Non-Traditional Belief Groups: Accommodation and Outreach

Abstract

This study examined the policies, programming, and supports offered to matriculating students who are members of non-traditional belief groups at public institutions of higher education across the midwestern United States. This study defined students who may be members of non-traditional faith groups, such as agnostics, atheists, and Pagans. Results from this study suggest that Midwest public institutions within the stratified purposive sample were not providing adequate accommodation opportunities for student members of non-traditional belief groups in the areas of (a) campus culture, (b) differential accommodation policies for courses, and (c) complexity of processes. This study provides recommendations for practice for inclusion of student members from non-traditional belief groups.