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What’s Going On? Faculty-Student Interactions of Black Students Attending Predominantly White Institutions of Higher Learning

Much of the literature and research in higher education attempts to explore, investigate, or predict the influence of college on students. Landmark studies and reviews conducted by Astin (1977, 1993), Feldman and Newcomb (1969), Fleming (1984), and Pascarella and Terenzini (1991) provide a plethora of information and insight about the impact of college on students. One of the most significant findings emerging and also guiding current research is the emphasis on relationships between the individual and the institution (Astin, 1993; Fleming, 1984; Nettles, 1991; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991; Terenzini & Wright, 1987); in particular, the relationship between the student and the teacher (Astin, 1993; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991). Several studies have reported the influence of faculty-student interactions on student satisfaction, educational aspirations, intellectual and personal development, and persistence to graduation. These findings are compelling and emphasize both the positive and negative influence of faculty-student interactions on several student outcome measures. Although these studies underscore the importance of these interactions, they offer limited insight on the antecedents or factors contributing to these interactions. Fewer studies have considered the social and cultural context of these interactions, particularly inter-racial or cross-cultural relationships between students and faculty. This study examines faculty-student interactions of African American college students on predominantly white campuses (PWI). Though the race of faculty members is not considered in this examination, the assumption that most PWIs have a majority of White faculty is relevant in this analysis. Davis (1994) accurately states that although much research is documented on African American college students, little is known about the qualitative nature of their experiences (p. 620). The goal of this study is to explore the types of faculty-student interactions and the factors that might influence those relationships. Three sociopsychological environmental factors are examined: accessibility cues, level of racial interaction, and peer involvement. This study is based primarily on two main premises: a) factors affecting faculty-student interaction are linear or at least can be analyzed using a linear equation multiple regression analysis; and b) the social and cultural context in which formal (in-class) faculty-student interaction occurs can be adequately measured and evaluated in relation to its impact on the development of informal (out of class) faculty-student interactions. Based on these premises, the following research questions are examined: