African American and Hispanic Student Engagement at Minority Serving and Predominantly White Institutions

Journal of College Student Development, Jan/Feb 2007 by Laird, Thomas F Nelson, Bridges, Brian K, Morelon-Quainoo, Carla L, Williams, Julie M, Holmes, Michelle Salinas

Although scholars have examined historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in terms of their educational effectiveness for African American students compared to predominantly white institutions (PWIs), there is a lack of similar research on Hispanic students at Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) and PWIs. This study uses data from the 2003 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to investigate whether HSIs appear to serve Hispanic students in similar ways that HBCUs serve African American students. The results suggest that the average Hispanic senior at an HSI looks quite similar to the average Hispanic senior at a PWI in terms of engagement, satisfaction with college, and gains in overall development, in contrast to the results for African American seniors who are more engaged at HBCUs than PWIs.

Scholars have illustrated through various studies that the time and energy college students devote to educationally purposeful activities is the greatest predictor of their cognitive and personal development (Astin, 1993; Pace, 1980; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991, 2005). Although students themselves largely control their levels of this kind of engagement, institutional culture, climate, and practices play a role in determining how and how much students get engaged. In particular, students are more actively engaged in their education, and consequently gain more from their experiences, when they are at institutions that they perceive as inclusive and affirming and where performance expectations are clearly communicated and set at reasonably high levels (Chickering & Reisser, 1993; Education Commission of the States, 1995; Hurtado, Milem, clayton-Pedersen, & Alien, 1999; Kuh, 2001; Kuh, Schuh, Whitt & Associates, 1991; Pascarella, 2001; :Pascarella &Terenzini, 1991, 2005). At predominantly white institutions (PWIs), underrepresented groups on campus, including African American and Hispanic undergraduates, often encounter impediments to their engagement, such as a negative racial/ethnic campus climate (Hurtado et al., 1999). Consequently, institutions that purport to specifically serve, support, and affirm edinic groups, such as African Americans and Hispanics, often seek to more fully engage those students in educationally appropriate tasks and behaviors.

Several strands of research have documented how students benefit differentially depending on the type of institution they attend. For example, research has suggested that attending a historically Black college or university (HBCU) contributes significantly to student outcomes for African American students (Flowers, 2002; Outcalt & Skewes-Cox, 2002). However, similar research for Hispanic students attending Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) is practically non-existent and much needed given the continuously growing population of Hispanic students and the increasing number of institutions that gain HSI designation annually as a result of this demographic trend.

Notwithstanding Hispanics being the fastest growing segment of the college-going population, inquiry into the Hispanic student experience has not maintained a proportional pace. Researchers have investigated the Hispanic student experience, but none of their studies have concentrated on the learning environments of institutions the federal government has specifically designated as serving this population (Garcia, 2001; Hurtado & Carter, 1997; Hurtado, Carter, & Spuler, 1996; Rendon, 1994; Torres, 2003).

For this study, we use data from the 2003 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to explore differences in the educational experiences of Hispanic students at HSIs and PWIs while providing a contrasting picture of African American students at HBCUs and PWIs. More specifically, we are interested in understanding how students' engagement in effective educational practices, their satisfaction with college, and their perception of their personal and intellectual development during college differ for Hispanics and African Americans across institutional contexts. This paper provides a unique contribution to the existing literature by comparing Hispanic student experiences at HSIs and PWIs and adds to the research comparing the experiences of African American students at HBCUs and PWIs. Further, by comparing the results for Hispanic and African American students, we raise important questions about the differences between the environments at HBCUs and HSIs and suggest important next steps in studying minority-serving institutions.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Hispanic and African American Student Engagement

The connection between student engagement-both inside and outside the classroom-and collegiate success is extensive and addresses a wide range of outcomes, such as cognitive development (Anaya, 1996; Kuh, 1995), moral and ethical development (Jones & Watt, 1999; Liddell & Davis, 1996), and persistence (Berger & Milem, 1999; Braxton, Milem, & Sullivan, 2000; Tinto, 1993). Much of this evidence appropriately accounts for students' race or ethnicity, which leads to the conclusion that students from all racial/ethnic backgrounds benefit from engagement in practices such as interacting with faculty and active learning. However, inquiries also have suggested that minority students at PWIs encounter challenges and impediments, such as a "chilly" campus environment and strong familial obligations, to engaging in these practices at levels that produce meaningful learning and development (Alien, 1985; Feagin, Vera, & Imani, 1996; Hernandez, 2000; Pierce, 1989; Turner, 1994). Socioeconomic status (SES) for minority students, particularly the SES of their residential area and school, appears to have an especially powerful impact on their ability to succeed academically (Sirin, 2005). These impediments can lead to disengagement and diminished collegiate success measured in several ways. For example, Hispanic and African American students are less likely to pursue and complete a baccalaureate degree in comparison to White and Asian students (Benitez, 1998; Miller & Garcia, 2004; O'Brien & Zudak, 1998).