National Survey of Voters

Autumn 1998
Overview Report
Conducted by DYG, Inc.

Executive Summary

Objectives:
The fundamental objective of this study was to understand the attitudes of American voters regarding diversity and diversity education in the higher education system.

The study was sponsored by the Ford Foundation, and conducted by DYG, Inc., under contract with Martin & Glantz LLC. Study design and questionnaire content were developed in cooperation with Elway Research, Martin & Glantz LLC, and PR Solutions.

Methodology:

2,011 registered voters across the nation were interviewed by telephone for this study. The sample of voters was scientifically drawn and is projectable to American voters nationwide within a margin of error of ± 2.2% at the 95% confidence interval. Oversamples of 200 voters were conducted in each of the following states: Arizona, California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Results for these states can be found in separate state-specific reports. The total results are weighted to be nationally representative. The interviews were conducted July 14 through August 4, 1998.

Main Finding:

The main finding of this study is that the vast majority of American voters support diversity education in general and the numerous specific programs which fall under that heading. There is majority support across all demographic groups, though strongest among Generation Xers (18 to 30 year olds) and self-described liberals, and somewhat less strong (though still significant) among Senior Citizens and self-described conservatives.

A. Orientation to Diversity

Based on self-reporting, it seems that roughly half of Americans (47%) would describe their neighborhoods as "diverse" with "many different kinds of people," while the other half (51%) would not. Non-white Americans are more likely to report living in diverse neighborhoods than are whites, though the difference is not overwhelming (55% versus 45% respectively).

There are, however, significant differences by region. The West has the most neighborhood diversity (60% describe their neighborhoods as diverse) while the Midwest has the least (42%).

When voters hear the term "diversity" without any definition or other context attached, half think specifically of race/ethnicity, followed (distantly) by ideology, socio-economic status and religion.

• 50% said "diversity" means different ethnicity, race, nationality or culture.
• 18% said "diversity" means people with different thoughts and ideas.
• 12% said "diversity" means different social status or economic/education levels.
• 8% said "diversity" means people of different religious backgrounds.

Voters overwhelmingly believe it is critically important that people of diverse backgrounds learn how to live and work together—the future simply demands it.

• 97% agree—"In the next generations, people will need to get along with people who are not like them."
• 94% agree—"America's growing diversity makes it more important than ever for all of us to understand people who are different than ourselves."
• 91% agree—"The global economy makes it more important than ever for all of us to understand people who are different than ourselves."

Yet, they have real concerns about whether the country can handle the increasing diversity. A majority of American voters do not have a completely optimistic view of the future when it comes to diversity.

• 58% believe "America is growing apart", while only 33% agree it is "growing together."

Respondents were evenly divided when they were asked to select one of the following:
"emphasize teaching the commonalities of Americans" on the one hand, or "teaching about people's distinct cultures and lifestyles" on the other. This may imply voters would like to see a balanced approach between the two.

• 47% believe we should "put more emphasis on teaching people common American values."
• 45% believe we should "put more emphasis on teaching people about each others' cultures, backgrounds and lifestyles."

There are significant subgroup differences on this point. There is more support for teaching about "other's cultures, backgrounds and lifestyles" among younger respondents (Generation Xers), self-described liberals, African-Americans, Hispanics and higher educated respondents. And somewhat less support among older respondents, self-described conservatives, less educated and white respondents.

Purpose of Higher Education

Voters have a clearly pragmatic view of higher education. Significantly more believe the purpose of higher education is to give students "the basic skills" and prepare them for a career ("career training"). Far fewer, though still a slim majority, also place importance on higher education's ability to prepare students for civic participation and leadership. The goals of preparing students to function in a more diverse society and a more diverse work force fall below basic skills and career training, but significantly above civic/ leadership preparation.

The goals of higher education, in rank order according to voters:

Studying Other Cultures Versus Western Classics

Similar proportions of American voters (just over half) support requiring college students to study different cultures as do support requiring students to study the Western Classics.

• 55% agree—"Every college student should have to study different cultures in order to graduate."
• 55% agree—"Every college student should have to study the Classics of Western Civilization in order to graduate."

Diversity Education

Diversity education was defined for survey respondents as "formal course work and campus activities aimed at teaching the differences among people in terms of culture and background. This includes issues of race, ethnic background, social class or gender." Overall, the vast majority of voters (roughly 7 in 10) believe diversity education in the curriculum is a good thing for students.

• 69% agree that "diversity on campus" has more of a positive rather than negative impact on the general atmosphere of campuses (22% said the effect has been more negative).
• 69% agree that "courses and campus activities that emphasize diversity and diverse perspectives" have more of a positive rather than negative effect on the education of college students (22% said the effect has been more negative).

Also, voters believe having a diverse student body in the higher education system has a positive effect on the education of all college/university students.

• 75% agree that "efforts to have a more diverse student body on college campuses" have had more of a positive rather than negative impact on the education of college students (18% said the effect has been more negative).

Looking at the diversity education issue in particular ("courses and campus activities that emphasize diversity and diverse perspectives"), significant subgroup differences appear. Although majorities in all demographic groups analyzed support diversity education, some groups show overwhelming majorities in support (particularly Generation Xers, Baby Boomers, and self-described liberals) while for other groups the ratio is closer to half and half (particularly among Senior Citizens).

What Is Most Liked And Most Disliked About Diversity Education?

In the survey, we tested a lengthy list of positive statements associated with diversity education. Reflecting respondents' overall support for diversity education, over 7 in 10 voters supported all of the statements.

Criticisms of diversity education were also tested. These received far less agreement than did the positive statements. The argument that diversity education makes academic standards or admittance requirements less rigorous was rejected by the vast majority of respondents, as was the idea that diversity education is simply political correctness. Also, a strong majority reject the idea that diversity education takes resources away from more pragmatic, job-oriented curricula. Only one possible criticism (that diversity education has a liberal agenda) received majority agreement.

In brief:

Three Positive Statements Which Received The Most Support

1. In a multi-cultural society, the more we know about each other the better we'll get along (91% agree).

2. New information about diversity will help college classes stay up-to-date (85% agree).

3. The changing characteristics of the American population simply make diversity education a necessity (82% agree).

Three Negative Statements Which Received The Most Support

1. Diversity education has a liberal agenda (58% agree).
2. Diversity education, by emphasizing our differences and past abuses, can breed conflict (48% agree).
3. Diversity education is added just to make some students feel included (47% agree).

A closer look at the positive statements:

Benefits For Society

• 91% agree—"Our society is multi-cultural. The more we know about each other, the better we will get along."
• 82% agree—"The changing characteristics of America's population make diversity education necessary."
• 81% agree—"Diversity education creates respect for differences and helps ease tensions between people."

Benefits For The Students

• 85% agree—"Just as college faculty should keep updating the information they use to teach their students, they should also incorporate new information about the diversity of America into their courses."
• 80% agree—"It is just as important for colleges to prepare people to succeed in a diverse world as it is to prepare people with technical or academic skills."
• 74% agree—"There is a lot of important information about various cultures in the United States that has been overlooked by college faculty in the past."

As noted earlier, the negative statements received much less support than the positive ones. Interestingly, two often-heard criticisms of diversity education—that it is simply political correctness and that it makes college studies less rigorous—are rejected by the vast majority of the public.

Negative Statements

• 58% agree—"Diversity education always seems to have a liberal political agenda."
• 48% agree—"Diversity education emphasizes our differences and breeds conflict. The more we focus on things like oppression and our separate cultures and histories, the more division and conflict we create."
• 47% agree—"Diversity education teaches multi-cultural elements of history and literature just to make some students feel included."
• 38% agree—"The problem with diversity is that it's used as an excuse to admit and graduate students who wouldn't otherwise make it."
• 37% agree—"College courses like Women's studies, African American or Chicano studies take valuable resources away from the education and training that young people need to make it in today's economy."
• 34% agree—"Diversity education is nothing more than political correctness, which hinders true education."
• 33% agree—"Adding material about women and minorities to the college curriculum makes it less rigorous."

Diversity Recruitment and Campus Interaction

On the topic of recruiting a diverse student body on college campuses, opponents often offer the following argument: since college students of different races usually separate themselves on campuses, such recruiting is meaningless. American voters only agree with half of this argument. Three quarters of respondents (75%) agreed that college students do "often separate themselves into groups by race." Yet, almost all of these same respondents (90%) say despite this separating, "it is still worthwhile to recruit a diverse student body."

Impact on Academic Standards

Slightly over half of voters interviewed believe "diversity courses and multi-cultural courses" raise academic standards. This group outnumbered those that felt it lowered academic standards by over a three to one margin.

• 52% feel "diversity courses and multi-cultural courses" raise academic standards.
• 15% feel "diversity courses and multi-cultural courses" lower academic standards.
• 25% feel these courses neither raise nor lower academic standards.
• 8% had no opinion.

Younger respondents (Generation X) and self-described liberals are the most likely to believe diversity education raises standards, while older respondents and self-described conservatives are somewhat less likely to believe this—though they too still believe it raises rather than lowers standards by a 2 to 1 ratio.

Impact of Diversity Education on Skills Acquisition

In the survey, we asked voters if diversity education would help, hurt or have no effect on students' ability to learn other critical skills colleges are meant to bestow. The overwhelming response was that diversity education helped students learn these critical skills, particularly the pragmatic skills needed in the workplace of today: communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills.

"If college courses included teaching about diversity, would students be more or less likely to learn..."

Explicit Steps

Public support for diversity education is so strong that vast majorities of American voters believe colleges and universities should take explicit steps to insure diversity in both the student body and among the faculty.

• 66% "think colleges and universities should take explicit steps to insure diversity in the student body"
• 75% "think colleges and universities should take explicit steps to insure diversity among the faculty"

Specific Programs For Diversity Education

Diversity education, of course, is not monolithic. There are many different types of courses and programs which can be offered under this heading. The final portion of the survey asked respondents their opinions about different types of diversity education. All programs tested received support from over two-thirds of respondents. That said, some programs did receive higher support than others.

What, in particular, should be noted about the most popular programs?

• For the most part, they were not "required" programs but simply "offered" programs.
• Several had a pragmatic, utilitarian aspect—with an emphasis on career/work force preparation.

Important things to note about the programs which received somewhat less support:

• They were listed as "required" for "all" students.
• They were less pragmatic—not worded with an emphasis on career/work force preparation.