The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 37, No. 2 - 42

Vanessa D. Johnson • Young-Shin Kang • George F. Thompson

mation (Milem &Umbach). Saddlemire (1996) suggested that, before attempting to heighten White students’ appreciation for diversity, colleges and universities need to ascertain what knowledge they have about cultural minorities, and “then appropriate strategies can be developed to eradicate some of the myths and misinformation” (p. 690). The third component of the RACD, belief in the existence of racism in residence halls, assesses whether or not RAs have witnessed negative racial attitudes or incidents in residence halls. This is a necessary component of the questionnaire, as researchers have found differences in the perceptions of cultural groups in regards to the existence of racism on campus (Biasco, Goodwin, & Vitale, 2001). Racism, when it exists, must be recognized and acknowledged. Staff must be made aware of how to recognize problems between cultural groups and be able to create viable solutions to those that arise. Spaights, Dixon, and Nickolai (1985) contend that only when racism of both an overt and covert nature has been

eliminated can an environment conducive to academic growth for all be developed. These researchers cited Bonilla-Silva’s (1998) study, which states that students can have hidden reservoirs of racial animosity and suspicion beneath a veneer of anti-racist attitudes. The fourth component, confidence in their ability to handle racial conflict, assesses RAs’ comfort in handling issues that may arise as a result of racial conflict. The RA position emphasizes communications, interpersonal interactions, resolution of conflicts, and human relations skills—not merely the tasks related to the job (Nowack & Hanson, 1983). Handling issues of diversity and race can further intensify RA responsibilities. For this reason, RAs should feel confident that they understand the racial dynamics in residence halls and can handle issues that might arise. This is especially true for RAs who have their first experience with cultural diversity while serving in the position. The fifth and final component of resident assistant confidence, belief in the power of the RA position to bring about cultural understanding, explores the belief that the RA can impact cultural understanding between residents. Terrell and Hoeppel (1992) suggested that residence halls provide an opportunity to influence students’ beliefs about race and ethnicity. The nature of their position allows RAs to be facilitators of positive interactions among students from different cultural groups, as well as moderators of the kind of dialogue that can lead to increased understanding among cultural groups. Resident assistants’ own experiences may contribute to their ability to adopt these roles. College and university students who had been involved in frequent discus-

The RA position emphasizes communications, interpersonal interactions, resolution of conflicts, and human relations skills— —not merely the tasks related to the job. Handling issues of diversity and race can further intensify RA responsibilities.
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THE JOURNAL OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENT HOUSING

The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 37, No. 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 37, No. 2