Assessing Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs and Other Higher Education Professionals PrograMming: A Preliminary Research Study

Abstract

Higher education and student affairs professionals have a very important, active role in the lives of their students. The issues college students face are complex and higher education professionals must be properly trained to be able to address them (Franklin-Craft, 2010). Projections that by 2030 most college students in the United States will be non-White increase the responsibility of those working in higher education to truly understand the developmental issues of a diverse student body (Karkouti, 2015; Rankin & Reason, 2005; Torres, Howard-Hamilton, & Cooper, 2003).

This chapter highlights findings of a study that examined the multicultural competence of graduate students in a higher education program. Employing a snowball sampling method, completed surveys were received from 28 master and doctoral students out of 45 surveys distributed (response rate = 62%). Responses on the Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs – Preliminary 2 Scale (MCSA-P2) were also examined by race, gender, and other pertinent variables. The findings from this research indicate the need for infusing diversity into the curriculum and requiring diversity courses to increase the cultural competence of graduate students in higher education programs. The findings also support the need and call for additional research and analyses to be conducted on multicultural competence of higher education/student affairs professionals. Implications for graduate programs in higher education and reflexivity of the researcher conclude the chapter.

Citation

Baker, G.R. (2020), "Assessing Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs and Other Higher Education Professionals PrograMming: A Preliminary Research Study", Puckett, T. and Lind, N. (Ed.) Cultural Competence in Higher Education (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 28), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 83-97. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-364120200000028010