Identifying Racial Equity Gaps: National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climate Annual Results

• In Event: Measuring Campus Racial Climate: A Collective Effort to Address Campus Racial Equity Gaps

Abstract

Objectives: The National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climate (NACCC) is a national survey on campus racial climate. The underlying assumption of NACCC is that all students, regardless of their race/ethnicity, can benefit from a racially diverse and inclusive campus environment (Harper & Hurtado, 2007). In this paper, we will discuss selected findings from our NACCC 2020-2021 results.

Assessment Framework: The NACCC includes six content areas essential to measure campus racial climate: (1) Mattering and Affirmation assesses how students are affirmed and the extent to which they believe they matter on campus; (2) Cross-Racial Engagement examines the meaningfulness of and extent to which students interact across racial and ethnic differences; (3) Racial Learning and Literacy assesses how and where students learn the racial identities of themselves and other people and to what extent their learning environments reflect racial diversity; (4) Encounters with Racial Stress investigates stress experienced by students due to conversations and overall experiences surrounding race; (5) Appraisals of Institutional Commitment assesses how institutions deal with racial conflicts on campus and their commitment in creating a diverse learning environment; (6) Impact of External Environments assesses students’ sense of security and their encounters with racism in the cities/towns surrounding their campuses, online, and on social media.

Data: A total of 81,883 undergraduate students from 95 community colleges and universities across various regions of the United States were included in the sample for the study. Data collection was conducted in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021.

Selected Findings: (1) Students of color (M = 3.9) held significantly lower ratings on how much affirmation they receive from White professors compared to White students (M = 4.2) at their institution (p < .001). Across all racial groups, ratings from Black students (M = 3.7) were the lowest. (2) Students of color (M = 5.7) held significantly lower sense of security on campus compared to White students (M = 5.9) (p < .001). Across all racial groups, ratings from Black students, Asian or Asian American students, and Native Hawaiian or Alaska Native students were among the lowest. (3) Black students (M = 5.1), Asian students (M = 5.1), and Native Hawaiian or Alaska Native students (M = 5.0) held significantly lower ratings on their sense of security surrounding their campus compared to White students (M = 5.3) (p < .001). (4) After experiencing overt racism on campus, 29.2% of all students of color report a decline in their emotional wellbeing and 22.3% report feelings of isolation. 39.8% of Black students report feelings of isolation as an aftereffect of experiencing overt racism, the most of any other racial group.

Significance: (1) National data indicates that 75% of all full-time faculty in degree-granting postsecondary institutions are White (NCES, 2020). This overrepresentation places added responsibility on White faculty to ensure the students of color they teach felt seen, heard, and cared for in their classrooms. (2) Racist experiences among students of color increasingly contribute to declining wellbeing and feelings of isolation. Higher education needs more mental health and counseling professionals to help students navigate a racist environment.

Authors

• Ya-Chi Hung, University of Southern California

• Kendrick B. Davis, University of Southern California