UF wants to know if black students feel comfortable on campus.
UF’s Division of Student Affairs sent out a survey that will run through Oct. 31 asking black students about their campus experiences. In May, Gen. Dave Kratzer, vice president for Student Affairs, created a task force to identify the needs of black students on campus.
The survey asks students whether they agree or disagree with statements such as if they’ve been the only black student in a class, whether they feel included at UF and if they’ve ever experienced discrimination. When taking the survey, students can anonymously specify the race with which they identify, their gender and year in school.
Veleashia Smith, director of UF’s Institute of Black Culture, said UF would also get student opinions through focus groups and town-hall meetings during the next two weeks. She said this will help her identify what UF is and isn’t doing well.
"We wanted to get a feel for what exactly is the campus climate," she said.
The task force is using the Fall semester to collect data and will make recommendations in the Spring on how to improve campus for black students, she said.
"Whatever it looks like, whatever we’re hearing, we’d like to address as many concerns as possible," she said.
The survey was done, in part, to address concerns that UF students could face discrimination, she said. Discrimination on campus is a general concern for universities.
Even one student facing discrimination is a concern for the university, she said.
"If you have an instance that happens to you, that tends to change your lens," she said. "You can’t protect all of your students."
She said the deans of the colleges have been reaching out to the task force, asking how they can help black students. UF President Kent Fuchs has also been supportive of the task force.
In the first day of the survey, more than 120 students responded, she said.
Student Government is also advertising the survey.
Joselin Padron-Rasines, the UF Student Body president, is a member of the task force. She said she felt the survey was important to advertise.
"I wanted to make sure students see it," she said.
Padron-Rasines said she values diversity on campus. The task force is looking to increase the number of black students staying at UF after their first year.
UF needs to improve how comfortable black students are on campus, she said.
"I think this is step one," she said.
Contact Caitlin Ostroff at costroff@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @ceostroff
