GUSA Student Commission for Unity
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Georgetown Universitys Student Commission for Unity Final Report and Recommendations An innovative student-led, institutionally approved research project investigating undergraduate student perceptions of discrimination, segregation and institutional resources at Georgetown University. January 2009 Student Commission for Unity Attributions and Acknowledgements The Student Commission for Unity would like to thank the following offices and groups for their financial support, making this effort possible: The Office of the President The Georgetown University Student Association The Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Affirmative Action Campus Ministry The Diversity Action Council The Office of Student Affairs The Center for Social Justice We would also like to thank the following people and groups for their support: Dr. Michael McGuire and the Office of Planning and Institutional Research Rosemary Kilkenny, Esq. and the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Affirmative Action Dr. Dan Porterfield and the Office of Public Affairs and Strategic Development Dr. Todd Olson and the Office of Student Affairs Associate Provost Marjory Blumenthal and the Office of the Provost Erika Cohen Derr and the Center for Student Programs Professor Dennis Williams and the Center for Multicultural Equity and Access Dr. Deanna Cooke and the Center for Social Justice Dr. Barbara Craig and the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship The Womens Center The Office of Student Financial Services The Office of Admissions Gervase Programs We would also like to honor the memory of our friends Terrance Davis (COL 10) and Jenny Faenza (COL 11) who have been such blessings in our lives. The Student Commission for Unity can be contacted at: [email protected] www.SCUnity.org 2 Student Commission for Unity Authors Georgetown Universitys Student Commission for Unity The Student Commission for Unity was primarily developed, written and researched by: Brian Kesten Chairman and Principal Investigator Brian Cook Vice Chairman and Co-Investigator Simone Dyson Executive Director Marketing Ross Anderson - Religion Andrea Bischoff Gender/Sexual Orientation Elisabeth Ferland School Benjamin McAfee Executive Board Member Katie Noble Class Year Ivan Plis Religion Ashish Pradhan Race Kenneth Woods Gender/Sexual Orientation Scott Steadman Executive Board Member Class and School Laura Andersen - SFS 2010 Science, Technology and International Affairs Elisabeth Ferland SFS 2011 Science, Technology and International Affairs Max Hsu - College 2010 Psychology Jeffrey Lawrence - College 2010 Sociology Meredith Manning - SFS 2010 Regional and Comparative Studies Katherine Noble - MSB 2009 Marketing & Management of Human Resources Stephanie Hartmann SFS 2009 International Economics Education Background Ethel Amponsah NHS 2011 International Health Alessandra Brown MSB 2009 International Business and Marketing Carolyn Chambers College 2011 History David Dietz - College 2010 Arabic, Political Science Marco Gomez - MSB 2012 International Business and Finance 3 Student Commission for Unity Authors Gender and Sexual Orientation Andrea Bischoff - SFS 2010 International Politics Stephanie Frenel - SFS 2012 International Politics Rehana Mohammed - SFS 2012 Sean Suber-College 2011 History Kenneth Woods - College 2009 Anthropology Race Daniel Alexander - MSB 2011 Management/Finance Anthony deWolfe-2011 Government and French Joseph Gavronsky College 2009 Philosophy Jooyong Daniel Park - College 2012 Government Ashish Pradhan College 2009 Government and English Sara Prendergast - SFS 2012 Culture and Politics Holly Tao - College 2012 Chemistry Religion Ross Anderson - College 2011 Philosophy/Theology Leslie Applegate- College 2011 Chemistry Emily Durfee - SFS 2011 Culture and Politics Edward Hill - SFS 2011 International Politics Eirene O'Connor - College 2012 Spanish Ivan Plis - SFS 2012 Regional/Comparative Studies Radha Subramaniam SFS 2012 International Politics 4 Student Commission for Unity Table of Contents Georgetown Universitys Student Commission for Unity Contents: Georgetown University Mission Statement .6 Introduction ...7 Research Methods ..10 Full Survey Data .11 Demographic Research Studies Class and School ...49 Education Background ..101 Gender and Sexual Orientation 149 Race ..204 Religion 255 Final Critical Analysis ..298 Major Recommendations and Initiatives ..326 Research Resources ..335 Survey Instrument .335 Eight Week Research Plan 340 Best Practices Spreadsheet 347 5 Student Commission for Unity Mission Statement University Mission Statement Georgetown is a Catholic and Jesuit, student-centered research university. Established in 1789 in the spirit of the new republic, the University was founded on the principle that serious and sustained discourse among people of different faiths, cultures, and beliefs promotes intellectual, ethical, and spiritual understanding. We embody this principle in the diversity of our students, faculty, and staff, our commitment to justice and the common good, our intellectual openness, and our international character. An academic community dedicated to creating and communicating knowledge, Georgetown provides excellent undergraduate, graduate, and professional education in the Jesuit tradition for the glory of God and the well-being of humankind. Georgetown educates women and men to be reflective lifelong learners, to be responsible and active participants in civic life, and to live generously in service to others. 6 Student Commission for Unity Introduction Introduction The Student Commission for Unity was founded as a manifestation of Contemplation in Action at work. Our research and advocacy is not merely an academic or professional exercise for undergraduate students. Instead, we endeavor earnestly to confront a society that allows the hungry to go unfed, the homeless to go without a place to rest, the poor to go uneducated, the victim to go without justice, and the alien to become marginalized. Our research has been an opportunity for students to develop a deeper understanding of social problems in our immediate communities, truly preparing undergraduates to go into the world and engage the service of social reconstruction, social justice, education, philanthropy, community service, ministry, law enforcement, politics, or any enterprise unique to Georgetowns pioneering graduates that enter the world living generously for others. 7 We have never restricted ourselves to a limited vision of our world, as it exists within Healy Gates. The Student Commission for Unity was founded for the work of social justice, to instigate the grander fulfillment of our Jesuit Ideals, upon which a just society ought to abide. Our vision for Georgetown is one that actively pursues our Jesuit Ideals with all deliberate speed. In spite of societal injustice abounding throughout America and institutional barriers residing in higher education, which are heeded but unchallenged, the Student Commission for Unity hopes in the untapped potential of a humanity that deliberately seeks the good of our neighbor before the luxury of the self. Our research is our testament, our recommendations are the vehicle of transformation. The following work has been done as an offering for social justice and for the betterment of humanity, which Georgetown can accomplish by embedding knowledge and understanding in the consciousnesses of every student who passes through Healy Gates. 8 Within the scope of our research, campus conceptions of class and school, education background, gender and sexual orientation, race and religion are explored in the following pages. This unprecedented student-led exploration of demographic perspectives enabled our researchers to understand in depth the problems and communities at risk at Georgetown, including but not limited to minority communities vulnerable to discrimination and marginalization, as well as majority and privileged communities who risk being complicit it the perpetuation of social inequality. With this project, we hope not only to enhance community dialogue, but also to usher in an era of advocacy on behalf of the voiceless, and provide a space for growth for all students in our community. Together we strive towards a collective humanity that embodies a peaceful Community in Diversity of Women and Men for Others. 9 Student Commission for Unity SCU: Research Methods Research Methods The Student Commission for Unity received Institutional Review Board approval status in March of 2008 and administered a forty-two (42) question survey on April 1st, 2008 through SurveyMonkey.com. 1,339 of the 1,517 students who began our survey online completed the full survey. Our survey was developed from October 2007 until it was submitted to the Institutional Review Board in February of 2008. In addition to consulting with over thirty students and forty faculty, staff and administrators, our nine member Executive Board was chiefly responsible for developing the survey. To analyze the data, we double verified SPSS cross tabulations against SurveyMonkey.com filters that were manually entered into Excel spreadsheets. We openly recruited Georgetown University undergraduate students, organizing five research teams to conduct interviews, analyze best practices and study responses to our survey. Those research teams are: - Class and School - Education Background - Gender and Sexual Orientation - Race - Religion The full demographic breakdown of the students completing our survey can be found in the