Racial Diversity Within Coursework and Time to Degree: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

• In Event: The Role of Race on College Student Outcomes and Experiences

Abstract

This paper provides empirical evidence as to the relationships between time-to-degree, the amount of challenge with life balance students experienced, the amount of contact with staff, and racial diversity within courses. Using data from the College and Beyond II (CBII) dataset, we employ structural equation modeling to test the interrelationships between these constructs to ascertain how student background and institutional environmental factors impact time-to-degree. In addition to the importance of disaggregating the effects of student experiences by racial identity, we argue that all student racial groups, except African American/Black students, who experienced more racial diversity across their coursework had lower TTD, but that this relationship was not mediated by the sense of belonging that students’ experienced.

Authors

• Amanda J. Davis Simpfenderfer, College of William & Mary

• Radomir Ray Mitic, College of William & Mary