# Presentation: 804275

## Fall 2003 Superintendent’sSocial Climate Assessment 

**34 TRW/CCX                                     DFBL**

## Overview

**Survey development and administration process**
**Results by major climate areas **
**Gender**
**Discrimination against Majority (Reverse discrimination) **
**Race**
**Fear of Reprisal**
**Intercollegiate Status**
**Alcohol-related behavior **
**Condonation and Toleration of violations**
**Trust and confidence in USAFA leadership**
**Perceptions of safety**
**Trust and confidence in sexual assault respondents**
**Knowledge of sexual assault reporting procedures and reasons for not reporting**
**Comparisons with other data: GAO, DoD/IG, and Prep School**
**Conclusions**
**Way Ahead**

## Key Definitions

_**Sexual Harassment**_** is defined in Air Force Instruction 36-2706.  It is a form of sex discrimination that involves unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, creation of an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.  A more detailed explanation of sexual harassment can be found in AFI 36-2706, Attachment 1.  Requiring cadets to perform necessary and proper duties does not constitute sexual harassment even though the duties are arduous or hazardous or both.**
_**Sexual Assault**_** refers to any of several offenses of a sexual nature, committed without the lawful consent of the victim, that are punishable as crimes under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.  The offenses included within the term “sexual assault” include rape and carnal knowledge (Article 120, UCMJ), forcible sodomy (Article 125), and assault with intent to commit rape or sodomy, indecent assault, and indecent acts or liberties with a child (Article 134), or an attempt to commit any of these offenses.**
**These definitions implemented via Commander’s Guidance on 27 May 03**
**DoD/IG Survey in May 03 utilized previous definitions (broader in scope)**

## Survey Development and Administration

**USAFA Cadet Social Climate Survey items revised by CDAWG to clarify wording, improve validity**
**Review of DoD, AF, USMA and USNA climate instruments used to identify content areas and strategies for assessment **
**Items added to assess alcohol, condonation/toleration, trust and confidence in leadership, knowledge of sexual assault reporting procedures and reasons for non-reporting**

## Survey Development and Administration

**Internally reviewed by:**
**HQ USAFA/XPR (Office of Institutional Research)**
**HQ USAFA/JA (Judge Advocate)**
**Externally reviewed by:**
**Air Force Personnel Center**
**Defense Manpower Data Center**
**Denver Rape Assistance and Awareness Program**
**SECAF, SAF/GC, SAF/MRM**
**Administered 27 Aug 03 to all cadets (Paper/Pencil)**
**Participation was voluntary**

##  Sample Demographics

**3554 responded (86% response rate) **
** ****2910 Male****	****  630 Female**
** ****2771 Caucasian****	****  771 Minority**
** ****1339 Intercollegiate****	****2196 Non-Intercollegiate**
**   ****770 Class of 2004****	****  **
**      ****801 Class of 2005**
**      ****839 Class of 2006**
**    ****1133 Class of 2007**

## Relative Demographics

** ****	****                                         **_**Respondents**_**      **_**Wing**_
**Females        ****	****	****       18%****	****	****	****17%**
**Racial/Ethnic Minority****	****	****       20****	****	****	****18**
**Intercollegiate ****	****	****       38*****	****	****	****24**
**Class of 2004****	****	****       22****	****           ****	****24****	**
**Class of 2005****	****	****       23                 ****	****23**
**Class of 2006****	****          24                 ****	****24**
**Class of 2007****	****          32                 ****	****29**

***Respondents in intercollegiate club sports may have self-identified as intercollegiate athletes**
**(e.g., Rugby Team is a club sport that competes against other college teams)**

##  Means of Aggregated Climate Factors

**Positive Climate**

** ****Comparison of Section II items with previous surveys utilizing     similar items indicates slight improvement in overall social climate **

- Strongly
- Disagree

- Disagree

- Slightly
- Disagree

- Slightly
- Agree

- Agree

- Strongly
- Agree

## Means of Aggregated Climate Factors by Class

**Positive Social Climate**

**- Perceptions of some climate factors are less positive for older cadets**

- 1=Strongly Disagree, 6=Strongly Agree

## Gender Subscale Items by Gender

**Percentage of Respondents that Agree**

**Women belong at USAFA**

**Female officers are as **
**effective as male officers**

**Coed environment prepares **
**me for the AF**

**It is difficult for a woman to be **
**feminine and professional**

**Male and female cadets **
**are equally effective leaders**

**Natural differences make **
**complete acceptance of women impossible**

## Gender Subscale Items by Class Year

**Percentage of Respondents that Agree**

**Women belong at USAFA.**

**Female officers are as **
**effective as male officers**

**Coed environment prepares **
**me for the AF**

**It is difficult for a woman to be **
**feminine and professional**

**Male and female cadets **
**are equally effective leaders**

**Natural differences make **
**complete acceptance of women impossible**

** ****Upperclass cadets report more troubling attitudes regarding gender issues than do 4****th**** classmen.**

## Discrimination Against Majority Items by Gender

**Percentage of Respondents that Agree**

**Some women get **
**leadership positions **
**because of gender**

**I question the criteria**
**when a woman gets the job**

**Female cadets are **
**less likely to**
**be held accountable for poor performance**

** ****Many male cadets believe women receive preferential treatment**

- Desired

## Summary of Findings regarding Gender Attitudes

**22% of male cadets believe women do not belong at USAFA – this number is much lower among 4****th**** class cadets (10%)**
**18% of male cadets believe female officers are less effective than male officers**
**Approximately 42% of **_**both**_** male and female cadets believe that women cannot be feminine and professional and that natural differences make the complete acceptance of women impossible**

** ****A significant number of male cadets have negative attitudes toward women at USAFA**
** ****Frequency of these negative attitudes is higher for upperclass cadets**
** ****Even female cadets struggle with the idea of women in leadership roles**

- Never

- Once

- Occasionally

- Frequently

- Almost
- every day

- More than
- once a day

- Positive Social Climate

**Sexual Jokes**
**Sexual Comments**
**Observed**
**Sexual Harassment**

**Frequency of Sexual Jokes/Comments and Observed Sexual Harassment**

- Frequency

**- ****Cadets hear sexual jokes and comments, but are less likely to equate with sexual harassment**

**Notes:**
This is where I believe we are making a difference. If there are problems in any of the areas, we want cadets to not fear reprisal for addressing them. 

**Sexual slurs, **
**comments, and **
**jokes are **_**not**_** used **
**By cadets**
**Sexually explicit**
**pictures are seen in**
**the common area **
**of my squadron**
**Sexual harassment**
**occurs in the **
**cadet wing**

**Sexually-Related Slurs, Pictures, and Sexual Harassment**

**Percentage of Respondents that Agree**

** ****Level of agreement on comments and jokes mirrors frequency of incidents.**
** ****Perception of sexual harassment outpaces reporting of personal observations**

**Notes:**
This is where I believe we are making a difference. If there are problems in any of the areas, we want cadets to not fear reprisal for addressing them. 

## Race Subscale Items by Minority Status

**Percentage of Respondents that Agree**

**When in charge, I make**
** ****other races work harder**

**Interracial dating is accepted.**

**Cadets should be free to associate with people of all races**

**Problems with people due to **
**personality, not race**

**Would jump chain to speak **
**with someone of own race**

**Have friends of a different race**

** ****Positive race climate at USAFA**

## Discrimination Against Majority Items by Minority Status

**Percentage of Respondents that Agree**

**Racial minorities have unfair advantage due to Affirmative Action**

**I question the criteria **
**when minority gets the job**

**Minority cadets are held accountable**

**Minority cadets get positions**
** ****because of minority status**

**- Despite positive race climate, some differences in perceptions exist**

## Frequency of Racial Jokes/Comments 

- Never

- Once

- Occasionally

- Frequently

- Almost
- every day

- More than
- once a day

- Positive Social Climate

**Racial Jokes**
**Racial **
**Comments**

- Frequency

**- Slightly lower frequency of racial jokes/comments compared to sexual jokes/comments**

**Notes:**
This is where I believe we are making a difference. If there are problems in any of the areas, we want cadets to not fear reprisal for addressing them. 

## Fear of Reprisal Subscale Items by Gender

**Percentage of Respondents that Agree**

**Would **_**not**_** confront **
**harassment or discrimination**
**due to negative treatment**

**Would **_**not**_** report **
**harassment or discrimination **
**due to negative treatment**

**More important to be **
**accepted than to report**

**Would **_**not**_** confront due to **
**fear of ostracism**

**Would **_**not**_** report due to **
**fear of ostracism**

- Positive Social Climate

**- 20-25% of women fear reprisal for reporting incidents of harassment/discrimination**

## Fear of Reprisal Subscale Items by Minority Status

**Percentage of Respondents that Agree**

**Would**_** not**_** confront **
**harassment or discrimination**
**due to negative treatment**

**Would **_**not**_** report **
**harassment or discrimination **
**due to negative treatment**

**More important to be **
**accepted than to report**

**Would **_**not**_** confront due to **
**fear of ostracism**

**Would **_**not**_** report due to **
**fear of ostracism**

- Positive Social Climate

**- Slightly less fear of reprisal for reporting racial harassment/discrimination than gender harassment/discrimination**

## Intercollegiate Subscale Items by Intercollegiate Status

**Percentage of Respondents that Agree**

**IC athletes have unfair **
**access to EI**

**   ****No difference in professionalism**
** ****between IC and non**

**ICs get breaks on classroom performance**

**ICs unfairly receive special   **
**privileges**

**ICs are involved in and **
**support squadrons**

**ICs unfairly downgraded **
**on military performance**

**Non-athletes believe special treatment is given to athletes**
**Athletes believe they are unfairly downgraded**

## Alcohol Outcomes Comparison by Age and Gender

**Percentage** **of Respondents that Agree**

**Drank since arrival**
** ****at USAFA**

***Consumed alcohol **
**in last 30 days**

***Have negatively **
**impacted someone**

**Have been negatively **
**Impacted by drinking**
**of other cadets**

**Observed other cadets being negatively**
** ****impacted by drinking**
** ****of other cadets**

- _Note_:  Negatively impacted includes being awakened, disrupted study, hurting or assaulting someone, etc.

- *Percentages for these items are a percentage of cadets who drank alcohol since they came to USAFA.

## Alcohol Outcomes Comparison by Class Year

**Percentage of Respondents that Agree**

**Drank since arrival**
** ****at USAFA**

***Consumed alcohol **
**in last 30 days**

***Have negatively **
**impacted someone**

**Have been negatively **
**Impacted by drinking**
**of other cadets**

**Observed Other cadets being negatively**
** ****impacted by drinking**
** ****of other cadets**

- _Note_:  Negatively impacted includes being awakened, disrupted study, hurting or assaulting someone, etc.

- *Percentages for these items are a percentage of cadets who drank alcohol since they came to USAFA.

## Alcohol Outcomes by Class Year for Cadets Under the Legal Drinking Age

**Percentage** **of Respondents that Agree**

**Drank since arrival**
** ****at USAFA**

***Consumed alcohol **
**in last 30 days**

***Have negatively **
**impacted someone**

**Have been negatively **
**Impacted by drinking**
**of other cadets**

**Observed Other cadets being negatively**
** ****impacted by drinking**
** ****of other cadets**

- _Note_:  Negatively impacted includes being awakened, disrupted study, hurting or assaulting someone, etc.

- *Percentages for these items are a percentage of cadets who drank alcohol since they came to USAFA.

## Summary of Findings regarding Alcohol Outcomes

**Cadets self-reported 38% underage drinking rate**
**Highest underage drinking reported by third classmen, suggesting initial drinking at USAFA occurs during latter part of fourth class year or early part of third class year **
**Although few cadets report that they have negatively impacted others, a significant number of cadets report that other cadets have negatively impacted them**
**A greater number of women than men indicate that they have been negatively impacted by the drinking of other cadets**

##  Alcohol in the Cadet Dorms

**Desired **

**I would drink alcohol in the dorms if I felt that I wouldn’t get caught**
**Other cadets would drink alcohol in the dorms if they felt that they wouldn’t get caught**
**I drink, or have drunk, alcohol in the dorms**
**Other cadets drink alcohol in the dorms **

**Percentage of respondents that agree**

** ****Perception of activity outpaces self-reporting**
** ****Steady increase in drinking in dorms by class year **

##  Availability of Alcohol and Illegal Drugs

**Desired **

**I would provide alcohol to cadets under the age of 21 if I felt that I wouldn’t get caught**
**Other cadets provide alcohol to cadets under the age of 21**
**I’ve been offered illegal drugs by other cadets **

**Percentage of respondents that agree**

** ****Perception of alcohol availability outpaces self-reporting**
** ****3% to 7% of cadets offered illegal drugs by other cadets**

##  Confronting Problem Drinking by Class Year

**Desired **

**I would confront another cadet for unlawful drinking***
**I would confront another cadet for inappropriate drinking****
**Other cadets would **
**confront another cadet **
**for unlawful drinking**
**Other cadets would **
**confront another cadet for inappropriate drinking**

**Percentage of respondents that agree**

** ****Upperclass leadership lacking in this area**
** ****More likely to confront inappropriate than unlawful drinking**

- *Unlawful Drinking (e.g., drinking under age)
- **Inappropriate Drinking (e.g., drinking in the dorms)

## Influence of Social Norms on Alcohol-related Behavior

**People want to belong, to be accepted**
**They are willing to conform to the behavior of others in order to gain acceptance**
**Individuals make decisions about their own behavior based on their **_**perceptions**_** of others’ behavior**
**Unfortunately, their perceptions of others’ alcohol use can be greatly exaggerated**
**Consequently, cadets may drink to excess in an attempt to align their behavior with their perceptions of others’ behavior**
**Providing cadets with accurate data regarding the social norms surrounding alcohol use can decrease cadets’ alcohol use**

##  Condonation of Violations ofCadet Wing Standards

**If a cadet is in violation of cadet wing standards*, I would bring it to his/her attention**
**If a**** ****cadet is in violation of cadet wing standards, other cadets would bring it to his/her attention**
**If I brought a violation of cadet wing standards to a cadet’s attention, I would be ostracized by the cadet or other cadets**
**If a cadet brought a violation of cadet wing standards to another cadet’s attention, he/she would be ostracized by the cadet or other cadets **

**Percentage of respondents that agree**

** ****Class of 07 holds higher ideals **

- *Violation of Standards (e.g., hair length/color/style, uniform, hands in uniform pockets, etc.)

##  Toleration of Suspected Honor Code Violations

**If I suspect another cadet of violating the honor code, I would talk to the cadet about the suspected honor violation**
**Cadets will confront other cadets if they suspect a violation of the cadet honor code**
**If I brought a suspected violation of the honor code to the attention of a suspected cadet, I would be ostracized by the cadet or other cadets**
**Cadets that confront other cadets for suspected violations of the honor code are ostracized by the cadet or other cadets**

**Percentage of respondents that agree**

** ****Class of 07 holds higher ideals**
** ****Less tolerant of honor violations than other infractions**

## Trust and Confidence in Current USAFA Leadership by Gender

**High Trust **
**and Confidence**

**Superintendent**

**Commandant of Cadets**

**Dean of Faculty**

**Vice Commandant **
**of Cadets**

**Director of Athletics**

**34****th**** Training Group **
**Commander**

**- Cadets express strong trust and confidence in their leaders**

## Trust and Confidence in Current USAFA Leadership by Gender

**High Trust **
**and Confidence**

**AOCs**

**MTLs**

**Faculty**

**Wing and Group **
**Staff**

**Cadet Squadron **
**Leadership**

**- Cadets express strong trust and confidence in their leaders**

## Trust and Confidence in Current USAFA Leadership by Class

**High Trust **
**and Confidence**

**Superintendent**

**Commandant of Cadets**

**Dean of Faculty**

**Vice Commandant **
**of Cadets**

**Director of Athletics**

**34****th**** Training Group **
**Commander**

## Trust and Confidence in Current USAFA Leadership by Class

**High Trust **
**and Confidence**

**AOCs**

**MTLs**

**Faculty**

**Wing and Group **
**Staff**

**Cadet Squadron **
**Leadership**

**- Upperclass cadets report less trust and confidence in leadership than 4****th**** classmen**

## Trust and Confidence in Current USAFA Leadership by Group

**High Trust **
**and Confidence**

**AOCs**

**MTLs**

**Faculty**

**Cadet Wing and **
**Group Staff**

**Cadet Squadron **
**Leadership**

**- Some disparity with 3****rd**** Group AOCs**

## Perceptions of Safety

**High Perception **
**of Safety**

**Terrazzo at night**

**Parking lots**

**Squadron at night**

**Room at night**

**Running at USAFA**

**Summer programs**

**Summer programs away **

**Squadron daytime**

** ****Cadets feel very safe at USAFA**
** ****Women are most concerned about walking in from parking lots at night**

## Trust and Confidence in Sexual Assault Response by Gender

**Percentage of Respondents that Agree**

**Trust and confidence**
**In the OSI**

**Trust and Confidence that ART will properly investigate**

**Current senior leadership **
**makes efforts to prevent or **
**stop unwanted sexual attention**

**Trust and Confidence that ART will provide victim care**

**High Trust **
**and Confidence**

## I know how to report a suspected incident of sexual assault

**Percentage of Respondents that Agree**

** ****1 in 6 cadets do not know how to report a sexual assault **
** ****Third class female cadets show greatest confusion**

- Desired

## What  would prevent you from reporting a sexual assault?

**Percent** **of Respondents**

**Note:  Respondents could mark multiple responses to this item**

** ****Third class women show greatest concern about consequences of reporting and lowest level of willingness to report **

**Desired**

## Comparison with GAO Survey Data

**GAO conducted a web-based survey of cadets and faculty in Feb-Mar 03**
**Areas assessed included academic and military programs, honor code, discrimination and harassment, and perceptions of preferential treatment**
**GAO reported that 35% of USAFA cadets and faculty said the honor code is practiced as it is taught “to little or no extent.”**
**Climate survey data suggest that many cadets would not confront another cadet who they suspected had violated the honor code – this reflects a failure to practice what is taught**

## Comparison with GAO Survey Data

**USAFA Social Climate data reinforce GAO findings on perceptions of preferential treatment for women, minorities, and athletes **
**GAO found that both cadets and faculty perceive that preferential treatment is given**
**Perceptions of preferential treatment are higher for admissions decisions than for general treatment**
**Men/women, Caucasian/minority, and Athletes/non-athletes have differing perceptions of preferential treatment**
**Both GAO and USAFA Social Climate data indicate that race climate is better than gender climate at USAFA**
**79% said atmosphere for minorities is good or excellent (GAO)**
**57% said atmosphere for women is good or excellent (GAO)**

## Comparison with DoD/IG Survey Data

**DoD/IG administered survey to women in USAFA classes of 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 in May 03**
**Areas assessed by DoD/IG that were also assessed in Supt’s Social Climate Assessment included safety, sexual harassment, confidence that senior leaders are making efforts to stop sexual harassment and assault, and reasons for not reporting a sexual assault**
**Safety**
**DoD/IG, Cadet Wing, and Prep School surveys indicate strong perceptions of safety**
**All surveys show respondents feel least safe walking in from parking lots and outside at night**
** **

## Comparison withDoD/IG Survey Data

**Sexual Harassment**
**DoD IG Survey indicated that 69% of women have received unwanted sexual attention in the form of sexual teasing, jokes or remarks**
**USAFA Supt’s Climate Survey data indicate that 69% of cadet women and 75% of cadet men have heard sexual jokes occasionally or frequently**
**65% of cadet women and 70% of cadet men have heard sexual comments occasionally or frequently**
**Confidence in Leadership**
**The DoD/IG Survey and the USAFA Supt’s Climate Surveys indicate that respondents have high confidence in their leaders’ efforts to stop uninvited and unwanted sexual attention.**

## Comparison with DoD/IG Survey Data

**Reasons for Not Reporting**
**DoD/IG Survey identified fear of ostracism (32%), concerns ****about being punished for other infractions (26%), and beliefs that nothing would be done (14%) as the primary reasons **_**victims**_** did not report their assaults**
**USAFA Supt’s Climate Survey data identified concerns about revealing incriminating information (41%), fear of ostracism (36%), and feeling that no one would believe your word over the word of the perpetrator (31%) as the primary reasons **_**all women**_** would not report an assault if it happened to them**
**Men in the USAFA survey expressed some concerns about revealing incriminating information (32%), fear of ostracism (12%), and feeling that no one would believe your word over the word of the perpetrator (14%) as well **

- Note: For both surveys, percentages may sum to >100% because respondents
- were allowed to select more than one response for this question.

## Comparisons with USAFA Preparatory School Data

**In general, attitudes of cadet candidates mirror those of 4****th**** class cadets at USAFA**
**For example, 11% of male cadet candidates believe women do not belong at the Preparatory School. This compares to 10% of 4****th**** class males and 22% of male cadets overall.**
**Findings regarding race climate at Prep School differ from USAFA**
**At Prep School, Caucasian cadets (who are the minority), report greater concern about reprisal than racial minority cadets**
**C/Cs self-reported 12% underage drinking rate**
**Lower overall rate than underage cadets (38%)**
**Higher rate than 4****th**** classmen with similar time at USAFA (3%) **
**In contrast to USAFA data, older C/Cs report greater intention to confront others who violate standards**

## Conclusions

**Results of this survey along with other data points indicate we have problems at USAFA**
_**Areas of greatest concern**_**:  Condonation and Toleration, Alcohol, Gender climate, Sexual Harassment, Knowledge of Sexual Assault Reporting Procedures, and Trust and Confidence in Responses to Sexual Assault Reports**
**Data suggest that cadets enter USAFA with more positive attitudes than upperclassmen and greater intention to uphold standards, but that these attitudes may fade over time**
**Results provide insight for redesigning programs to improve climate**
**New and improved programs are underway to address concerns about Alcohol, Gender, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Assault Reporting Procedures (e.g., ART breakfasts with each cadet squadron)**

## Way Ahead

**USAFA senior leaders have declared war on our corrosive social climate **
**To affect change, each of us recognize these problems and seize the opportunity to do what's right**
**We must unite in purpose and passion**
**We must **_**refuse to tolerate**_** violations of standards, inappropriate and unlawful use of alcohol, dishonorable behavior, and cynicism**
**We must lead by example**
**We must never lose faith in each other or in the institution we serve**

## I n t e g r i t y  -  S e r v i c e  -  E x c e l l e n c e

***I n t e g r i t y  -  S e r v i c e  -  E x c e l l e n c e***