Content area
Full Text
Using data collected via the Campus Religious and Spiritual Climate Survey (CRSCS), we examined how dimensions of the campus spiritual climate shape student satisfaction. The findings reveal that structural worldview diversity, space for support and spiritual expression, and provocative experiences with worldview diversity positively relate to satisfaction, while perceptions of a divisive psychological climate undermine satisfaction. There is no compelling evidence to suggest that the relationship between campus climate dimensions and student satisfaction is conditional on religion or worldview.
Research on the campus climate for diversity has evolved considerably over the last several decades. What has remained consistent over time among those engaged in this research is commitment to valuing diverse learning environments and fostering welcoming campus climates for all students, particularly those representing marginalized and historically excluded groups. The evolution of campus climate research lies in an ever-broadening conceptualization of diversity. The primary focus of early efforts involved racial/ethnic and gender dynamics on campus, and although both maintain a central place in current climate scholarship, researchers have progressively incorporated additional dimensions, such as disability status and sexuality (Hurtado, Carter, & Kardia, 1998). Even so, there remains a shortage of research on dimensions other than gender and race; Hart and Fellabaum (2008) contend that "little attention has been paid to how perceptions of and experiences with sexual orientation, religion, veteran status, social class, gender identity, and other identity characteristics also contribute to campus climate" (p. 224).
More recently, as the challenges of reli- gious pluralism on campus have become increasingly evident (Nash, 2001), there is a new impetus to consider the religious and spiritual dimensions of campus climate. This study extends existing research with our examination of the relationship between facets of the religious and spiritual campus climate and student satisfaction.
Defining CAMpus CliMAte
A clear and consistent definition of climate- one that is distinct from erroneous synonyms such as culture and environment-is difficult to find in the fund of research on campus climate. Hart and Fellabaum (2008) note that although campus climate is part of the standard lexicon in higher education, those who use the term rarely take care to explicitly define it. The authors cite Peterson and Spencer's (1990) definition of climate as an apt characterization entailing key dimensions of an organization...