The Social Adjustment of Undergraduate White Students in the Minority on an Historically Black College Campus

Abstract

White undergraduate students matriculating at an HBCU express less overt evidence of social adjustment barriers than Black students at predominantly White institutions. Although White students reported a sense of under-representation, they reported no direct experiences of overt racism and reported good relationships and strong support from HBCU faculty. Differences between the social adjustment experience of White undergraduate students and a similar study of White graduate students are discussed. Student affairs practitioners are challenged to consider racial-consciousness raising cocurricular and curricular educational programs that can assist White students in enriching their "temporary minority" experience. The eight student participants averaged 19 years of age and (with one exception) had attended the HBCU for at least one year. Data were gathered through focus groups, a Racial Identity Scale and a Faculty Support Scale.