Harper, et al. 2004

This article explained different experiences of males and females at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). The authors argue that such a study is needed because HBCUs are different from Predominantly White Institutions (PWI). The authors are not saying that the institutions are better or worse than the other, mostly because there are not that many cross-reference studies, but they are patently different. They utilize the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) data which we heard more about from Dr. Kuh himself during the Pullias lecture. I wonder if the NSSE data in 2004 was as credible as it is today. The researchers studied the responses of freshmen and seniors, but since many African American males do not graduate, I wonder if that is taken into consideration in the analysis of senior responses. The researchers already make adjustments for the higher number of female responses overall.

The study finds that African American women at HBCUs have increased their level of student social engagement comparably to males. The study ties greater engagement to better overall college experience. Female students also work harder than males in class. Male students still interact more with faculty than females. The authors still wonder why so many African American males still drop out even with such high interaction rates. These rates could be due studying less than their female counterparts. I wonder if this is a tendency across cultures, and not just limited to African Americans.

The study also noted that African American women were "more likely to aspire to lower-prestige careers in the "female sector" of the job market. I understand that since most jobs started out as purely male, then it was socially more viable for women to enter the nurturing female careers. There is still a negative stigma attached to female careers, as if they were less valued by the general population. If more males entered the "female sector" would that increase its credibility? Would these studies worry as much about why women and men are drawn to certain careers? As a feminist, I value women in whatever career they choose, whether it be in traditionally male or female settings. The point is to value the types of jobs equally so that the people that occupy them are equally looked up to as well. But I digress. Student engagement seems to have a correlation to student success, specifically in HBCUs.