By analyzing data from EBI’s AFA/EBI Fraternity/Sorority Assessment, researcher Larry Long was able to explore how fraternity members of differing sexual orientations reported their experience.
The depth of questioning characteristic of EBI’s many student affairs and education assessments provides a wealth of data from which important insights and gains may be made. As this study, published in Oracle: The Research Journal of the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors, demonstrates, sometimes one must simply ask the right question to be able to better understand some of the unique manifestations of the college experience.
The purpose of this study was to explore if GBQ fraternity members report different levels of personal gains, alcohol use, leadership experience, and satisfaction as a result of their fraternity experience compared to heterosexual members.
Previous research found an unwelcoming environment may hinder the identity development of college students. Furthermore, studies revealed gay, bisexual, and questioning (GBQ) students may encounter a hostile environment in college fraternities.
In the present study, the researcher sampled 286 GBQ and 286 heterosexual fraternity members from the aggregate results of the campuses that used the AFA/EBI Fraternity/Sorority Assessment in 2009 or 2010. Educational Benchmarking, Inc. developed the instrument in partnership with the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA). The survey measured background characteristics, learning outcomes, and satisfaction with the fraternity/sorority experience (AFA/EBI Assessment Committee, 2010). An item on the instrument prompted respondents to report their sexual orientation. The response categories were “Heterosexual,” “Unsure or Questioning,” and “Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transsexual.” This item made the Fraternity/Sorority Assessment survey an appropriate instrument for answering the research question of this study.
The researcher conducted rank-based analyses of variance to assess the differences in personal gains, alcohol use, leadership experience, and satisfaction of fraternity members by sexual orientation. Results revealed heterosexual fraternity members reported greater gains as a result of their fraternity experience for the majority of the personal gains measures. There were no differences in alcohol use, leadership experience, and satisfaction of fraternity members by sexual orientation.
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