1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christina Paxson is handling her job as president of the University?
8.3% Strongly approve
37.8% Somewhat approve
34.2% No opinion
17.4% Somewhat disapprove
2.2% Strongly disapprove
2. How informed do you feel about events on campus?
16.7% Very informed
63.2% Somewhat informed
10.9% Somewhat uninformed
2.7% Very uninformed
3. What factors have impacted your concentration choice? (Circle all that apply.)
92.5% Passion for subject
50.8% Chances of employment after graduation
23.3% Influence of faculty memberes
18.8% Influence of peers
25.1% Influence of family
4. Do you agree or disagree that all students should be required to take a course with the Diverse Perspectives in Liberal Learning designation before receiving an undergraduate degree from Brown?
29.6% Strongly agree
28.8% Somewhat agree
19.9% No opinion
13.6% Somewhat disagree
8.1% Strongly disagree
5. The University’s Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan includes the opportunity to participate in diversity training programs for faculty members but does not require them to participate. Do you agree or disagree that diversity training should be mandatory for faculty members?
49.4% Strongly agree
26.3% Somewhat agree
11.2% No opinion
8.7% Somewhat disagree
4.5% Strongly disagree
6. How often do you attend Brown athletic events in their entirety or close to their entirety?
3.5% More than once a week
5.7% Once a week
11.6% Once or twice a month
21.8% Once or twice a semester
20.3% Once a year
37.1% Never
7. How often do you attend artistic events (theater, comedy, music, etc.) in their entirety or close to their entirety?
3.2% More than once a week
8.2% Once a week
30.8% Once or twice a month
38.1% Once or twice a semester
11.7% Once a year
7.9% Never
8. Do you agree or disagree that the Department of Public Safety makes you feel safe?
24.5% Strongly agree
50.9% Somewhat agree
15.8% No opinion
6.6% Somewhat disagree
2.1% Strongly disagree
9. Do you agree or disagree that DPS should continue to be armed?
22.6% Strongly agree
28.4% Somewhat agree
20.8% No opinion
18.1% Somewhat disagree
10.1% Strongly disagree
10. What resources did you use when preparing to apply to college? (Circle all that apply.)
29.4% Professional testing tutor (paid)
6.6% Student testing tutor (paid)
21.5% Testing classes (paid)
69.1% Preparation books
45.1% Free resources offered by community or school
11.8% No resources
11. Do you agree or disagree that Brown/RISD Hillel should not have sponsored a talk by Janet Mock, a transgender rights activist, because of its ties to the state of Israel?
3.9% Strongly agree
6.2% Somewhat agree
39.0% No opinion
17.6% Somewhat disagree
33.3% Strongly disagree
12. How have you met the people with whom you’ve hooked up (meaning: making out or more intimate encounters including those in relationships) during your time at Brown? (Circle all that apply.)
12.0% Dating apps
26.4% Classes
48.0% Mutual friends
18.9% Housing arrangements
50.4% Parties and other social gatherings
27.6% Extracurricular activities
9.1% Other
24.5% I have not hooked up with anyone at Brown
Methodology
The results come from 937 surveys that were collected at J. Walter Wilson, the Stephen Roberts ’62 Campus Center and the Sciences Library over the course of three days — April 6-7 and April 11. The margin of error is 2.95 percent with 95 percent confidence. The margin of error for specific subsets are as follow: 3.95 percent for females, 4.53 percent for males, 5.8 percent for first-years, 5.13 percent for sophomores, 6.28 percent for juniors, 6.74 percent for seniors, 4.36 percent for students who receive financial aid and 4.03 percent for students who do not receive financial aid.
The sample of students who took the poll is demographically similar to the undergraduate student body. The sample was 43.4 percent male, 55.6 percent female and 1 percent other. First-years made up 25.9 percent, sophomores 31.9 percent, juniors 22.2 percent and seniors 20.0 percent of the poll. Of students who receive financial aid represented in the poll, 4.3 percent receive just loans, 17.8 receive grants and loans, 15.8 percent receive grants covering some costs, 8 percent receive grants covering all costs and 54.1 percent receive no loans. Varsity athletes made up 12.6 percent, while non-athletes made up 87.4 percent. Of students surveyed, 81.6 percent identify as heterosexual, 6.1 percent as gay, 7.9 percent as bisexual and 4.4 percent as other. Students reported all of the races/ethnicities they identify with — 57.9 percent of students identify as white, 29.9 percent as Asian, 11.5 percent as Hispanic, 9.1 percent as black, 1.1 percent as American Indian/Alaska Native, 1.4 percent as Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and 4 percent as other. Students also marked the concentration area(s) that they are in — 29.9 percent are in the humanities/arts, 13.1 percent in business (business, entrepreneurship and organizations and econ), 19.8 in social sciences (not including BEO or econ), 24.5 percent in life sciences and 32.3% in physical sciences. Of students polled, 14.3 percent of students are legacy students, meaning they have a parent, grandparent or sibling who attended Brown, and 85.7 percent are not. First-generation students make up 16.9 percent and non-first-gen students made up 83.1 percent of the sample.
Statistical significance was established at 0.05 level. All cross-tabulation are statistically significant.
News Editor Lauren Aratani ’18, Sports Editor Taneil Ruffin ’17 and Senior Staff Writers Kasturi Pananjady ’19, Alex Skidmore ’19, Shira Buchsbaum ’19, Suvy Qin ’19, Julianne Center ’19 and Jackson Chaiken ’19 coordinated the poll. Herald section editors, senior staff writers and other staff members conducted the poll.
Over the next several weeks, The Herald will publish a series of articles about individual poll questions. Find results of previous polls at thebdh.org/poll.
