Changes in Social Commitment of University Freshmen Over a Decade By Race and Gender

This study compares the commitment to social change of freshmen in 1978 and 1988. The responses of 541 incoming freshmen attending the 1988 orientation program at the University of Maryland, College Park, were compared to those of 1,091 freshmen who attended the orientation program in 1978. Attitudes toward recruitment of black students and the use of the university's influence to improve social conditions were more favorable in 1988 than in 1978. Black students in both samples were more positive about these actions than were white students. Results are discussed in terms of implications for campus race relations, retention, and future trends.