January 31, 2010

New Research Complicates Discussions of Campus Diversity—in a Good Way

New Research Complicates Discussions of Campus Diversity—in a Good Way 1

Princeton U.

"Diversity work does not begin or end with the admission office," says Thomas J. Espenshade, a sociologist at Princeton.

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Princeton U.

"Diversity work does not begin or end with the admission office," says Thomas J. Espenshade, a sociologist at Princeton.

By Peter Schmidt

A new wave of research on campus diversity holds the promise of improving how colleges serve students of different hues. On the fundamental question of whether racial and ethnic diversity produces educational benefits, the latest studies' bottom line is: Sometimes. With the right mix of students. If handled delicately.

The increased nuance and complexity of the recent research is seen as a byproduct of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2003 Grutter v. Bollinger ruling, in