Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-2024
Abstract
As the title of the project embodies, Black, African, African American diasporic culture considers stories, narratives & the act of carrying them forward as a foundational aspect of our humanity. It is best embodied in a Bantu term, Ubuntu, which means I am because We are. In its literal sense, we exist due to a legacy carried down through generations. In a metaphorical sense, it means that I understand myself, I make my own meaning, I grow my own path from being in relationship with you. I --as a whole-- am not whole unless I am in the midst of community. In both senses, the shared narrative, the carrying over of stories over time and across space, is what WE become and how WE understand ourselves. It is with that in mind that this research study centered the campus climate for Black, African, and African American diasporic students, across all educational programs and levels. It is from these stories that we sought to build an understanding of how Black students experience UNC, in both positive and damaging ways. It is with this data that we hoped to shift and improve the experience of Black students on this campus, and through their relationships with this institution.
The purpose of this study was to critically assess the campus climate of the University of Northern Colorado, specifically for Black, African, and African American students. The research sought to understand how the university’s perceived climate helps or hinders their sense of belonging, as well as asks how and where they have found connections on the campus. The research sought to understand the experience across Black students, respective of and with attention to classification (first year, undergraduate, graduate, non-degree seeking, etc.), personal and academic demographics. The research was designed to collect this data via qualitative and quantitative means and using secondary analysis of primary data from the UNC campus-wide climate study and the conducting of group interviews. The research team has designed this research to be conducted by a research team of 2 people, including the PI and graduate research assistant.
Recommended Citation
weaver-douglas, janine m. and Logan, Francisco, "Ubuntu/We Carry the Stories: A campus climate study for Black, African & African American students at the University of Northern Colorado" (2024). Assessment Mini Grant Reports. 1.
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/assessmentgrant/1
Presentation Slides
Comments
2023-2024 Assessment Mini-Grant