Each year, thousands of prospective students are denied admission to universities because they possess a criminal record. Prior research finds that university officials and faculty are generally accepting of those with records attending universities. To date, few studies have examined the perspectives of college students on this matter. The…

Public Agenda surveyed Illinois residents to learn about how they view public higher education and what would help it serve them and the state better. Three research briefs highlight key findings from the broader survey findings. This brief finds that nearly three in four residents--including majorities of Democrats, independents and…

This paper demonstrates that, after deliberation, college students showed immense moderation potential and affective depolarization, especially even given their homogeneity as a bloc within American politics and within the overwhelmingly liberal sample for this paper. These findings offer optimism for future research in homogeneous groups through…

Objective: To examine correlates of and barriers to COVID-19 vaccine initiation and intention among college students. Participants: 1,171 students attending a public university in the South. Methods: Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the correlates of vaccine intention and initiation. Reasons for pursuing or foregoing vaccination…

The intersection of religion and science often elicits polarizing views among scientists, though approximately half of American scientists identify as religious. Mounting evidence also supports the role of spirituality in comprehensive patient care. The purpose of this study was to explore the religiosity of faculty who teach in the anatomical…

Does political ideology affect how students judge situations? Although students who are liberal or conservative might both show political bias, they differ in their views of how the world works. This experiment conducted with 739 students manipulates ideology in a scenario about a student government regulating a biased student newspaper. Results…

In this paper, we focus on non-monetary and potential societal benefits of higher education and ask whether the higher education experience fosters political interest, internal political efficacy, and participation irrespective of completing a degree. Increasing enrolment rates in higher education also increase the number of higher education…

Unsustainable student debt and a precarious labor market continue to raise public doubts over the value of a college degree. Observers note decades of grade inflation, eroding confidence in academic standards. Yet little attention has been paid to the perceptions of professors themselves. This report fills the gap by surveying 223 tenured…

Recent evidence suggests that only about 1 in 5 U.S. adults has a friend on the political "other side" (Dunn, 2020). Although these interpartisan friendships are uncommon, they play a critical role in catalyzing empathy, reducing prejudice, furthering justice, and even restoring democracy, as suggested by the theory of civic friendship…

Objectives: Despite the widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States, vaccine hesitancy remains high among certain groups. This study examined the correlates of being unvaccinated among a sample of students attending a single university (N = 2900) during the spring and summer of 2021, when the campus had been closed for over a…

When discussing college student voice, the historical narrative has generally focused on large-scale student activism as the definitive medium through which students expressed their beliefs. However, this inevitably leaves more subtle forms of student expression left uninterrogated, specifically in the South, and other areas of the country where…

An estimated 4,350,000 immigrants reside in Texas, comprising 20% of the workforce and wielding a spending power of up to $112.8 billion. Negative sentiment towards migrants has created a hostile environment, despite their substantial socio-economic contributions. Efforts to mitigate this sentiment involve youth education, targeting younger…

This article presents two studies that tested the predictive validity of intergroup contact theory and secondary transfer effects related to pre-service teacher attitudes toward sexual minority youth in classrooms. Multiple regression of feeling thermometer scores in Study 1 (N = 989) suggested that more favorable attitudes are present among…

This article explores how trust affects the nature and characteristics of civic engagement among university students in contemporary China. We draw upon empirical evidence from in-depth individual interviews involving 68 students born between 1993 and 1999. Four different types of civic activities, including associational membership with the…

Objective: Examine associations between political diversity, health, and stress in a student sample for whom examining political biases is necessary. Participants: Graduate students in mental health (N = 512) from July 2017 to June 2018. Methods: Participants completed an online survey of political views, health, and stress. Descriptive statistics…