Linking Diversity and Civic-Minded Practices with Student Outcomes

HERI Director Sylvia Hurtado and CIRP Assistant Director for Research Linda DeAngelo have a new article in AAC&U’s “Liberal Education” journal that presents national evidence of the positive impact of diversity and civic-related practices from the CIRP student surveys and the HERI Faculty Survey.

This fantastic article provides evidence of the impact of college programs and student experiences on academic, diversity, and civic outcomes taken from a series of research projects at HERI. Along the way it demonstrates the ability of CIRP surveys to be powerful tools to assess progress along multiple areas that matter to colleges and uiniversities.

The authors use the CIRP Surveys to show the link between campus climate, institutional practices, and student outcomes. They demonstrate that different initiatives on campus, such as community service in class and experiences with faculty on research, lead to desirable gains in both academic and diversity-related outcomes. Co-curricular experiences in college, such as interactions with diverse peers, also impact gains in these areas. Hurtado and DeAngelo close by telling us “The nature of the climate, opportunities for learning about diversity, and civic-minded practices among faculty and staff are key features of inclusive learning environments that result in developing informed and engaged citizens.”