Perceptions of Speech and Campus Climate: 2018 Gallup Survey of Pomona Students and Faculty

2018 Pomona College Study Methodology

592 Pomona College Student Survey Completes

146 Pomona College Faculty* Survey Completes

Survey Fielded: Jan. 17-Feb. 8, 2018

• Nonresponders received up to five email reminders

Survey Questions:

• Include custom items developed by Gallup and Pomona College
• Include items from Gallup-Knight Foundation Study
• Include items from Strada-Gallup survey of currently enrolled college students

Comparison Groups for Students Derived From Gallup-Knight Foundation and Strada-Gallup Studies**:

Gallup-Knight Foundation Study, n=3,072
Strada-Gallup Survey, n=32,585

*Faculty throughout this report refer to Tenure, Tenure Track and Continuing faculty and do not include Coterminous and Visiting Faculty

**There are no selective liberal arts colleges represented in the Gallup-Knight Foundation and Strada-Gallup Studies

Profile of Student and Faculty Respondents

Undergraduate Students: n=592
Faculty: n=146

Overall Student and Faculty Attitudes

Pomona students are evenly divided in their views of whether colleges should prohibit offensive speech (50%) or allow students to be exposed to all types of speech (50%).

College students nationally, however, are 27 percentage points more likely than Pomona students to prioritize allowing all types of speech. Additionally, Pomona faculty are also more likely than Pomona College students to prefer that colleges prioritize exposing students to all types of speech (63%).

When asked about individual types of speech, Pomona students support the expression of offensive political views but are more supportive of restricting the use of slurs, other offensive language, and the wearing of costumes that stereotype certain racial or ethnic groups. Only a quarter of Pomona students favor restricting offensive political views on campus — on par with college students nationally. However, Pomona students are more likely than college students nationally to favor restrictions on offensive language, slurs and costumes.

More important for colleges to prohibit certain speech or expression of viewpoints

• Pomona College students: 50%
• Pomona faculty: 37%
• Gallup-Knight Foundation Study: 22%

More important for colleges to allow all types of speech and viewpoints

• Pomona College students: 50%
• Pomona faculty: 63%
• Gallup-Knight Foundation Study: 77%

Should colleges be able to establish policies that restrict type of speech on campus? (% Yes, colleges should be able to restrict)

Expressing political views that are upsetting or offensive to certain groups

• Pomona College students: 25%*
• Pomona faculty: 15%
• Gallup-Knight Foundation Study: 27%*

Using slurs and other language on campus that is intentionally offensive to certain groups

• Pomona College students: 83%
• Pomona faculty: 78%
• Gallup-Knight Foundation Study: 69%

Wearing costumes that stereotype certain racial or ethnic groups

• Pomona College students: 65%*
• Pomona faculty: 45%
• Gallup-Knight Foundation Study: 63%*

* Differences are not statistically significant.

Opinion of school’s policies designed to discourage offensive speech and behavior

Gone too far

• Pomona College students: 13%
• Pomona faculty: 19%
• Gallup-Knight Foundation Study: 7%

About right

• Pomona College students: 59%
• Pomona faculty: 68%*
• Gallup-Knight Foundation Study: 72%*

Not gone far enough

• Pomona College students: 28%
• Pomona faculty: 13%
• Gallup-Knight Foundation Study: 21%

* Differences are not statistically significant.

In terms of policies designed to discourage offensive speech and behavior, Pomona students (28%) and college students nationally (21%) are more likely than Pomona faculty (13%) to say that school policies have not gone far enough. In fact, Pomona faculty are the most likely group to say that school policies have gone too far.
However, the majority of all three groups say that school policies to discourage offensive behaviors have been about right, though Pomona College students are the least likely to hold this position.

Pomona students report less comfort expressing political views with their professors and students at other Claremont Colleges than they do with students and professors at Pomona.

Two-thirds of Pomona students agree or strongly agree that the college is committed to ensuring an inclusive environment for all.

Perceptions of Speech on Campus

I feel comfortable expressing my political views with my professors at other Claremont Colleges

• Strongly Agree: 20%
• Agree: 33%

I feel comfortable expressing my political views with students at other Claremont Colleges

• Strongly Agree: 18%
• Agree: 34%

Pomona College is committed to promoting freedom of expression in conversations on campus

• Strongly Agree: 14%
• Agree: 40%

I feel comfortable expressing my political views with other students at Pomona College

• Strongly Agree: 24%
• Agree: 37%

I feel comfortable expressing my political views with my professors at Pomona College

• Strongly Agree: 26%
• Agree: 36%

Pomona College is committed to ensuring an inclusive environment for all

• Strongly Agree: 27%
• Agree: 40%

Attitudes by Student Political Ideology

Pomona students’ attitudes about how colleges should govern speech on campus vary dramatically by their political ideology. Three-quarters of students who identify as “very liberal” believe it is important for colleges to prohibit certain types of speech, compared with about half (49%) of self-identified “liberal” students. In fact, “very liberal” students are nearly four times more likely than moderate and conservative students to favor prohibiting some types of speech.

More important for colleges to prohibit certain speech or expression of viewpoints

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 20%
• Liberal: 49%
• Very liberal: 75%

More important for colleges to allow all types of speech and viewpoints

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 80%
• Liberal: 51%
• Very liberal: 25%

These ideological fault lines among Pomona students about speech on campus also apply to specific types of speech, with more liberal students being more likely to favor restrictions of several types of speech. However, at least two-thirds of students of all ideological stripes favor colleges restricting slurs and other language on campus that is intentionally offensive to certain groups.

Yes, colleges should be able to restrict type of speech on campus.

Expressing political views that are upsetting or offensive to certain groups

• Very liberal: 41%
• Liberal: 23%
• Very conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 8%

Using slurs and other language on campus that is intentionally offensive to certain groups

• Very liberal: 95%
• Liberal: 83%
• Very conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 68%

Wearing costumes that stereotype certain racial or ethnic groups

• Very liberal: 85%
• Liberal: 66%
• Very conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 42%

Opinion of your school on policies adopted that are designed to discourage speech and behavior that could be seen as offensive or insensitive toward certain groups of people

Gone too far

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 28%
• Liberal: 7%
• Very liberal: 2%

Been about right

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 39%*
• Liberal: 49%
• Very liberal: 40%*

Not gone far enough

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 5%
• Liberal: 19%
• Very liberal: 41%

* Differences are not statistically significant.

Pomona students of differing political ideologies also hold divergent views about the policies that Pomona College has adopted to discourage offensive speech on campus. While 41% of very liberal students believe Pomona’s policies have not gone far enough, 28% of moderate and conservative students believe that the college has gone too far to discourage offensive behavior.

Meanwhile, 49% of liberal students believe the college’s policies have been about right, compared with about four in 10 very liberal and moderate/conservative students.

Very liberal and liberal Pomona students express substantially more comfort discussing their political views with students and professors at Pomona and other Claremont colleges than do moderate and conservative students.

The comfort level gap between very liberal and moderate/conservative students is widest in the context of discussions with other students at Pomona. Very liberal Pomona students are more than four times as likely as moderate and conservative students to agree or strongly agree that they feel comfortable expressing their political views with other students at Pomona.

Perceptions About Speech on Campus (% Agree/Strongly agree)

I feel comfortable expressing my political views with my professors at other Claremont Colleges

• Very liberal: 61%
• Liberal: 54%
• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 37%

I feel comfortable expressing my political views with students at other Claremont Colleges

• Very liberal: 67%
• Liberal: 55%
• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 23%

I feel comfortable expressing my political views with my professors at Pomona College

• Very liberal: 72%
• Liberal: 68%
• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 35%

I feel comfortable expressing my political views with other students at Pomona College

• Very liberal: 85%
• Liberal: 66%
• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 21%

Attitudes by Student Race

Attitudes about speech on Pomona’s campus also differ by student race. On average, white students are 23 percentage points more likely to say that it is more important for colleges to allow all types of speech and viewpoints.

More important for colleges to prohibit certain speech or expression of viewpoints

• White: 36%
• Black: 63%
• Asian: 59%
• Hispanic: 55%

More important for colleges to allow all types of speech and viewpoints

• White: 64%
• Black: 38%*
• Asian: 41%*
• Hispanic: 45%

* Differences are not statistically significant.

About six in 10 black, Asian and Hispanic students believe it’s more important for colleges to prohibit certain types of speech on campus, compared with only about a third of white students.

For each of the specific types of speech, white students are the least likely to favor restricting speech. However, majorities of students of all races favor restricting costumes that stereotype certain groups and slurs that are intentionally offensive to certain groups.

Yes, colleges should be able to restrict type of speech on campus.

Expressing political views that are upsetting or offensive to certain groups

• White: 17%
• Black: 32%*
• Asian: 29%*
• Hispanic: 31%*

Using slurs and other language on campus that is intentionally offensive to certain groups

• White: 78%
• Black: 89%
• Asian: 86%*
• Hispanic: 84%*

Wearing costumes that stereotype certain racial or ethnic groups

• White: 61%*
• Black: 83%
• Asian: 62%*
• Hispanic: 72%

* Differences are not statistically significant.

A third or more of black (39%) and Hispanic (33%) students believe that Pomona’s policies to discourage offensive speech have not gone far enough. Meanwhile, white students are more than five times more likely than black students to say Pomona’s policies to discourage offensive speech have gone too far.

Opinion of your school on policies adopted that are designed to discourage speech and behavior that could be seen as offensive or insensitive toward certain groups of people

Attitudes by Student Gender

Among Pomona students, men and women express divergent views about speech on campus. While 59% of women believe it is more important for colleges to prohibit certain speech, only 37% of men concur.

Additionally, women are more likely to favor restrictions on specific types of speech and behavior on campus, though relatively few men or women favor restricting political views.

More important for colleges to prohibit certain speech or expression of viewpoints

• Men: 37%
• Women: 59%

More important for colleges to allow all types of speech and viewpoints

• Men: 63%
• Women: 41%

Should colleges be able to establish policies that restrict type of speech on campus? (% Yes, colleges should be able to restrict)

Expressing political views that are upsetting or offensive to certain groups

• Men: 21%
• Women: 27%

Using slurs and other language on campus that is intentionally offensive to certain groups

• Men: 75%
• Women: 89%

Wearing costumes that stereotype certain racial or ethnic groups

• Men: 53%
• Women: 75%

Among Pomona students, men are over three times more likely to believe that Pomona’s policies to discourage offensive speech on campus have gone too far. Alternatively, a quarter of women say that these policies have not gone far enough.

Opinion of your school on policies adopted that are designed to discourage speech and behavior that could be seen as offensive or insensitive toward certain groups of people

Overall Student and Faculty Results

Eighty-eight percent of Pomona students strongly agree or somewhat agree that the climate on campus prevents students from saying things they believe because others might find them offensive — over 1.6 times higher than college students nationally and 1.4 times higher than Pomona faculty.

The climate on my campus prevents students/faculty from saying things they believe because others might find them offensive (% Strongly agree/Somewhat agree)

• Pomona College students: 88%
• Pomona faculty: 63%
• Gallup-Knight Foundation Study: 54%

Moreover, while 53% of college students nationally agree or strongly agree that they feel comfortable sharing ideas/opinions in class that are probably held by a minority of people, only 27% of Pomona students say the same. In fact, 42% of Pomona students strongly disagree or disagree with this statement.

I feel very comfortable sharing ideas or opinions in class that are probably only held by a minority of people.

Few Pomona students express confidence in responding to discrimination on campus. Only 38% strongly agree or agree that they are confident that Pomona would do what is right if they raised an issue about discrimination on campus. By comparison, 61% of college students nationally and nearly half of Pomona faculty say the same.

If I raised an issue about discrimination on campus, I am confident Pomona College would do what is right. (% Strongly agree/Agree)

• Pomona College students: 38%
• Pomona faculty: 47%
• Strada-Gallup survey: 61%

These opinions likely reflect broader opinions about the racial climate on Pomona’s campus. Half of Pomona’s students say the racial climate on campus is “good.” However, only 9% say it is “excellent,” and 40% of Pomona students rate the racial climate on campus as either “only fair” or “poor.”

By comparison, 26% of college students nationally rate the racial climate on their campus as “excellent,” and another quarter rate it as either “only fair” or “poor.” The opinions of Pomona faculty, however, largely mirror those of Pomona students with only 6% rating the racial climate as “excellent.”

How would you rate the overall racial climate on your collegeʼs campus?

Pomona students were also asked to identify their comfort level when having conversations with people whose views differ from their own in various contexts.

For example, less than a quarter of Pomona students say they are comfortable or very comfortable having these conversations on social media — the lowest level of comfort. Meanwhile, about half of students express some level of comfort having these kinds of conversations in their classes and residence halls.

How comfortable do you feel having conversations with people whose views differ from your own in the following locations?

On social media, i.e., Facebook©, Twitter©, or Instagram©

• Very comfortable: 8%
• Comfortable: 16%

In your Pomona-funded/Pomona-affiliated job or internship

• Very comfortable: 16%
• Comfortable: 25%

In your interactions with other students in the residence halls

• Very comfortable: 16%
• Comfortable: 32%

In your classes at Pomona College

• Very comfortable: 15%
• Comfortable: 35%

As part of your social activities with other 5C/7C students

• Very comfortable: 18%
• Comfortable: 32%

During a study-abroad experience

• Very comfortable: 26%
• Comfortable: 25%

In your social activities with other Pomona students

• Very comfortable: 17%
• Comfortable: 35%

In your sponsor groups

• Very comfortable: 23%
• Comfortable: 31%

In an athletic team that you are a member of

• Very comfortable: 40%
• Comfortable: 24%

Attitudes by Student Political Ideology

As with attitudes about speech on campus, Pomona students’ perceptions of the climate on campus diverge along ideological lines. Three-quarters of moderate and conservative students strongly agree that the climate on campus prevents some people from saying things they believe because others might find them offensive — nearly 2.5 times higher than very liberal students.

The climate on my campus prevents some people from saying things they believe because others might find them offensive.

Strongly agree

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 76%
• Liberal: 43%
• Very liberal: 31%

Somewhat agree

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 18%
• Liberal: 45%
• Very liberal: 49%

Total agree

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 95%
• Liberal: 88%
• Very liberal: 80%

The vast majority of students of all political leanings — including 80% of very liberal students — strongly agree or somewhat agree that the campus climate stifles some speech out of fear of offending others.

Pomona students of differing political ideologies also hold different views about whether the college is a good place or not for minority students. Moderate and conservative students are more likely than very liberal students to report that Pomona is a good place for racial/ethnic minority students.

Similarly, very liberal students are also less likely than liberal and moderate and conservative students to report that Pomona is a good place for religious minority students.

Is Pomona College a good place or not a good place for:

Racial/Ethnic minority students

Good place

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 82%
• Liberal: 71%
• Very liberal: 57%

Not a good place

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 5%
• Liberal: 10%
• Very liberal: 19%

LGBT students

Good place

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 82%
• Liberal: 74%
• Very liberal: 64%

Not a good place

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 2%
• Liberal: 4%
• Very liberal: 14%

Religious minority students

Good place

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 61%
• Liberal: 53%
• Very liberal: 48%

Not a good place

• Very conservative, conservative, moderate (mostly moderate): 17%
• Liberal: 9%
• Very liberal: 13%

Attitudes by Student Race

Among Pomona students, black and Hispanic students are less likely than white and Asian students to say the racial climate on campus is excellent or good. Forty-three percent of black students and half of Hispanic students rate the racial climate on campus as excellent or good. By comparison, almost two-thirds of white and Asian students rate the racial climate on campus as excellent or good.

How would you rate the overall racial climate on your college’s campus?

* Differences are not statistically significant.

Black Pomona students are particularly unlikely to express confidence in the college’s response to issues of discrimination on campus. Only 19% of black students agree or strongly agree that Pomona would do what is right if they raised an issue of discrimination on campus. About four in 10 white, Asian and Hispanic students, though, do express that confidence in the college’s response in such situations.

Similarly, the 30% of black Pomona students who say the college is not a good place for racial and ethnic minority students is over seven times higher than white students who say the same. Almost two in 10 Hispanic students also say Pomona is not a good place for these types of students.

Is Pomona College a good place or a not good place for students who are members of racial and ethnic minorities?

If I raised an issue about discrimination on campus, I am confident Pomona College would do what is right.

* Differences are not statistically significant.

Results for the Pomona College student and faculty study are based on web surveys conducted Jan. 17-Feb. 8, 2018, with a sample of 592 Pomona College undergraduate students and 173 Pomona College faculty. Pomona College provided a total of 1,666 college student email addresses and 326 faculty email addresses.

Gallup-Knight Foundation Study

Results are based on telephone interviews conducted Feb. 29-March 15, 2016, with a random sample of 3,072 U.S. college students, aged 18 to 24, who are currently enrolled full time at four-year institutions. The college sample consists of a random subset of full-time students at 32 randomly selected U.S. four-year colleges that were stratified based on region, enrollment size and private versus public control. For results based on the total sample of college students, the margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
 

Strada-Gallup Survey

Results for this Strada-Gallup Student Survey are based on web-based surveys conducted March 21-May 8, 2017, as part of the Strada-Gallup survey of currently enrolled college students. Gallup randomly selected colleges and universities to participate in the study from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Colleges and universities were eligible for selection if they were degree-granting institutions awarding four-year degrees and if they were private not-for-profit and public colleges and universities. Forty-three universities participated in the study and provided Gallup email addresses for a random sample of all students enrolled either part or full time at their institution. Gallup sent an email invitation and a series of reminders to students to encourage participation.

The data are weighted to correct for unequal selection probability and nonresponse. The data are weighted to match institution characteristics by enrollment size, census region and institution control. Institution weighting targets are based on the most recent IPEDS database.

For results based on the total sample of 32,585 currently enrolled college students, the margin of sampling error is ±0.8 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.

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