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What attitudes, behaviors and experiences regarding diversity do today's college students bring to campus, and how does the overall college experience impact students' attitudes and behaviors towards diversity? How will higher education personnel need to re-shape diversity programming and policies to accommodate the emerging diversity of college students? These questions are being explored by the Millennial Project Research Team in a mix-methods longitudinal study launched in fall 2005.
This 4-year study follows the class of 2009, assessing students' perspectives on diversity and following their development. Grounded in theory and developed from a pilot study in spring 2005, an online survey and assessment tool was distributed to first-year students in fall 2005. The survey includes both closed- and open-ended questions, which address student perspectives on diversity, pre-college experiences and how student characteristics intersect with the university experience. Respondents are re-surveyed each year. Seven of these students were selected to document their diversity experiences on film. This footage will culminate in a documentary on student perspectives on diversity
Background
The most racially and ethnically diverse generation of college students is embarking on today's college campuses (Howe & Strauss, 2003; National Center for Education Statistics, 2000). Not only do they have the most demographically distinct characteristics, the so-called Millennial generation brings with them new ways of thinking about diversity issues. This wave of youth embarking on the shores of academe has been protected from harm and exude optimism about their future (Howe & Strauss, 2003). These students are rule followers and team players, driven by a need to achieve and pressure to perform (DeBard, 2004). They are arriving with new ideas, values and beliefs that for the most part are in contrast to the generation before them. One of these changing views is diversity.
Historically, diversity has been based on an underlying, critical premise that equates diversity with race and ethnicity. For instance, in the most recent challenge to tenets of affirmative action, the Supreme Court decisions in both the Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger, diversity was found to be a compelling interest for higher education, because, as Gurin (2005) argues, a diverse university community has benefits for all students in breaking patterns of segregation and stratification. Students learn better in an environment with diverse perspectives and are better prepared for our pluralistic, democratic society (Gurin, 2005). Diverse peers in the learning environment can improve intergroup relations and mutual understanding (Hu & Kuh, 2003).
The Supreme Court's definition of diversity was driven by a racial/ethnic interpretation (Legal Information Institute, Cornell University, 2005). However, this sits in stark relief against the post-modern views of diversity observed on today's campuses. Diversity has expanded from a critical (race) perspective to a post-modern perspective whereby diversity includes not only race and ethnicity, but also factors of gender, sexual orientation, ability, college generation status, age, religious affiliation, political affiliation and socioeconomic status. This inclusive, social justice view of diversity, projected through pre-college experiences and defined by the media has shaped Millennials' attitudes and behaviors toward broader elements of diversity. Race and ethnicity are no longer the central tenets of diversity.
Most colleges and universities have programs and policies that serve underrepresented and underserved students in an effort to contribute to an overall healthy and diverse campus climate. Because student bodies are more diverse and their exposure to diversity is greater than past generations, higher education must reshape diversity programming and policies to accommodate these increasing differences. To inform the direction that programming must now take, it is critical to understand students' behaviors and perceptions toward diversity.
Theoretical Model Overview
This study introduces a new way of conceptualizing student perspectives on diversity. Grounded in traditional theories, this study introduces a more comprehensive model of how diversity is perceived. In contrast to diversity models that measure development in a linear fashion, this theory views perspectives as fluid and dynamic, influenced by infinite variables including but not limited to: gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, personal or religious beliefs, culture, socio-economic status, parental influence, peer influence, sexual orientation, first-generation college status, ability, openness to learning/willingness for self-critique, pre-college experiences and college experiences. Student identities and perspectives regarding diversity are socially constructed, multiple rather than singular and shaped by issues of privilege and power (Torres, Howard-Hamilton & Cooper, 2003). Findings have led to the development of The Dynamic Diversity Paradigm Inventory, an instrument that measures student perspectives on various social justice issues.
A number of theories were used in forming this theoretical model. Meritocracy in higher education, as positioned by Trow (1992), captures the salience of the assimilationist thought posited by Chavez (1991). In other words, assimilation implies that the salience of race, gender, ability, religion, nationality and class is non-existence; assimilation is color-blind. The logic persists that merit is also color-blind. Focusing on the merit of one's work and developing policies and programs based on merit will achieve diversity. Students assessed as having Meritocratic values focus on achievement rather than on issues such as race or gender. They may have a structural/functionalist view of diversity and see current social systems as effective.
The Postmodern view asserts that diversity is fluid, without boundaries, bringing groups out of the margins (Bloland, 1995). Postmodernism brings into scope a broader conceptualization of what diversity is positing that diversity is an epistemology of a plurality of voices from all groups (Tierney, 1993), defined by race/ethnicity, nationality, geography, gender, sexual orientation, ability, religion, socioeconomics, educational attainment and political views. Diversity has become so inclusive that it is diffuse, almost diluted back to a melting pot of mankind (Schlesinger, 1999). Students assessed as having a Postmodern perspective have a broad definition of diversity and value harmony, but may not have critical knowledge of issues of privilege, power or stratification.
The Critical Post Modernism (CPM) (Tierney, 1993) view of diversity advances the postmodern conception, articulating the specific and relative importance of each element that defines diversity. CPM seeks to develop a "critical consciousness" of the interrelations between individuals, and to make other's language one's own language in uncovering forms of oppressive behaviors (Tappan & Brown, 1996), such as racial/ethnic categorizations. Students relating to the Critical Postmodern perspective define diversity broadly but view power and privilege critically.
This perspective includes Critical Race Theory (CRT) (Crenshaw, Gotanda, Peller & Thomas, 1995; Delgado and Stefancic, 2001a, 2001b), which was used to address the persistence of race (and ethnicity) as the crux of diversity. CRT recognizes that the social construction of race is insidious in today's social actions and therefore, race should not be relegated to the margins as several legal contentions have successfully or unsuccessfully argued (e.g. Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger) (Legal Information Institute, Cornell University, 2005). CRT seeks to uncover the coded elements of racism and associated power and privilege within the politicized discourse of diversity.
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