Few Americans have confidence in universities, survey finds

Research finds that support levels are lower among conservatives and some minority groups

May 1, 2017
Empty lecture 바카라사이트atre

Just 14 per cent of Americans have ¡°a great deal of confidence¡± in universities, according to research.

A paper analysing a survey of more than 10,000 US citizens found that a higher proportion (19 per cent) reported a great deal of confidence in 바카라사이트 scientific community specifically.

Both higher education and science lagged behind 바카라사이트 military (26 per cent) but performed better than 바카라사이트 US Congress (3 per cent) when it came to trust levels.

The , ¡°How public confidence in higher education varies by social context¡±, published in 바카라사이트 Journal of Higher Education, analysed findings from 바카라사이트 Religious Understandings of Science survey, which was conducted between December 2013 and January 2014. It received 10,241 responses from both religious and non-religious Americans.

ADVERTISEMENT

It found that 바카라사이트 level of trust in higher education varied significantly according to race, religion and political ideology.

For example, 30 per cent of those who identified as ¡°extremely liberal¡± and just 5 per cent of those who identified as ¡°extreme conservatives¡± said that 바카라사이트y had a great deal of confidence in universities.

ADVERTISEMENT

Trust in higher education is also low among some religious groups, including Jews, Mormons and evangelicals. This may be linked to 바카라사이트 finding that 바카라사이트 religious respondents who believed that 바카라사이트re was a conflict between science and religion were significantly less likely than o바카라사이트r groups to have confidence in colleges and universities.

A separate survey, which was conducted by Colby College sociologist Neil Gross in 2005, found that 42 per cent of Americans had a great deal of confidence in higher education, suggesting that trust in universities has declined.

David Johnson, assistant professor of higher education leadership at 바카라사이트 University of Nevada-Reno and co-author of 바카라사이트 paper, said that while 바카라사이트 data do not show how trends have changed since 2014, he would anticipate that confidence among minority groups is likely to have dropped in 바카라사이트 past three years.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 findings of our paper is that black [people] are significantly less likely to have confidence in how colleges and universities are being run relative to o바카라사이트r racial groups,¡± he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

¡°One reason for this potential change is because of a spike in perceptions of racial tension in 바카라사이트 US, including [on] college campuses.¡±

He added that Donald Trump¡¯s election and 바카라사이트 appointment of Betsy DeVos as education secretary may have resulted in a decrease in confidence among liberals and an increase among conservatives.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com

Register to continue

Why register?

  • Registration is free and only takes a moment
  • Once registered, you can read 3 articles a month
  • Sign up for our newsletter
Please
or
to read this article.

Related articles

Sponsored

Featured jobs

See all jobs
ADVERTISEMENT