DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Campus "Unrest" demonstrations and consequences, 1970-1971 | New Evidence on Campus Unrest, 1969-70 Page 6

Transcribe
Translate

Campus "Unrest" demonstrations and consequences, 1970-1971

New Evidence on Campus Unrest, 1969-70 Page 6

EDUCATIONAL RECORD Winter 1971 

TABLE 4: Correlations Between Protests Against Institutions and Selected Institutional Characteristics 
(N= 196 Four Year Institutions)

Institutional Characteristic , Protest Issue [War Related, Racial, Facilities and Student life, Student Power]

University, .49*,.34,.57*,.27*
Enrollment size, .49*,.39*,.54*,.19
Percentage of Ph.D's on faculty, 29,.35*,.32*,.12
Selectivity, .29*,.22,.17,.08
Located in Midwest,.05*,.-.02,-.09,-.03
Multiple R, .58, .45,.60,.27

* Entered the stepwise multiple regression analysis and contributed significantly (p<.05) in the final solution.
Note: r .05=.14 r.01=.19.

are about equally important in protests concerning racial issues. 
The finding that almost all types of protests occur most frequently in the larger and the more selective institutions confirms the findings of several earlier studies. 7. There are at least two reasons why such institutions tend to be protest prone. First, they are more likely than the less well known institutions to attract protest prone students. 8 Thus, the association between protests and measures of institutional quality may reflect the differential recruitment practices of institutions more than any institutional effect of quality per se. 
Second, the size of an institution and its emphasis on graduate work seem to be causally related to the emergence of protests, even after adjustments are made for differences in student characteristics. 9
There are at least two competing explanations for the apparent causal association between institutional size and student protest. One interpretation which might be labeled the "critical mass" hypothesis, states that as the enrollment increases, the probability also increases that there will be sufficient numbers of protest prone students to make a "critical mass" that can generate a protest. An alternative explanation is based on the fact that the environments of larger institutions (universities in particular) are typically characterized by relatively little administrative concern for the individual student and  a low rate of personal interaction between the faculty and students. 10. The resulting feelings of student alienation and depersonalization thus are manifest in protest behavior. 

Summary of findings
Because the data from this survey of campus demonstrations were obtained through intensive analysis of student newspapers, they are probably more complete than the data from other surveys that have relied on questionnaires or secondary news sources. 
It is estimated that during 1969-70 there were more than 9,000 campus demonstrations involving about two thirds of all higher educational institutions. Demonstrations not directed against the institution e.g. Earth Day and the moratorium observances, were more frequent than protests against institutional policies. Property damage and physical violence occurred in proportionately few institutions - 7 and 3 percent, respectively. About 12 percent of all institutions had or or more protests that resulted in student arrests. 
Previous research on the institutional correlates of campus protest was confirmed in that nearly all types of protests during 1969-70 occurred most frequently in the larger and the more selective institutions. 

7 Bayer and Astin, "Violence and Disruption"; Peterson, "Scope of Organized Student Protest."
8 A.W. Astin, The College Environment (Washington: American Council on Education, 1968); Astin and Bayer, "Antecedents and Consequents"
9 Astin and Bayer, "Ancedents and consequents"
10. Astin, College Environment 

46

Saving...

EDUCATIONAL RECORD Winter 1971 TABLE 4: Correlations Between Protests Against Institutions and Selected Institutional Characteristics (N= 196 Four Year Institutions) Institutional Characteristic , Protest Issue [War Related, Racial, Facilities and Student life, Student Power] University, .49*,.34,.57*,.27* Enrollment size, .49*,.39*,.54*,.19 Percentage of Ph.D's on faculty, 29,.35*,.32*,.12 Selectivity, .29*,.22,.17,.08 Located in Midwest,.05*,.-.02,-.09,-.03 Multiple R, .58, .45,.60,.27 * Entered the stepwise multiple regression analysis and contributed significantly (p<.05) in the final solution. Note: r .05=.14 r.01=.19. are about equally important in protests concerning racial issues. The finding that almost all types of protests occur most frequently in the larger and the more selective institutions confirms the findings of several earlier studies. 7. There are at least two reasons why such institutions tend to be protest prone. First, they are more likely than the less well known institutions to attract protest prone students. 8 Thus, the association between protests and measures of institutional quality may reflect the differential recruitment practices of institutions more than any institutional effect of quality per se. Second, the size of an institution and its emphasis on graduate work seem to be causally related to the emergence of protests, even after adjustments are made for differences in student characteristics. 9 There are at least two competing explanations for the apparent causal association between institutional size and student protest. One interpretation which might be labeled the "critical mass" hypothesis, states that as the enrollment increases, the probability also increases that there will be sufficient numbers of protest prone students to make a "critical mass" that can generate a protest. An alternative explanation is based on the fact that the environments of larger institutions (universities in particular) are typically characterized by relatively little administrative concern for the individual student and a low rate of personal interaction between the faculty and students. 10. The resulting feelings of student alienation and depersonalization thus are manifest in protest behavior. Summary of findings Because the data from this survey of campus demonstrations were obtained through intensive analysis of student newspapers, they are probably more complete than the data from other surveys that have relied on questionnaires or secondary news sources. It is estimated that during 1969-70 there were more than 9,000 campus demonstrations involving about two thirds of all higher educational institutions. Demonstrations not directed against the institution e.g. Earth Day and the moratorium observances, were more frequent than protests against institutional policies. Property damage and physical violence occurred in proportionately few institutions - 7 and 3 percent, respectively. About 12 percent of all institutions had or or more protests that resulted in student arrests. Previous research on the institutional correlates of campus protest was confirmed in that nearly all types of protests during 1969-70 occurred most frequently in the larger and the more selective institutions. 7 Bayer and Astin, "Violence and Disruption"; Peterson, "Scope of Organized Student Protest." 8 A.W. Astin, The College Environment (Washington: American Council on Education, 1968); Astin and Bayer, "Antecedents and Consequents" 9 Astin and Bayer, "Ancedents and consequents" 10. Astin, College Environment 46