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CAMPUSWIDE DIVERSITY FOCUS GROUPS: FINDINGS TO DATE

Groups have been conducted among students, faculty, staff and administration.

 

Focus Group Data:

 

 

 

 

 

Question

Response

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background on what

Group I

Group II

brings use to this

·        Work place

·        Many diverse ethnic groups

discussion (URI history)

·        Education / curriculum revision

·        Need to connect

 

·        to be more culturally inclusive

·        Promote open mindedness

 

·        More culturally aware attitude

·        Group activities / interactivity in class

 

·        Tension

·        More proactive international office and

 

·        Greater opportunity

      more guidance / representatives

 

·        Shift in media focus

·        Don’t focus on creating tons of different

 

·        Inter racial environment

      societies; it will lead to segregation

 

·        Forced acceptance / awareness

·        Don’t try to be too "politically correct"

 

 

·        Focus on commonalities

 

 

·        Promote one group; emphasize "student"

 

 

      status

 

 

·        Minorities grow so much, why call "minority"?

 

 

·        Gradual change; some good or bad

 

 

·        Need to have more understanding of other

 

 

      countries / cultures

 

 

·        Change in relationships between groups

 

 

·        (power ?)

 

 

·        Increased sensitivity after defining "ethnic"

 

 

      differences

 

 

 

Focus Group Data:

 

 

 

 

 

Question

Response

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exploration of personal

Group I

Group II

feelings about diversity

·        Opening up of cultures

·        Various cultural backgrounds get along

at URI (anecdotal)

·        Willingness to share, teach, learn

·        Respect individual

 

·        Accepting / understanding of

·        Absence of ethnocentrism

 

     differences

·        Absence of prejudice

 

 

·        Absence of arrogance

 

 

·        Many cultures

 

 

·        Common sense / humanity

 

 

·        Education, multicultural knowledge,

 

 

      awareness

 

 

·        Religious diversity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Focus Group Data:

 

 

 

 

Question

 

Response

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Understanding of the

Causes

 

 

causes and effects of

Group I

Group II

Group III

prejudice in America

·        Believing what one grew up

·        Dress and appearance

·        Ignorance

(a)

      with is the right way

·        Lack of education

·        Fear

 

·        Beliefs developed through

·        Language differences

·        Lack of understanding

 

      experiences

·        Limited and bad media

·        Latent social patterns

 

·        Lack of self confidence

·        Being human

·        "Heredity" - upbringing

 

·        Segregated groups and

·        Fear

·        Mis-education

 

      activities

·        Mannerisms

·        Early (school) education

 

·        Lack of education and

·        Previous experience

·        Teachers' lack of diversity

 

      exposure

 

training

 

·        Lack of desire to learn

 

·        Lack of desire

 

 

 

·        Isolation

 

 

 

·        Religion

 

 

 

·        Assumption "them" versus "us"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Question

 

Response

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Understanding of the

Effects

 

 

causes and effects of

Group I

Group II