The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 37, No. 2 - 49

Resident Assistant Cultural Diversity Questionnaire

American College Personnel Association [ACPA] & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators [NASPA], 1997, 2004; Association of American Colleges and Universities [AACU], 2007). The RACD examines student understanding of cultural diversity in the following learning contexts: expressed need for training, perceived confidence in working with difference, understanding of racism, competence in handling racial conflict, and the ability to advocate for cultural understanding with others. Each of these measures comprises what can be considered learning outcomes supported by standards of the profession (ACPA & NASPA, 2004). The design of the RACD can assist practitioners in meeting and reporting professional objectives set forth by educational stakeholders such as parents, students, and government entities (ACPA et al., 2006; U.S. Department of Education, 2007a). The adoption of instruments such as the RACD supports the uniformity and transparency of reporting about the education taking place in college and university residence halls. The validity of the RACD’s five-factor structure confirmed in this study has practical application beyond use as a screening device for confirming RA confidence in understanding cultural diversity or fostering the same understanding among residents. The wider application of the RACD is found in a current focus by the federal government on higher education to promote the assessment of student learning. Currently the U.S. Department of Education is striving to create a “robust culture of accountability and transparency throughout higher education” (U.S. De-

partment of Education, 2007a, p. 1). In support of this effort, $245 million has been allocated by the federal government as an incentive for colleges and universities to engage in the measurement of student learning outcomes (U.S. Department of Education, 2007b). The federal government has encouraged those working in higher education and student affairs to strive for the following: 1. To support the promotion of a set of reliable and valid measures for assessing undergraduate student learning across an array of learning outcomes. 2. To examine and consider utilizing valid standardized tests currently available for measuring learning outcomes. (U.S. Department of Education, 2007b) Commitment to multiple administrations of the RACD would allow for the measurement of student learning outcomes such as educational needs, interpersonal confidence, communication ability, and personal agency regarding cultural diversity. Those setting the vision for divisions of housing and residence life are poised to take the lead in assessing RA learning regarding issues of cultural diversity. Understanding this unique opportunity will allow those working in residential education programs to make an important and timely contribution to student learning related to matters of cultural diversity in higher education. The time has come for residential education programs to begin setting the standard in student affairs for assessment of student learning, beginning with their greatest asset—the resident assistant.

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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