The Importance of Student Cross-Racial Interactions as Part of College Education: Perceptions of Faculty

In light of Supreme Court decisions limiting diversity-related admissions processes, a growing body of research has been conducted to ascertain academic benefits that come from cross-racial interactions (CRIs) that can occur only when there is diversity in the student body. The majority of this research has focused on student CRIs that occur outside of the classroom. Few studies have focused on classroom CRIs. The current study sought to understand how faculty on a campus designated as a Hispanic-serving institution perceive CRIs in their classes. Five focus groups were conducted on a campus, which houses both a community college and a university. Four concepts emerged from these faculty conversations. Faculty spoke about the value of CRIs as well as challenges regarding CRIs in the classroom. They also spoke of their level of responsibility for fostering CRIs and explained that what is perceived as diverse depends on previous faculty experiences on other campuses in other regions of the country. These findings suggest that institutions need to consider faculty perceptions and concerns to foster a positive campus climate to support the full potential of student diversity.