A8
May18, 2012
The Phillipian
News
State of the Academy General Info
Home Region
RACE
5.1% African-American/ African
5.1%
8.7% Other 1.3% Middle Eastern
19.4%
62.2%
6.4%
3.6%
South Asian
4.6%
Asian-American/ Asian
Hispanic
6.1% Out of 701 responses
7.8%
57.3%
0.6%
Caucasian
International: 11.3%
11.7%
Out of 701 responses
Discontiguous International: 11.3% US
Discontiguous U.S.: 11.3%
International
34.5%
RELIGION
POLITICAL AFFILIATION
28.4%
Agnosticism 16.0%
Out of 701 responses
Atheism
18.7%
Buddhism
2.9%
Christianity
38.9%
Hinduism
3.0%
Islam
1.6%
Judaism
8.1%
Other
10.8%
represents approx. 5% 16.7% 15.6%
4.8% Democratic
Undecided
STAFF REPORT The Phillipian announces the results of the 2012 State of the Academy survey, which is given annually to examine the demographics of the student body and student opinions in a variety of categories. This year’s survey collected general information and statistics about wellness, sex, drugs, academics, diversity and discipline. 706 students responded to the survey, representing 64 percent of the student body: 370 females and 331 males, 185 Seniors, 192 Uppers, 175 Lowers and 149 Juniors. This year’s State of the Academy survey introduced a “Campus Diversity” section, which asked for students’ opinions about Andover’s racial and socioeconomic diversity. 88.3 percent of surveyed students thought that Andover was diverse. 23 African-American and African students responded with this answer, comprising 67.6 percent of the African-
munities,’ they often mean people of ‘color’ in the community. Coming from a black community, [Andover] might be more diverse in that there are white students here, but you see a very dominant white field [at Andover],” said Griffith. 60.6 percent of surveyed students said that they thought there was a social divide between students of different races at Andover. 73.0 percent of surveyed Hispanic, African-American and African students believe that such a social divide exists. “The dominant [race] becomes the norm. So if you’re not a part of the dominant culture, whether it’s in race, whether it’s in class, then you’re more likely to feel the separation of it, the difference of it,” said Griffith. “[The results] say that we’re not willing to take risks [to interact with those that are different from us], that it’s easier to stay in your comfort zone in the safety net of the people that you know, that you know what the language is,” she
Republican
42.2%
continued. The survey results show that most Andover students believe that there is a social divide between students of different socioeconomic backgrounds, as 70.3 percent of the surveyed students answered with this response. More surveyed students identifying with lower socioeconomic classes believe that this divide exists than those from higher classes, according to the survey. The percentages of students from each socioeconomic class who believe that there is a divide between students of different socioeconomic backgrounds, from lower class to higher class, are 72.2 percent, 50.0 percent, 42.3 percent, 35.5 percent, 33.6 percent. “If you are someone from a lower class at Andover, imagine the alienation you feel here. This place is full of wealth, so if you’re someone who doesn’t identify with that, it’s going to appear more divided. Many students who are of low income including our white students feel, I hear, more
Out of 701 responses
90.2%
Middle
2.9%
Upper Middle
DOES ANDOVER CONNECT STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT RACES AND CLASSES?
70.3%
29.7%
YES
NO
ARE THERE CLIQUES AT ANDOVER? 90.5%
84.7%
15.3%
YES
NO
DO YOU THINK THAT ANDOVER STUDENTS ARE “NICE?”
32.4% 10.7% African-American/ Asian-American/ African Asian
17.2%
9.8% Caucasian Yes
Hispanic
9.5% South Asian
No
IS THERE A SOCIAL DIVIDE BETWEEN RACES? Out of RESPONSES BY RACE 626 responses
76.8%
23.2%
YES
NO
IS THERE A SOCIAL DIVIDE BETWEEN CLASSES? RESPONSES BY SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS Out of 626 responses
72.2%
79.3% Yes
61.5%
38.5%
Yes
71.4%
No
No
64.5%
66.4%
57.7%
57.4%
50.0% 50.0% 42.3%
42.6%
35.5%
32.4%
28.6%
27.8%
South Asian
Lower Class
33.6%
20.7%
AfricanAmerican/ African
Upper
ally get excluded. In these cases, the kid on the lower class side feels the class divide, and the wealthier kid is very much aware of it.” The survey revealed a small decrease in the number of surveyed straight students, as 87.1 percent of surveyed students answered that they are straight, compared to 89 percent of students last year. Numbers for bisexual students and “unsure” students each rose from four percent to five percent.
of a sense of invisibility, when you’re not able to access certain things,” said Griffith. She continued, “I would’ve thought more wealthy kids would have said ‘yes’ in acknowledgement that they are spending time amongst themselves, because I’ve heard some students say that it can be challenging when they want to take a college trip or a ski weekend, because they realize their friend can’t afford it, so they kind of avoid those invitations, and [people] unintention-
67.6%
67.6%
Lower Middle
Lower
NO 11.7%
82.8%
Out of 701 responses
7.4%
IS ANDOVER DIVERSE? RESPONSES BY RACE 89.3%
Other
25.5%
22.0%
IS ANDOVER DIVERSE?
YES 88.3%
Independent
SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS IDENTITY
2012 Survey Introduces Campus Diversity Section Americans and Africans who responded to the survey. A chi-square value was calculated to determine the statistical significance of the difference between the responses of African-Americans and Africans and those of all surveyed students to this diversity question. The chi-square value is 14.038, indicating less than a 0.02 percent probability that the difference in percentage of responses was due to chance. Linda Griffith, Director of Community and Multicultural Development, said, “For me more than anything what this speaks to is that we need to have on-going conversations about how we [can] take advantage of the diversity on this campus, because in comparison to other Independent schools in America, we are diverse. Our numbers are. But if you’re coming from one of the lowest represented groups, it doesn’t necessarily feel that way, so that’s critical.” “When people are talking about ‘diverse com-
Out of 693 responses
AsianAmerican/ Asian
Caucasian
Hispanic
Graphics by Jing Qu
Lower Middle Class
Middle Class
Upper Middle Class
Upper Class