Effective Responses to Feedback About Culturally Irrelevant Out-of-Class Activities

"Disengagement and low attendance rates are two powerful ways that collegians furnish feedback to campus activities professionals and to their student leader peers who are responsible for programming. Two weeks ago, a colleague told me that Black and Latino undergraduates at her university are often asked what they want, but they do not subsequently show up to events."

"It also could be that student leaders are designing and delivering programs that too heavily reflect their own personalities and preferences, not those of peers who spend most of their out-of-class time isolated in residence hall rooms, scrolling social media or playing video games."

"Maybe they have not been explicitly asked via surveys, focus groups and individual interviews what kinds of activities would compel their attendance and higher levels of engagement."

Equitable participation in campus clubs and activities remains unattainable for many diverse undergraduates. Low attendance and disengagement signal that current programming fails to meet students' cultural interests and needs. Student leaders often design activities reflecting their own preferences rather than surveying and implementing recommendations from underrepresented populations. Black and Latino students report being asked about interests but not seeing those preferences implemented in actual events. Similarly, student athletes may appear too busy for involvement, but the real issue may be that offerings don't align with their interests beyond sports. Students of color consistently report that campus events designed for all students frequently miss the mark for their specific needs and cultural preferences.

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