Effects on Students by Campus Climate

Positive and Negative Effects on Students by Campus Climate

How students perceive their campus environment influences their learning and development results (Reason, & Rankin, 2006), Positive campus climates, whose students experience supportive faculty, staff, teacher assistants, and students are more likely to experience positive learning results. Whereas, negative campus climates are those in which students experience discrimination, harassment, pressure to conform to stereotypes, hostility, and adverse educational results (Reason, & Rankin, 2006). Understanding how campus climate affects diverse groups within the student population is important to the success of all students.

Racial and Ethnic Climates

Universities have committed themselves to ensuring that they recognize the diversity of their student population. Educational institutions, like Harvard, have successfully enrolled a diverse student body; however, research suggests that these students do not necessarily have similar campus experiences (Ancis, Sedlacek, & Mohr, 2000). Students of racial and ethnic backgrounds, particularly African-American, Asian-American, and Latinos, who enroll in predominantly Caucasian universities often experience negative academic climates. Moreover, racial and ethnic students will find that there is a lack of support and a subtlety unwelcoming campus environment at Caucasian universities (Ancis, Sedlacek, & Mohr, 2000). On the other hand, even though students of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds attend predominantly Caucasian universities, according to Ancis et al (2000), students enroll with a biased perspective regarding features of campus life. That is, racial and ethnic groups have a more subtle awareness of discrimination and their preconceptions tend to be validated by their campus experiences.

According to the study completed by Ancis et al (2000), African-American students experience and perceive significantly more racial separation on campus than Asia-American and Caucasian students. In other words, in terms of perceiving a racial and ethnical difference from their student counterparts, Asian-American and Caucasians perceived less of a difference between racial and ethnical group than did African-Americans. Additionally when students live together, African-American students perceive significantly more interracial tension in the residence halls than did Caucasian students (Ancis et al, 2000). Interestingly, Ancis et al (2000) reported that Caucasian students have significantly greater respect for faculty and students who belong to different racial and ethnic groups than did African-American and Asian-American students. Furthermore, Caucasian students experience greater positive overall satisfaction with the university compared with African-American and Asian-American students (Ancis et al, 2000).

Ancis et al's (2000) research reveals that Latinos, Asian-American, and African-American students are more likely than Caucasian students to experience pressure to conform to perceived racial and ethnic stereotypes when it came to academic performance. Additionally the research reveals that these racial and ethnic groups experience pressure to minimize overt racial-ethnical group characteristics; such as the way they dress, behave, or speak, in order to be accepted. This pressure to minimize overt racial-ethnical group characteristic is perceived more so with African-Americans and Asian-Americans then Latino students (Ancis et al, 2000). African-Americans and Asian-Americans reported significantly more racism by faculty than did Latinos (Ancis et al, 2000). Caucasian students reported fairer treatment by faculty, teaching assistants, and students compared with African-Americans and Asian-Americans students (Ancis et al, 2000). .

According to the study (Ancis et al, 2000), there are significant racial and ethnical group differences existing on campuses regarding perceptions and experiences of the cultural climate. African-Americans consistently comment on having negative experiences compared with Asian Americans, Latinos, and Caucasian students. In particular, Africa-American students perceive more faculty racism, greater pressure to conform to stereotypes, hostility, adverse educational results, less equitable treatment by faculty, staff, students, and teaching assistants, than any other group. This is why, according to Pascarella and Terenzini (1991), attending an historically black college or university provides significantly greater educational attainment, a healthier academic self-image, and enhanced cognitive development for African-American students.

Gender Climate

Gender differences in perceptions of campus climate tend to focus on the perception of sexual harassment of women and not on the experiences and perceptions of harassment of male and female students; that is, harassment as a gender issue (Reason & Rankin, 2006). Always harassment on college campuses is view as negative; however, harassment is not always viewed as a gender issue.

According to Reason & Rankin (2006), a significantly greater number of females (75%) experience harassment than male students (25%). Interestingly, when asked whether the harassment was due to their gender, their race, or religious beliefs; two thirds of female students perceived that the harassment occurred because of their gender, while one third of the female students believed the harassment occurred because of their race (Reason & Rankin, 2006). Additionally, the male students perceived (50/50) that the harassment occurred because of race and because of religion (Reason & Rankin, 2006). The results of the study suggest that gender is more salient than race in regards to the harassment experienced by women (Reason & Rankin, 2006).

Sexual Orientation Climate

College and University campuses encounter unique challenges when it comes to sexual orientation and affinity (Rankin, 2005). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) students can be prevented from participating in campus activities and communities and prevented from achieving their full academic potential. While there may be local laws and campus policies, there is no federal law that protects discrimination against LGBT students (Rankin, 2005). Therefore, campus climate focuses on acceptance, attitudes, behaviors concerning the inclusion of LGBT students in campus life (Rankin, 2005).

According to Rankin (2005), one-third of all LGBT students receive some form of harassment. The harassment included derogatory remarks (89%), outwardly spoken projection of harassment and threats (48%), anti-LGBT graffiti or written comments (39%), pressure to conceal one's sexual orientation (38%), and physical assaults (11%). In all of the cases, 20% feared for their physical safety because of their sexual orientation or gender identity (Rankin, 2005). Additionally, if the LGBT student was African-American, they were more likely to conceal their sexual orientation than a Caucasian LGBT student. These findings according to Rankin (2005), suggest the campus climate for LGBT students is quite negative and there is a need for intervention strategies for the college campuses aimed at inclusion and tolerance of LGBT students.

Ancis, J.R., Sedlacek, W.E., & Mohr, J.J. (2000) Student Perceptions of Campus Climate by Race. Journal of Counseling and Development. 78(2). Retrieved by EbscoHost

Pascarella, E.T., & Terenzini, P.T. (1991). How college affects students: Findings and insights from twenty years of research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Rankin, S.R. (2005). Campus climates for sexual minorities. New Directions for Student Services. 111(1). Retrieved from EbscoHost

Reason, R.D., & Rankin, S.R. (2006), College Students' Experiences and Perceptions of Harassment on Campus: An Exploration of Gender Differences. College Student Affairs Journal. 26(1). Retrieved from EbscoHost