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Loyola University Chicago

School of Education

ELPS 757: Campus Climate - Navigating the Maze of Different Identities

Tiffany Sharpe, M. Ed.

Office Hours: Available by appointment, please email or make appointment after class
tsharpe@luc.edu
Summer Session II – June 5th – July 28th
* Successful completion of ELPS 432: Multiculturalism for Social Justice in Higher Education is
required to take this course.

Course Description:

This new course is designed to help me understand and explore the complexities of three
different campuses, focusing mainly on the different intersecting identities, the various
backgrounds that people have, and the systems of power and privilege that are prevalent and
contributing to overall campus climate. Over the duration of this summer course, I will be
required to research and interview students, administration, and faculty regarding the climate of
the campus. I and my small team of other graduate students will also take time to monitor any
signs of microaggressions that may occur in exploration of the different campuses we visit.

Campus climate has been thought to be effected by a multitude of events, from things that may
happen both on campus or in the surrounding community around the campus. Because of this,
my team and I will spend time investigating the surrounding area of the college, talking to locals
about the events that happen on/around campus that they may be invited to, and also what their
overall perspective of the campus is like.

Lastly, we will also be taking into account the histories of the various college campuses in the
nation to see if campus climate is a direct result of the reluctances of many historical colleges to
remain heavily rooted in their roots in terms of tradition and history. This aspect of the course
will be spent primarily in researching the university histories, archival data, and overall public
knowledge regarding the amount of prestige a university has.

Central Themes
 Diving Deeper into Intersectionality, Identities, and Systems of Oppression: One of the
first steps in any social justice journey is understanding the fundamentals. An important
fundamental to get a grasps on if one is continuing the work of social justice is that of
being able to understand the different identities that people have, as well as an
understanding on how various identities can intersect with others, thus creating multiple
levels of social identities. Students and myself in this course, however, are expected to
understand that all identities intersect to create multiple identities (i.e. I am black AND
female) and that some identities may be evident at a different time (what identity shows
up or is prominent during a given situation; one’s salient identity).
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Furthermore, we are expected to know that because of the systems at play in our society,
the concept of intersectionality needs to be understood. For example, me as a black
female would not go through the same experiences in life as a white female. Although we
share one common identity (both female), we have a major difference in terms of race,
which affords her more privilege and power than I would have. This is of course just one
example, as I and my students in this course would need to be cognizant of the many
intersecting identities that me and this other woman would each have, but also realizing
the differences between us on the macro level.

Students, and myself, are also expected to have firm understanding of how systems of
oppression operate covertly in our society. This concrete idea is essential to our research
of campus climate and will serve in helping us point out possible systems of oppression
at play. This will be important for us to be able to identify because in our further
learnings of social justice, we will no doubt come in contact with students who have been
victim to these oppressions, and we as the student affair professional will need to know
how to spot, identify, and combat these systems. This is student affairs work that will
never end; we will constantly be encountering oppressions, but the first step in getting rid
of them (with time) will be knowing how to identify and understand them.

For clarification on the depth in which I would be expected to explore this notion further,
myself and my students would be required to read “Intersectionality, Identity, and
Systems of Power and Inequality” in the book Intersectionality & Higher Education:
Theory, Research, and Praxis by Donald Mitchell, Jr. By doing a thorough reading and
comprehension of the fundamental themes this chapter outlines, I believe it can help
myself and my students understand the differences that people have. Moreover, when
exploring the different campus climates, I believe various micro and macros aggressions
will be evident; I say this from the lens of someone who was not aware of oppression in
such a way prior to beginning my studies in social justice and higher education at Loyola.
So being now “aware” of these sort of systems of oppression and how they work makes
the mission of furthering my student affairs journey more important.

Understanding people’s differences in identities is probably what I would consider one of

the roots one must fully understand when it comes to beginning the social justice journey.
I think that if you can get to know someone, and truly know them, from how they identify
in terms of gender, ethnicity, religion, etc., you can better relate and empathize with
them. Not only will it show the individual you are helping that you care about them as a
whole person, but you will gain power in the agency that you are thus placing on yourself
to further your social justice studies and teachings.

 Understanding Historical Influences on the Overall Campus Climate: In the histories of a

lot of universities in the nation, most are rooted in some sort of turbulent event. This idea
of prestige and privilege being linked to the fact that some colleges have been along
longer than others so they have more of a say on the type of campus environment is
prevalent on campus can be seen in schools ranging from Ivy Leagues (we will visit
Columbia University in New York) to liberal arts universities that may not be as
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prestigious (for this, our trip will be to Fredericksburg, VA to visit The University of
Mary Washington).

Through the duration of our course, we will also be going to institutions where the
campus climate may be very tense. For example, the University of Wisconsin – Madison
will be a stop on our list of colleges. As most know, the university had a very public
display of racism displayed at a football game during Halloween weekend of 2016. In our
course, we will discuss the issues at play, speak with administrators in terms of how they
dealt with the situation, and also speak with students on their thoughts. This would also
be a good opportunity to see how they’d like to advocate for change on the campus and in
the surrounding area. Institutions like UW-Madison need to further studied because of the
type of environment that the students are surrounded by. Moreover, the kind of history
that the state, the city, the school has all plays a part in how and what students are met
with when they arrive for an education.

As future student affairs professionals, this is important to be up to date with, as history

can lend a telling story on how places operate in society. My father used to say that “the
more things change; the more things stay the same.” Such wise words never meant to me
what they do now. For all the progression that has occurred on college campuses, the
resources that are available to people in minoritized groups and the protest that occur in
the surrounding communities, all mean something. And yet without the right people
advocating for that same change, things may possibly revert back to how they are. Maybe
not in my lifetime, or the next, but change has to start with the small percentage of people
who are willing to put in the work to understand, empathize, and change the way the
world operates.

Outcomes & Objectives

Learning Outcomes:
Students, and myself, will demonstrate the ability to identify and assess their own identities
further and the identities of others. We will also learn how to observe trends, if any, the cause
negative or “cold” campus climates and what types of identities, events, or historical
backgrounds of the institution or community have an effect on it. By examining these qualities,
we hope to come to a deeper understand of why campuses fall into negative climates and how we
as student affairs professionals can combat that with our social justice practices.

Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

 Identify systems of oppression in action, and through further study, learn how to combat
them.
 Learn to work with others who have different identities than their own, thus deepening
their ability to empathize, mentor, guide, and work with others.
 Be able to apply learnings to future teachings as a student affairs professional,
demonstrating a concrete understanding of the competency area of social justice.
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 Recognize that change does not happen overnight; it is something that needs to be
worked at constantly and that the work to do so is a long road.
 Develop the necessary skills to communicate, practice, and implement the research found
during the course to students and to future student affairs professionals in the field.

Course Timeline/Outline:

This summer course will be taught over a period of 8 weeks during the summer of 2017. We will
visit a total of 7 colleges, ending back at our home school of Loyola University Chicago, which
we will also be analyzing in our studies of campus climate. Students will need to be ready to
depart from Loyola’s Lake Shore campus on the morning of June 5th, 2017. The majority of our
trip will take place traveling via train, Amtrak (be sure to attend the orientation in April on
packing/funding/lodging/etc. while away from home). We will be flying back to Chicago from
Reagan International Airport on July 23rd, 2017. The final week of will be a compilation of your
assignments put together in a final 20-page research paper, included with group presentations to
take place on the last day of classes.

Each week, we will follow a structure of meeting Monday – Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
During this time, we will have a discussion on the readings in a classroom setting. The readings
that are assigned are intended to broaden one’s overall knowledge of identity theory, campus
climate, and Once class is over, students are expected to do the following:

Dedicate two hours of their afternoon to meeting with either a faculty member, administrative
staff member, or student who can provide insight on the campus climate at the institution we are
visiting. The onus is on the student to use this syllabus passed out in April and be proactive in
setting up meeting times with faculty and staff members. Interviews should be conducted in a
professional, courteous nature that is representative of Loyola University Chicago (remember,
we are guests).

An hour of time should be used as observation. Students and myself shall take this to mean
however they would like. The point is that there is time being spent on observing the culture of
the institution. What are the students like? What are the staff like? How does the campus look?
What events are going on that week or have previously happened? How do you feel as a student
being on campus? Question and challenge yourself to do research on the institution to better
understand the reputation and history that it currently has.

While it is not required, it is also recommended that about two hours be dedicated to meeting
with your designated study groups to work on your cumulative final presentation that will be
given. Consider an overall focus on what you expect to learn while exploring these different
universities, and build upon it each week. This should show overall growth and development in
your understanding of our learning objectives as the course comes to an end.

Required Texts and Readings:

Chavez, Fedelina Alicia., & Sanlo, Ronni. (2012). Identity and Leadership: Informing Our Lives
Informing Our Practice. NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.
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Patton, D. Lori., (2010). Culture Centers in Higher Education: Perspectives on Identity, Theory,
and Practice. Stylus Publishing.

Thelin, R. John., (2011). A History of American Higher Education, 2nd Edition. Johns Hopkins
University Press.

 Brown, R. D. & Clarke, B. &

Gortmaker, V. & Robinson-Keilig, R.
(2004). Assessing the Campus
Climate for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
and Transgender (GLBT) Students
Using a Multiple Perspectives
Approach. Journal of College Student
Development45(1), 8-26. The Johns
Hopkins University Press. Retrieved
December 5, 2016, from Project
MUSE database.

 Wijeyesinghe, C. L. & Jones, S. R.

Week 1 – University of California – Berkley
(2014). Intersectionality, Identity, and
Systems of Power and Inequality in
Mitchell, D., Simmons, C. Y., &
Greyerbiehl, L. A. (Eds.). (2014).
Intersectionality & Higher Education:
Theory, Research, & Praxis. New
York, NY: Peter Lang.

 Patton, D. Lori., (2010). Culture

Centers in Higher Education:
Perspectives on Identity, Theory, and
Practice. Stylus Publishing. Chapters
1 -3.

 Harper, S. R., Wardell, C. C., &

McGuire, K. M. (2011). Man of
multiple identities: Complex
individuality and identity
intersectionality among college men.
Week 2 – Brigham Young University
In J. A. Laker & T. Davis
(Eds.), Masculinities in higher
education: Theoretical and practical
considerations (pp. 81-96). New
York: Routledge.
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 Rankin, S. R. & Reason, R. D. (2005).

Differing Perceptions: How Students
of Color and White Students Perceive
Campus Climate for Underrepresented
Groups. Journal of College Student
Development 46(1), 43-61. The Johns
Hopkins University Press. Retrieved
December 5, 2016, from Project
MUSE database.

 Thelin, R. John., (2011). A History of

American Higher Education, 2nd
Edition. Johns Hopkins University
Press. Chapter 1, 3, & 4

 Chavez, Fedelina Alicia., & Sanlo,

Ronni. (2012). Identity and
Week 3 – University of Texas at Austin Leadership: Informing Our Lives
Informing Our Practice. NASPA-
Student Affairs Administrators in
Higher Education. Chapters 2 -5.
 Thelin, R. John., (2011). A History of
American Higher Education, 2nd
Edition. Johns Hopkins University
Press. Chapter 5-6

Week 4 – Columbia University  Stulberg, M. Lisa., & Chen, S.

Anthony., (2013). The Origins of
Race-conscious Affirmative Action in
Undergraduate Admissions: A
Comparative Analysis of Insitutitional
Change in Higher Education. Sage
Journals.

 Patton, D. Lori., (2010). Culture

Centers in Higher Education:
Perspectives on Identity, Theory, and
Practice. Stylus Publishing. Chapter
Week 5 – University of Mary Washington 4-6.

 Thelin, R. John., (2011). A History of

American Higher Education, 2nd
Edition. Johns Hopkins University
Press. Chapter 7.
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 Chavez, Fedelina Alicia., & Sanlo,

Ronni. (2012). Identity and
Leadership: Informing Our Lives
Informing Our Practice. NASPA-
Student Affairs Administrators in
Higher Education. Chapter 6, 8.

 Smith, W. A., Mustaffa, J. B., Jones,

Week 6 – Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
C. M., Curry, T. J., & Allen, W. R.
State University
(2016). ‘You make me wanna holler
and throw up both my hands!’:
campus culture, Black misandric
microaggressions, and racial battle
fatigue. International Journal of
Qualitative Studies in
Education, 29(9), 1189-1209.

 Parker, W. M. & Puig, A. & Johnson,

J. & Anthony, C. , Jr.(2016). Black
Males on White Campuses: Still
Invisible Men?College Student Affairs
Week 7 – University of Mary Washington
Journal 34(3), 76-92. Southern
Association for College Student
Affairs. Retrieved December 5, 2016,
from Project MUSE database.

 Stein, B. D., Sontag-Padilla, L. M.,

Ashwood, J. S., Woodbridge, M. W.,
Eberhart, N. K., May, E., ... & Osilla,
K. C. (2016). Campus Climate
Matters.
Week 8 – Loyola University Chicago
 Riera, J. L. (2016). Making Meaning:
Embracing Spirituality, Faith,
Religion, and Life Purpose in Student
Affairs ed. by Jenny L. Small
(review). Journal of College Student
Development, 57(1), 115-117.
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Course Assignments

Throughout the course, students will have a variety of assignments in addition to our readings
that will further enhance our research and deepen our understanding of campus climate,
identities, and history of some of the more prestigious colleges.

1. Critical Interview Essays

At the end of each week, students will be required to turn in a minimum of two-page paper on
the discussions that were had with staff, faculty, community members, and/or students while
visiting the hosting university. It is expected that we touch on how these different members view
the campus climate, how they fit in, their history with the college, etc. The purpose is to see
campus climate from multiple lenses on different types of institutions with different people
inhabiting each one. I am expecting to see common theories in relation to social justice and
multiculturalism expressed in each essay. References from our readings or your own outside
readings are required. This assignment is due every Friday before 9:00 PM with the last one
being due July 21st.

2. Reflection Journal
Reflections play an integral role in being able to check in with yourself and make sure that you
are understanding the readings, lectures, and discussions being had with your team. This is the
time for myself and my students to be critical in our observations at each college that we visit.
We will take the time to write about our own personal thoughts on the campus and anything that
we’ve learned regarding identity theories or campus climate. This journal is not required to be
turned in weekly, but I will be looking for entries from each week at the end of the semester.
Journal will be turned in as part as final presentation and paper due July 28th.

3. Final Presentation on Campus Climate and Multiple Identities with Research Paper
This final paper and presentation is a group assignment that is expected to be worked on
throughout the course. Students will be expected to put together what they’ve learned in this
accelerated, interactive course into a cohesive presentation centered around a thesis or focus. In
addition, the group is expected to turn in a 25-page research paper, using references from their
interviews, readings, and reflections. This is expected to be a very well thought-out and critical
assignment. Presentations will take place on the final day of class on July 28th, papers will
be due before 9:00 AM that morning.
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Critical Self-Assessment

Had I known more about identities and how the impact the environment that you live in, I

would have had this broader outlook on life a lot sooner. I used to think there was just black and

white, gay and straight, rich or poor. But after taking a course that allowed me to think critically

about the world around me, I have now become more aware to my surroundings. Moreover, I

have discovered the impact that a multitude of different identities can do for an environment,

how it can make a place turn from warm and comforting too cold and dangerous. Environment is

something that can really make a college student’s experience. Most are away from home for the

first time, and even more of them have no idea what they want to do with their lives. Making

sure they are attending an institution with people who are like-minded, and staff who are

committed to helping them achieve their goals.

I believe, and think others would agree with me, that one of the basic foundations that

future student affairs professionals need to have an understanding on is identities and how the

intersect with one another. In my proposed syllabus of further studies, I chose to focus on

something that I truthfully feel is important but that I didn’t get enough time to learn or discuss

about in class, that being the idea of a campus culture. Granted, I understand it was brought up in

a few discussions, but a really deep, research feeling understanding was what I wanted. I feel

justified in asking for at least a ‘B’ on this assignment. Not only was I able to successfully map

out the understanding that I currently have on my proposed syllabus, but I created a session that

would be both interactive, engagement, and beneficial to students who want to deeper

understanding of the rich histories and complex depth of theories of social identity.

I approached this assignment by saying I would put myself in the shoes of a teacher and

put in my syllabus what I would want to be taught and how I’d like to be taught it. A fun, yet
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condensed sort of summer course where students can do more than just read about a college

climate, but actually experience it, I believe can be more beneficial. It would allow myself to

truly engage with students who live and breathe the systems of oppression that so many

campuses still have. This would be a more hands on approach to some of the teachings that

maybe need more exploration in social justice, and I believe I’ve thought out a program that

would educate, entertain, and engross our students.

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References

Wijeyesinghe, C. L. & Jones, S. R. (2014). Intersectionality, Identity, and Systems of Power and

Inequality in D. Mitchell, C. Y. Simmons, & L. A. Greyerbiehl. (Eds.). (2014).

Intersectionality & Higher Education: Theory, Research, & Praxis. New York, NY: Peter

Lang.