Frequently Asked Questions
Is the CECE Survey intended to be administered continuously?
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The CECE Survey is useful to campuses if it is administered during one year, every other year, or annually. Campuses will get the most useful information out of the CECE Survey if they administer it on a consistent basis long-term, because they will be able to track progress in cultivating more inclusive and equitable campus environments.
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Are culturally engaging campus environments all about race? Or, does the CECE Survey take income, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and other characteristics of students into account?
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The CECE Survey prompts respondents to answer the questions based on the community or communities that are most relevant to them. For example, students of color might answer the questions based on how they perceive the environments from the perspective of a member of their racial group, a Muslim Pakistani student might answer the questions as a member of these religious and ethnic communities, or a gay Latino student might answer the questions from the perspective of someone who identifies with the Latinx and LGBTQA+ communities. Thus, the Survey measures how relevant and responsive campus environments are to the communities that matter to students the most.
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Are culturally engaging campus environments relevant to White students?
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Yes. The CECE Model and Survey was generated with the success of all students in mind. White students, like students of color, are more likely to thrive when they have access to relevant education and necessary support. Existing analysis show that culturally engaging campus environments are a strong predictor of sense of belonging among both White students and students of color.
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Are culturally engaging campus environments relevant to community colleges and commuter campuses?
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Yes. Data that informed the development of the CECE Model and Survey were collected from both community colleges and four-year institutions. Data that informed the CECE tools were also collected from residential and commuter campuses, urban and rural institutions, and various regions (e.g., Hawaii, the West Coast, the Midwest, the East Coast) of the United States. Therefore, the CECE Indicators were designed to be applicable to two- and four-year institutions, residential and commuter campuses, and colleges across varied geographic regions. Validity tests that demonstrate that the CECE Survey exhibits high levels of content and construct validity have also been conducted with samples from both two- and four-year campuses. The bottom line is that all students need to feel relevant, valued, connected, and supported in order for them to have a maximum likelihood of succeeding.
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Are culturally engaging campus environments relevant to minority serving institutions?
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Yes. Existing evidence suggests that culturally engaging campus environments are important at minority serving institutions (MSIs). In fact, existing research indicates that MSIs' ability to cultivate such environments is one reason why some of them are effective at fostering success among their students. In the coming months and years, the CECE Project will be conducting research and publishing material to illuminate how some MSIs are cultivating culturally engaging campus environments to create the conditions for diverse students to thrive, so that we can generate a better understanding of how culturally engaging environments manifest at these institutions.
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How is the CECE Survey different than other campus climate surveys?
The CECE Surveys focus on the elements of an environment that contribute to thriving. It centers nine indicators of optimally inclusive and equitable environments, which can constitute a guiding framework and vision for campuses that want to serve all students to the best of their ability.
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How is the CECE Model different than other institutional change models?
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Existing improvement models such as the Equity Scorecard or Achieving the Dream are focused on the change process (i.e., how institutions engage in the process of change), while the CECE Model outlines the ideal focus or content of the change (i.e., the type of change needed to allow diverse populations to thrive). Unlike these other change frameworks, the CECE Model provides a vision regarding what institutions should strive to look like if they hope to maximize success among diverse populations. Therefore, the CECE tools are not meant to replace these existing process models, but can be used in conjunction with other models to provide a more complete picture that includes both what change needs to be made and how to achieve it.
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How is the CECE Model different than other student success frameworks?
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Unlike other existing frameworks, the CECE Model integrates decades of research on campus environments, diverse populations, and college success to delineate the optimal environments for diverse populations in higher education. The CECE Model outlines the 9 elements that research suggests campuses should embed throughout their organizational cultures, policies, departments, programs, practices, curricula, and activities. While most success frameworks are centered on student behaviors and participation in particular types of activities, the CECE Model focuses on the culturally relevant and responsive environments that are needed for institutions to be truly inclusive of diverse cultural identities and allow all students to thrive regardless of their backgrounds.
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