Issues of diversity at Oberlin have long been a source of debate and discussion. In an effort to collect actual data on students' personal experiences and perspectives surrounding these issues the Standing Committee on Pluralism and Diversity (SCOPE) is in the midst of administering a major student survey.
800 students received the 200-question survey in their mailboxes early this week. The questions deal with many aspects of student life at Oberlin, ranging from questions about experiences of discrimination or discomfort, to questions about the extent of interaction between different groups of students.
"It will tell us in a positive way what we're lacking," said Peter Dominguez, associate professor of jazz studies and double bass and co-chair of SCOPE.
Director of Institutional Research Ross Peacock said the sample of students who received surveys was a stratified random sample of the student population. A stratified sample is a technique where a population is divided into groups, and then a random sample is taken from those groups.
Peacock said he hopes to have a high rate of return on the surveys. "It is better to have a small sample and high response than a large sample and low response," he said. Survey writers are also hoping to see a strong response.
The surveys are due by Nov. 20, and results will be compiled by the beginning of the Spring semester, Peacock said.
The survey has been a major project of the SCOPE committee since last fall when they were asked by the General Faculty Council to write and administer a survey on diversity at Oberlin.
The directive came from the long range planning process that the College completed in 1997. The directive called on the College to "create a campus climate that embraces diversity and is welcoming of the contributions of all members of the campus community." Dominguez is co-chair of SCOPE. He said the process of writing the survey started with research into previous surveys done by the College. In the last 10 years different research projects have looked at retention of African-American students and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual student experiences. They also looked at audits done as part of the Multicultural Council organized by the Fred Starr administration in 1993.
The committee then looked at similar surveys completed at other universities such as the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota, Princeton and the University of Maryland.
The data collection sub-committee of SCOPE, which was headed by assistant professor of religion David Kamitsuka, then wrote a survey for the Oberlin student population.
"We wanted the survey to reflect what we have at Oberlin," Dominguez said. "It takes into account Program Houses, co-ops and other unique Oberlin things."
Dominguez said SCOPE is currently in the planning stages of a second survey for faculty and staff on similar issues.
Copyright © 1998, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 127, Number 7, October 30, 1998
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