of other races perceived more unfairness
in classroom management than white students
White students were more satisfied with their
experiences at UK than either black students or
students of other races
Office of Institutional Research
For more information on
UK’s Campus Climate Survey:
Roger Sugarman, Ph.D.
rpsuga0@email.uky.edu
Phone: 257-7989
www.uky.edu/IR/