African Americans & Institution Type

     This study examined the role of institution type in African American students’ experiences in college.  Students attending historically black colleges and universities (HBCU’s) reported significantly greater levels of good practices in and out of the classroom with faculty and peers than did their counterparts at both research and regional institutions.  The key question in this study was: To what extent, if any, does institutional type affect African American students’ experiences of good practices in higher education.  The advantage for students at HBCU’s compared to their peers in regional institutions lies in greater effort and emphasis in educational pursuits and greater levels of peer interaction both in and out of the classroom.  Students at HBCU’s, when compared to their peers in regional and research institutions were advantaged in terms of institutional scholarly and intellectual emphasis.  Compared to their peers at liberal arts institutions, students attending HBCU’s experience good practices at similar levels.  Good practice advantages for African American students at HBCU’s included quality of non-classroom interactions with faculty, faculty interest in teaching and student development,  instructor feedback to students, scholarly and intellectual emphasis, and quality of interaction with other students.  Some of the advantages experienced by students at HBCU’s compared to students at research universities were, in part, due to the role the faculty played in creating a good learning environment.  Students at HBCU’s experienced greater student-faculty contact, received more feedback on their class performance, and reported a learning environment with a more scholarly and intellectual focus.  This study’s findings indicated that African American students at HBCU’s find their academic environment more demanding than their peers at public regional institutions.  In addition, they report more peer interaction.  HBCU’s in this study exhibited strong focus on the mission of student learning and development.  The authors argue that institutions with a focused mission that serves to create a supportive environment for student learning and development can provide undergraduate African American students with learning experiences grounded in good practice. 

 

Seifert, T. A., Drummond, J., , & Pascarella, E. T. (2006). African-American Students' Experiences of Good Practices: A Comparison of Institutional Type. Journal of College Student Development, 47(2), 185-205.