Most Minority Students at U. of Illinois Report Being Racially Stereotyped

More than half of minority students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign say they have been the object of racial stereotypes in the classroom, according to the results of a new survey conducted by a faculty group at the university.

The results were based on responses to an online survey of nearly 5,000 students of color, and focused on the prevalence of racial microaggressions, or subtle instances of racism carried out unintentionally. Among the findings:

• Fifty-one percent of respondents said they had been the victim of racial stereotypes in the classroom.
• Thirty-nine percent reported feeling uncomfortable on the campus because of their race.
• Respondents reported feeling most uncomfortable because of their race in fraternity and sorority houses.

A report on the survey results recommends, among other things, that faculty and staff members be trained about racial microaggressions.