Every year, EMU’s Institutional Research team conducts a survey for all of the current first-years pertaining to political views. The question that they ask each year is this: How would you characterize your political views? Students then have the choice to self-identify as far right, conservative, middle-of-the-road, liberal, or far left. The question addresses how students feel about their own views before EMU has influenced them. The survey is confidential, which allows students who may not want to share political beliefs to have a safe place to engage. Consider how you might answer this question, and where you think more students fall. Who is a “typical” EMU student?

The first figure shows how students have answered the question for the past 14 years. 

According to the figure, this year’s first-years are more liberal and less neutral than past years. Another figure shows how likely Mennonites and non-Mennonites are to interact with other backgrounds. 

According to the data, first-years who identify as Mennonite have been getting more liberal over the years, while students who are not Mennonite have been getting more conservative. Institutional research also looked at what stereotypes are assigned to the words “liberal” and “conservative,” and how that might influence the way students rated themselves. 

Todd Van Patter is one of the members of the Institutional Research team. Van Patter shared that every year EMU alternates between using a national survey and a survey developed at EMU. The team likes to include both to have a wide variety of questions. Van Patter appreciates the survey because “it’s a nice surprise to have your assumptions proven wrong.” 

One of his biggest takeaways is to “engage with people, and not just our stereotypes of them.” Van Patter encourages students to consider the following questions when talking to those people who disagree with their own beliefs: “What leads you to feel this way? What good values are you trying to uphold through this belief? What concerns do you have about the opposite view?” In conclusion, he encourages students at EMU to continue learning together in a kind and sincere way despite disagreements that may arise. 

How does this research prove or disprove original assumptions about students at EMU? Don’t hesitate to email us at wvane@emu.edu with thoughts, responses, or even an opinion piece—we would love to hear from you!