Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies

Diversity, Pressure, and Divisions on the University of Pennsylvania Campus

Michelle Shain, Fern Chertok, Graham Wright, Shahar Hecht, Annette Koren, Richard J. Gelles (University of Pennsylvania), Leonard Saxe

October 2016

UPenn report coverThis report is part of a program of research focusing on Jewish undergraduates and their experiences of antisemitism and anti-Israel hostility on campuses. It is the second in a series of reports on select campuses, and focuses on the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), historically, the most welcoming to Jewish students of all Ivy League schools. Based on a survey of both Jewish and non-Jewish students, the study presents a snapshot of the characteristics of Penn undergraduates in the 2015-16 academic year. It explores the intersection of racial, ethnic, and religious identities, gender, and sexual orientation, intergroup interactions, experiences of discrimination, and feelings of safety and belonging on campus in the context of the larger campus climate.

The findings presented are based on a survey administered to a random sample of 2,500 undergraduates drawn from a list of students ages 18 or older provided by the Registrar. The response rate (AAPOR RR2) was 44.7% with 1,113 eligible undergraduates responding to the survey.

Student Characteristics

Experiences on Campus