African-American Student Perceptions of Predominately White Campuses: The Importance of Institutional Characteristics Relating to Racial Climate

Abstract

The Campus Climate Survey was developed to identify the institutional characteristics of predominately white colleges or universities (PWCUs) that African-American students perceive as important predictors of the quality of the campus environment. We examined whether African-American and White students differentially consider institutional characteristics relating to racial climate to evaluate the campus environment. The survey was administered to 131 African-American and 247 White high school seniors and college students. Results suggest that African-Americans were especially attuned to racial climate characteristics. Furthermore, these racial climate characteristics are uniquely important for African-American students: they mattered to them but not to Whites. Indeed, the general institutional characteristics (non-racial climate related) were more important for determining social comfort for White students.