Shaping Students’ Attitudes Toward Diversity: Do Faculty Practices and Interactions With Students Matter?

Abstract

Scholars have advocated for further investigation of the campus climate for diversity and students' attitudes and behaviors surrounding diversity, and there appears to be an increasing responsibility for higher education professionals to consider ways to encourage students' awareness and acceptance of difference. Using longitudinal data from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education, this study examined the relationship between students' perceptions of faculty practices and student-faculty interactions and two measures of students' attitudes toward diversity, and whether these relationships were moderated by race/ethnicity. Findings revealed that several perceptions of faculty practices and student-faculty interactions were positively associated with students' fourth-year diversity attitudes, including: (a) quality of faculty contact; (b) faculty interest in teaching and student development; (c) how often students had discussions with faculty whose political, social, or religious opinions were different from their own; (d) how often faculty engaged students in cooperative learning activities; (e) whether courses helped students see connections between intended careers and how they affect society; and (f) whether courses helped students understand the historical, political, and social connections of past events. Overall, findings suggest that the type and quality of each faculty practice or measure of interaction with students may be significant in terms of fostering positive diversity attitudes among students. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. Keywords Student-faculty interaction • Diversity attitudes • Higher educationThe climate for diversity on college and university campuses has become a critical issue in higher education. The United States is facing rising national social movements, such as Black Lives Matter, and protests stemming from persisting systemic and structural racial * Teniell L. Trolian

Cultural Competency

“…3. Develop and facilitate student clubs that specifically promote cultural diversity and inclusion in the college/university setting (Trolian & Parker, 2022).…”

“…4. Take advantage of study-abroad and missional opportunities to grow in knowledge and understanding of differing cultures through a global perspective (Trolian & Parker, 2022).…”

Ethnical Diversity in the Pilot Cadets Education: Study at Banyuwangi Indonesian Aviation Academy

“…These increasing represented by three step of processes. The academic atmosphere in Banyuwangi Indonesian Pilot Academy has promote responsibility for higher education professionals to consider ways to encourage students' with ethnical diversity for awareness and acceptance of difference (Trolian & Parker, 2022).…”

“…This is probably due to the lack of adaptation of these cadets. The role of faculty in promoting positive diversity attitudes among students requires additional research, however, the authors argue that faculty should have a distinct role in fostering positive and constructive diversity attitudes inside and outside of the classroom (Trolian & Parker, 2022). The rationales behind universities' embrace of diversity have nonlegal consequences that should be considered in institutional decision making (Starck et al, 2021).…”

“…Diversity on higher education has played a key part in and remains at the forefront of national debates regarding diversity efforts, and is a uniquely important institution in its ubiquity and impact on individuals' life outcomes (Starck et al, 2021). The type and quality of each faculty practice or measure of interaction with students may be significant in terms of fostering positive diversity attitudes among students (Trolian & Parker, 2022).…”