On April 25, Liliana Madrid, Coordinator and Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Dianne Raubenheimer, Director of Research, Planning and Assessment and Rayna Maleki, ‘23, hosted a forum for the Meredith community discussing the findings from the Campus Climate Survey that was distributed in Fall 2020. The Campus Climate forum was the first time the quantitative data from the survey was presented to students.
According to the presentation, the goals for the forum were “sharing [survey] results with students, [answering] data questions and [providing] an opportunity for students to engage in efforts to continue to build an inclusive campus community.”
During the forum, the presenters discussed the results of the survey. Students reported harassment and discrimination in all areas of campus with the highest rates in on-campus housing, classrooms and Belk Dining Hall. The most common sources of harassment and discrimination were students and faculty. The most common reasons for this harassment and discrimination were racial and ethnic identity, political views and physical appearance.
When asked what ways this harassment and discrimination have been expressed, students reported the highest rates of being stared at, deliberately ignored, isolated, left out or excluded, receiving racial/ethnic profiling and derogatory remarks.
Madrid said about the forum, “Any program or event where we have the opportunity to have discussion and dialogue I see as a success…It is through the sharing of ideas, concerns and information that we can continue to collectively work on creating an environment where all members feel a sense of belonging.”
She shared that a Student Collective on DEI at Meredith will be started as a result of this information and survey. The purpose of the Student Collective is to “serve as a space for students to receive information on initiatives happening across campus by administration, faculty and staff that impact campus climate.” Students can join the Student Collective by filling out a Google Form.
Madrid also said, “This summer we will be working on the qualitative portion of the survey. The goal is to have a team code the data and identify the themes in order to share with the campus community in the fall.”
To find the recording of the Campus Climate Survey Presentation, students can log in to MyMeredith, click on “Campus Sites,” “Research, Planning and Assessment” then “Externally Administered Survey Reports” on the right-hand side to find the video and slides. The link to the presentation can also be found here.
By Freya Dahlgren, Opinion Editor