Does Socioeconomic Diversity Make a Difference? Examining the Effects of Racial and Socioeconomic Diversity on the Campus Climate for Diversity

Abstract

This article considers whether the socioeconomic diversity of the undergraduate student body and experiences with cross-class interaction (CCI) are significantly related to cross-racial interaction (CRI) and engagement with curricular/co-curricular diversity (CCD) activities. Individual students who reported higher levels of CCI had significantly higher levels of CRI and CCD. While the socioeconomic diversity of the student body had no direct effect on student involvement in CCD activities or CRI, it had an indirect effect on these activities via CCI. In other words, a socioeconomically diverse institution is associated with more frequent interactions across class lines, which is associated both with more frequent interactions across race and JULIE J. PARK is an assistant professor in the greater involvement in CCD activities. Findings indicate that both socioeconomic and racial diversity are essential to promoting a positive campus racial climate and that racial and socioeconomic diversity, while interrelated, are not interchangeable. Implications for the campus climate for diversity are discussed.

Interracial Friendship and Structural Diversity: Trends for Greek, Religious, and Ethnic Student Organizations

“…When such subcultures are overridingly majority White environments (Park, in press), the likely result is less engagement with the existing diversity of the institution, and fewer opportunities for interracial friendship overall. Because Greek life is often the domain of students who are both White and wealthy, the pervasiveness of Greek life on less structurally diverse campuses may be a barrier to equal status between students, one of the key pre-conditions for healthy intergroup conduct (Park, Denson, & Bowman, 2013). Thus, our findings point to the need for educators to examine further the role of Greek life at their institutions and to consider how Greek life, in tandem with low levels of structural diversity, may be particularly detrimental to a campus racial climate.…”

A Belief-Based Theory of Homophily

“…By emphasizing predictability and strategic uncertainty, our model can shed light on why preferences for interacting with other groups are often situational. For example, homophily on the basis of race is reduced substantially when individuals are similar on some other dimension, such as socioeconomic status (Park et al, 2013). This can also help understand the strong use of distinguishing characteristics, even those that are negatively valued (Ashford and Mael, 1989).…”

A belief-based theory of homophily

“…By emphasizing predictability and strategic uncertainty, our model can shed light on why preferences for interacting with other groups are often situational. For example, homophily on the basis of race is reduced substantially when individuals are similar on some other dimension, such as socioeconomic status (Park et al, 2013). This can also help understand the strong use of distinguishing characteristics, even those that are negatively valued (Ashford and Mael, 1989).…”