Delta’s spring 2024 Campus Climate Survey results became available on Aug. 20 and it shows that over 50 percent of students and staff struggle to discuss their mental health, with the largest impacted demographics being African American students and faculty, transgender, and non-binary students in all categories.
The campus-wide survey had 2,999 students and 378 employees assess their experiences on campus. The results of the survey are aimed at addressing students and employees: basic needs, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), Campus Safety, Health and Wellness and sense of belonging.
One college assessment was distributed on Jan. 11 to employees, then closed on Feb 4. With the closure of the first survey, the second assessment was sent out to students the following day on Feb. 5 and closed on Feb. 27.
A total of 30 percent of Delta’s student population is represented. 65 percent of respondents were women, 28 percent were men, 72 percent were straight, 48 percent were Hispanic and 42 percent were between ages 18 to 20.
Basic needs ask about access to food, transportation, housing stability and the ability to access child care and dependent needs.
Of the students surveyed, an overall 28 percent expressed concerns over the ability of transportation, with an emphasis on African American students not having their basic needs met.
32 percent of African American students reported a struggle with access to food, and 39 percent expressed transportation concerns.
“Breaking these concerns out by race/ethnicity reveals that more African American/Black students reported not having their basic needs met with the exception of access to child/dependent care,” read the survey.
Employees’ basic needs reported fewer concerns over transportation, at 13 percent.
A larger margin of African American employees did report concerns over housing stability when compared to the demographics of other employees.
Similarly, 18 percent of Hispanic/Latin X employees worry about their access to childcare needs.
When questioned about the state of health and wellness; whether that be general health, or mental health, both students and faculty responses mirrored sentiments discussing their mental health.
“Generally speaking, reasons for not disclosing their concerns parallelled responses from students,” read the report.
For students, 53 percent of the group had trouble discussing their mental well-being, with worries such as people not understanding them, feeling like a burden or stigmas surrounding a discussion of mental health.
“I was raised with shame around the topic of mental health and well-being and was basically raised to believe that asking for help is weak and attention-seeking, so it feels shameful to express any concern,” a student’s response read.
According to the survey, the Asian student population had the biggest difficulty expressing mental health concerns, with 50 percent for Asian Students and 55 percent for Hispanic Students.
59 percent of African American faculty showed concern over their mental health and the ability to pursue support.
Of the employee responses, one shared that they were afraid of being judged, or another employee using their issues against them.
“It is hard to be transparent about mental health or other personal concerns because it can be so cliquey and judgmental and hierarchical and political here at Delta, and it is impossible to know who you can trust. Someone you might think is your friend can try to get you in trouble or talk badly about you, and it is hurtful (this has literally happened to me),” an employee’s response read.
Some of these issues work cohesively with campus safety, and the ability to feel safe further impacts health on campus.
Transgender students, women and non-binary students show an increase in concerns over their safety.
According to the report, half of those surveyed don’t feel safe on campus at night.
“Results made clear that, regardless of demographic, half of students do not feel safe walking around campus at night,” read the survey.
The largest impacted group is non-binary, 67 percent of whom feel unsafe walking around at night.
Employees made remarks about the homeless population bleeding into campus and sleeping in the hallways, thus affecting their feelings of safety on campus.
“Since I teach classes early in the morning, I sometimes get to campus at 6 [am], and I am always nervous there are going to be homeless people or people who do not belong there when I am walking to class. I think Delta does a good job trying to promote the safety of the campus; however, it would be nice for them to just periodically be parked or monitor particular areas when they know staff/faculty have
assigned early mornings,” read an employee response.
Of the students surveyed, 23 percent felt that they had been discriminated against.
The transgender and non-binary student community reported the most discrimination.
46 percent of non-binary and 39 percent of transgender students reported that they were stared at on campus. 53 percent of transgender students report that they are misgendered.
According to the survey, 14 percent of all students experience discrimination in the classroom with 26 percent of the discrimination occurring from students.
Of the students who made reports to faculty, the survey reads that 80 percent of them were satisfied with the response from Delta.
Those who did not report instances of discrimination did so out of fear of retaliation.
“As a woman, I am used to being stared at and catcalled and have not felt the need to report such mild instances unless I feel myself or people around me might truly be in danger,” read a student survey response.
Concerns over DEI for staff were prominent in employees who are more than one race with 27 percent reported being stared at and 20 percent being purposefully ignored or left out.
“Generally speaking, employees of more than one race were most likely to report incidents of prejudice and discrimination—notably being stared at,” read the survey.
When polled about a sense of belonging, 83 percent of students agreed that Delta welcomes students of all backgrounds and 92 percent of Delta staff reported that they are happy to work for Delta, with 79 percent of employees sharing that they feel valued.
For the small margin of students and faculty alike, they both shared that there could be more inclusivity in regard to events held on campus such as more clubs or barbecues.
Overall, the survey responses from students in 2023 saw little movement from the report this spring, only rising in small margins of two to three percent across all categories.
“Generally speaking, as the 2023 and 2024 survey results are fairly similar…one must be wary of drawing too much from the comparisons between 2023 and 2024 survey respondents…” read the survey.
The full in-depth report is available online where it summarizes the responses of both students and staff and compares them to the results of the spring 2023 survey.
