Part of the “Establishment”? Fostering Positive Campus Climates for Student Activists

Abstract

Using data from the Wabash National Study, authors examine how students’ perceptions of campus climate influence growth in students’ social and political activism. The goal of this article is to determine to what extent, if any, students’ perceptions of the campus environment affect their orientation toward social/political activism over 4 years of college and to what extent, if any, these effects are mediated by involvement in cocurricular activities. With the recent resurgence in student activism, understanding of campus protesters has again become a needed skill for campus administrators and student affairs professionals. Additionally, as campuses commit to promoting civil discourse and the inclusion of diverse perspectives, improving the campus climates for an important segment of their student population, that being student activists, must be a part of that commitment.