Dimensions of Student Academic Alienation

Abstract

In this study of 460 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale stu dents surveyed in May, 1973, five dimensions of student academic alienation are investigated: (1) feelings of cynicism regarding basic academic values and the means by which these values are achieved, (2) feelings of meaninglessness concerning the purposes and operation of the university system, (3) feelings of powerlessness in attempting to participate in the university governance process, (4) feelings of negative affect in evaluating university administrators, and (5) evaluations of university administrators as exhibiting mediocre performances and inferior attributes. Five tasks are addressed: (1) What are the levels of academic alienation among these students? (2) Are the five academic alienation scales employed reliable? (3) Are the academic alienation scales valid indicators? (4) To what extent are the five alienation mea sures intercorrelated? (5) What is the effect of categoric-demographic variables on students' responses to the academic alienation scales? The results of this study are discussed in relation to a political model of the university, conceptualizing students as quasi-citizens.