Evaluating the Rationale for Affirmative Action in College Admissions: Direct and Indirect Relationships between Campus Diversity and Gains in Understanding Diverse Groups

Gary R Pike,George D Kuh,Robert M Gonyea

doi:10.1353/csd.2007.0018

Abstract

Affirmative action in college admissions is based on the premise that a diverse student body contributes to interactions among students from different backgrounds, which are in turn positively related to desirable outcomes of college. This study evaluates the merits of this rationale for affirmative action by examining the direct and indirect relationships between student-body diversity and students' gains in understanding people of other racial/ethnic backgrounds. Data from a nationally representative sample of 428 colleges and universities participating in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) indicated that student-body diversity was indirectly, but not directly, related to gains in understanding people from diverse backgrounds. Results supported the use of affirmative action in college admissions, indicating that student body diversity is directly related to greater interaction among diverse groups, but not the quality of interpersonal relations on campus. Diversity of the student body was indirectly related to gains in understanding diverse groups, acting through informal interactional diversity.

Highlights

Affirmative action in college admissions is based on the premise that a diverse student body contributes to interactions among students from different backgrounds, which are in turn positively related to desirable outcomes of college
(0.36) and gains in understanding diversity (0.30), but it was not related to the nature of interpersonal relations on campus (–0.09)
Campus diversity was significantly related to the amount of interaction among diverse peers (0.34) and gains in understanding (0.30), but it was not related to the quality of interactions (–0.08). Both the amount of interaction and the quality of those inter actions were significantly related to gains in understanding diverse groups (0.70 and 0.24, respectively)

Summary

Introduction

Affirmative action in college admissions is based on the premise that a diverse student body contributes to interactions among students from different backgrounds, which are in turn positively related to desirable outcomes of college. Many institu tions have employed affirmative action in ad missions decisions to increase the diversity of their student bodies (Palmer, 2001; Rudenstine, 2001). This is especially important for more selective institutions that rely on admissions test scores that are highly correlated with family income; as a result many talented students from lower socioeconomic back grounds are systematically excluded from admission because their test scores are below institutional averages. Kuh, & Gonyea automatically awarded points to all minority applicants could not be justified (Brittain, 2004; Jordan, 2004)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion