Most students at UCSD feel positive about their school environment, claims a senior student-research survey.
Fifteen upper-division sociology majors conducted the Campus Climate Assessment. Seana Doughty, a sociology major and Thurgood Marshall College senior, compiled the results.
Students were asked about their involvement in and their beliefs on the ethnic, racial and political environment at UCSD.
Of the students surveyed, 75 percent said that they “”strongly agreed”” or “”agreed”” that they felt a sense of belonging at UCSD.
Fewer students were content with the religious and ethnic climate, with 61 percent agreeing that the campus possessed an open-minded religious understanding and 59 percent saying that UCSD is a positive environment for ethnic and racial understanding.
A survey specifically addressing the overall emotional and psychological climate of UCSD has never before been conducted, according to Doughty, who compiled the statistics for an independent research project during winter quarter.
“”Other universities do it annually,”” Doughty said. “”I can only hope that in the face of all the expansion UCSD will be having in the next decade, the administration will look at the results and realize how important feedback is. Students need to be happy because it’s a critical aspect of the college experience.””
During fall 2001, sociology students in Sociology 108: Survey Research Methods telephoned UCSD students. They surveyed 164 students, representing a diverse ethnic and religious mixture.
“”The No. 1 problem … was getting in touch with students,”” Doughty said. “”People were very interested in what we were doing. They seemed very cooperative. I was pleasantly surprised.””
Many students also expressed a positive feeling of campus tolerance and understanding. Almost all students — 88 percent — believe that opportunities exist on campus to experience other cultures.
About half of all students are religiously involved, with 54 percent stating that they consider themselves religious. The most popular political party at UCSD is the Democratic Party, to which 39 percent of students belong. Also, 58 percent of students are members of a student club or organization.
Students who said that they did not feel a sense of belonging at UCSD tended to belong to underrepresented minority groups, including students who are African-American, American Indian, Mexican-American and Latino.
“”I wasn’t surprised about the findings on traditionally underrepresented minorities,”” Doughty said. “”We have such a small percentage of African-Americans, Latinos and Native Americans that I wasn’t surprised if they didn’t feel the same sense of belonging as whites or Asians.””
Some students expressed surprise at the survey’s results.
“”I’m surprised because overwhelmingly, on an individual basis, when I talk to people they don’t seem to be happy here,”” said Earl Warren College freshman Eaden Eshaghi.
Warren sophomore Scott Shapiro also doubted the results.
“”I’m somewhat surprised,”” Shapiro said. “”There’s a lot of people who like it here. But there’s no Greek housing, no college town and you’re isolated unless you have a car.””
Doughty, who worked on the project with sociology professor Akos Rona-Tas, expressed surprise as well.
“”I couldn’t believe the results because there’s this stereotype that students are really apathetic and don’t have the same unity that UCLA or Berkeley do,”” Doughty said. “”I was surprised that most people said ‘Yes, I do feel like I belong at UCSD.'””
Other students were less surprised.
“”I think anywhere you go, there’s going to be a percentage of people that aren’t happy,”” said Marshall freshman Tasha Yee. “”When people say they don’t like school, they should do something about it. I’m having a really good experience because I’m getting involved and doing things I enjoy.””
Doughty hopes the survey will be used by future UCSD administrations; she suggests that it would be easier for students to access surveys on StudentLink.
“”I think that this is a good start,”” she said. “”If the administration takes it seriously, they can start having an expanded effort.””
While some students doubted the survey’s results, most feel good about UCSD.
“”The laid-back atmosphere at UCSD allowed me to develop my personality on my own and allowed me to develop my life and political opinions as I wanted to,”” said Warren senior Brian Brook. “”As I’m about to leave UCSD, I feel really certain that I wouldn’t have gotten that at any other school.””