Kimball, R. L., & Sedlacek, W. E.  (1971).  Differences between participants and non‑participants in campus demonstrations.  College Student Journal, 5, 72‑74.

 

 

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PARTICIPANTS AND

NON-PARTICIPANTS IN CAMPUS

DEMONSTRATIONS

 

RONALD L. KIMBALL WILLIAM E. SEDLACEK

University o f Maryland

College Park, Maryland 20742

 

Researchers have become concerned with studying student demonstrations from more behavioral standpoints (e.g. Schmidt and Sedlacek, 1971). However, student activists are still viewed as a minority of students (Sampson, 1970.) It was the purpose of this study to determine the extent of student participation in demonstrations at one institution and to compare participants and non-participants on a number of attitudes.

 

Method

 

An anonymous questionnaire was administered to 5671 students during one day of fall registration, 1970, at the University of Maryland. The sample drawn should have been representative of all students registering. New freshmen not previously in attendance at the University were excluded from the sample.

 

The questionnaire contained 24 items, 20 of which were on a 5 point Likert scale ranging from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree". (See Table 1). Those responding "other" to each item were dropped from analysis of that item. Subjects were grouped on the basis of their response to item 16 which read:

 

I participated in some way in a cam pus (any campus) demonstration last year.     Yes No

 

Differences between those responding Yes and No on item 16 were compared, using t at the .001 level.

 

Results and Discussion

 

A total of 2830 (50%) answered Yes (Participants) to question 16, and 2841 (50%) answered No (Non-participants). Table 1 shows that there were differences (.001 level) between participants and nonparticipants on all questionnaire items.

 

72

 

Participants were likely to feel that U.S. Foreign Policy (item 15a), domestic crisis and campus communications (15 b and d) caused campus disturbances rather than radicals or outside agitators (15 a and f). Participants also tended to be more against defense spending (items 8 and 9), selective service (item 10) and the war in Vietnam (items 7a, b and c). Participants also tended to feel that the National Guard intensified the violence on campus (item 11) , and that the University should disclose more about research (items 12 and 13) and should not maintain non-academic student records.

 

A perhaps surprising finding was the number of students who reported participating in a demonstration at an institution generally thought of as nonactivist. The myth of only a handful of students being involved is surely considerably weakened.

 

Based on these data, solutions to campus problems such as expulsion of dissenters become bizarre. The writers feel that higher education must deal directly with the social issues that so broadly affect students. In effect, universities should be social-political problem solvers.

 

References

 

Sampson, E. E. Student activism and the decade of protest. In Sampson & Korn Eds.).

 

Student Activism and Protest. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1970.

 

Schmidt, D. K. & Sedlacek, W. E. An analysis of the attitudes and behavior associated with student demonstrations on the Vietnam war. College Student Journal 1971.

 

Reprint from College Student Journal, November-December, 1971, Vol. 5, No. 3

 

 

Table 1: Means, Standard Deviations, and t-values on Likert items for Participants and Non-Participants

 

Participants

 

Non-Participants

 

Item Number

N

Mean*

S.D.

 

N

Mean*

S.D.

t-Value**

4. During the disruptions last spring, the presence  of the National Guard intensified the violence.

2779

2.04

1.15

 

2703

2.9

1.21

-27.12

5. After the disruptions last spring, the presence of the National Guard made the campus safer.

2763

3.74

1.12

 

2702

2.85

1.11

29.49

6. Campus police should NOT routinely wear firearms on campus.

2794

1.9

1.19

 

2780

2.66

1.33

-22.49

7. Regarding the U.S. military involvement in S.E. Asia: a. We must have military victory.

2736

4.25

1.08

 

2721

3.57

1.19

22.23

b. American combat personnel should be withdrawn at a rate not endangering the government of south Vietnam.

2706

3.01

1.33

 

2739

2.43

1.14

17.22

c. Military aids and troops should be withdrawn now.

2757

2.25

1.34

 

2728

3.21

1.32

-26.58

8. National security increases with the deployment of new missiles.

2731

3.83

1.14

 

2722

3.25

1.11

19.25

9. Military and defense expenses prevent us from meeting domestic needs.

2782

1.76

0.95

 

2777

2.4

1.13

-22.95

10. Selective Service is a good way to maintain a standing army to protect the country.

2759

3.86

1.14

 

2772

3.12

1.16

24.04

11. We should support the president of our country in all circumstances

2772

4.26

0.98

 

2760

3.46

1.21

27.24

12. The source of funds used for all University research should be made known to the University community.

2793

1.74

0.91

 

2792

2.25

1.02

-19.46

13. The University community should know the nature of all University research projects.

2790

1.95

1.05

 

2784

2.5

1.11

-18.97

14. The University administration has neither the right nor the responsibility to accumulate non-academic records on students.

2780

1.97

1.11

 

2776

2.68

1.22

-22.55

15. The disturbance at Maryland last spring were caused by: a. Foreign policy in S.E. Asia

2787

1.8

0.85

 

2717

2.43

1.02

-24.95

b. Domestic and economic crisis

2778

2.42

1.06

 

2705

2.92

1.01

-17.7

c. Racial tension

2768

3.16

1.13

 

2708

3.28

1.02

-3.95

d. Student frustration with Administrative communication

2785

1.8

0.9

 

2715

2.39

0.99

-23.34

e. Radicals

2764

2.6

1.15

 

2715

2.16

1.02

14.81

f. Outside agitators

2733

2.98

1.37

 

2681

2.35

1.07

18.13

g. Spring fever

2717

3.31

1.34

 

2685

3.09

1.24

6.12

 

 

Scale ranges from 1 = Strongly agree to 5 = Strongly disagree

a two tailed t of 3.29 is significant at .001