Attachment A
Faculty Senate Agenda
November 15, 2001

MEMO

To:        The General Education Committee
             California State University, Sacramento

From:    Professors Otis Scott and Linda Palmer

Date:     October 20,2001

Subject:    Assessment of General Education Race and Ethnicity in America Requirement

Last spring, the General Education Committee conducted an assessment of the Race and Ethnicity in America requirement in the General Education program. The General Education Committee administered a survey to students in 82 sections of 26 courses in 11 departments, including History, English, Criminal Justice, Kinesiology, Social Work, and Women's Studies. The response rate was a high 84.5%. Approximately 2,350 graduate and undergraduate students responded to the survey. Sixty-four percent of the respondents were female, 77% were upper division students, and 5% were international students. Forty-five percent of responding students identified as Caucasian/White, 14% as Mexican-American or Other Hispanic, 14% as Southeast Asian or Other Asian, 8% as African American/Black, 6% as Pacific Islander/Filipino, 1% as American Indian, and 6% as "other." An additional 6% declined to state.

Responses were very positive to each of the twenty-two Likert-type items focusing on learning outcomes for this General Education category. Approximately eighty per cent of students registered "strongly agree" an "agree" to each questionnaire item when asked whether or not their course met the learning expectations identified in the GE criteria for this category. For instance, 83% "strongly agreed" or "agreed" that the course included analysis of ethnicity, and 85% "strongly agreed" or "agreed" that the course included analysis of racism. Eighty-four percent "strongly agreed" or "agreed" that they had analyzed concepts of how ethnicity, ethnocentricism and racism shape ethnic experiences in the U.S. A high 88% "strongly agreed" or "agreed" that the course had included study of at least two ethnic/racial minority groups. When asked if the course had covered and given a better understanding of the concept of "ethnocentricism," fewer students but still a high 73% "strongly agreed" or "agreed." The statement with the greatest variation in responses was the following: "The content of my general education course meeting the Race and Ethnicity requirement provided me with information, knowledge and understanding of the experiences of the following groups [with specific ethnic groups listed]": The percentage of students responding "strongly agree" or "agree" varied considerably depending on the group listed: African Americans-85%; American Indians-71%; Asian Americans-67%; Mexican Americans-68%, and Other ethnic groups-59%. With the exception of this item, however, all items received very high ("strongly agree" or "agree") responses, approximating 80% across all items in the objective portion of the survey.

The survey concluded with an open-ended statement asking for students' written response to the course taken to meet the GE Race and Ethnicity requirement. Written remarks were clearly in alignment with the positive Likert responses. More specifically, a high number of responses in every class surveyed were very positive. The prompt for the written response was the following: "One of the strategic goals of the University addresses our commitment to providing a curriculum which encourages students to develop an appreciation and understanding of a society whose diversity offers both rewards and challenges. Please comment on the extent to which this course has been helpful towards achieving this goal." There were a few negative responses, like "I think this class is waisting (sic) my time" and "I don't think the curriculum within the class should be qualified as a race and ethnicity fulfillment." A few students said they had "learned all this before" and "did not receive many new insights." But these comments, again, appeared only occasionally and in every course were far outnumbered by positive comments. The one concern that appeared in both the objective and open-ended sections of the survey was that ethnic groups other than African-American received less attention in their course. Several students mentioned getting a "better understanding of African-American" experiences, contributions and challenges; fewer students cited other specific groups and several mentioned that they had received "only a little" instruction on other ethnic groups. Observations about lack of coverage of some groups did form a small pattern, "small" because the great majority of the students praised the class in general and, more particularly, what they had learned about race and an ethnicity in America.

Students commented that their course was "challenging because different, but very exciting," that the course "allowed [them] to step out of my known world and see from another perspective," that it "allowed [them] to grasp the hurdles faced by under represented people," that it "has given [them] greater respect for others," that it "taught [them] about living and working in a diverse society," that the course "celebrated difference and encouraged acceptance." Students in ethnic minority groups in the courses noted that their course had "helped [them] get in touch with my [their] own ethnicity." One student noted that the course "did a good job of representing [her] ethnic group and others." Very positive comments like "I gained a better understanding of our country's diversity," and "I now have a greater respect for others," and "I gained insight into the history of minority groups in America which has given me a new sensitivity to the issues of these groups" represent a very significant majority of comments from students in all courses surveyed.

In conclusion, and based on the data collected, the overwhelming majority of the more than two thousand students surveyed believe that their course met the learning goals identified for courses meeting the Race and Ethnicity in American Society category in the General Education Program.