SUvIM ARY

FIND IN G S
from the 1 ^96 Surveys of Presidents and C hief Academ ic Officers

Program for Health and Higher Education

Association of American Colleges and Universities

 ABOUT HIV AND
HIGHER EDUCATION,
MOST PRESIDENTS SAY:
It is very important or essential that students learn about HIV in their academic coursework (71 percent).

It is likely or highly likely that students graduating from their institutions will have engaged in some
study of HIV in courses taken for credit (63 percent).

A typical student receiving a degree at their institutions would have learned about HIV in the co-
curriculum (92 percent; while 8 percent, representing a combined enrollment of 483,339, say that is
unlikely or highly unlikely).

They would welcome support and/or consultation to mount efforts to incorporate learning about HIV
in the curriculum (57 percent).

They want more students to learn about HIV in their coursework.

AND MOST CHIEF

ACADEMIC OFFICERS SAY:
It is very important or essential that students learn about HIV in their academic coursework (60 percent).

They see benefits in including HIV and health-related topics in the curriculum (84 percent).

Their institution has at least one course unit devoted to HIV (78 percent; while one in five reports
that their institution offers at least one full course devoted to HIV).

The study of HIV and related health issues in the curriculum will serve their faculty, students, and
community and has potential for helping achieve important institutional goals (84 percent).

Leadership for increasing attention to HIV and health in the curriculum will come from faculty and
academic departments.
 THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

PROGRAM FOR HEALTH

AND HIGHER EDUCATION
SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
FROM THE 1996 SURVEYS OF PRESIDENTS
AND CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS

The Program for Health and Higher Education (PHHE) is an AAC&U initiativesupported by the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its goal is to provide the leadership, through a coordi
nated set of activities, to enable American colleges and universities to improve undergraduate education
by integrating issues of HIV and health into the curriculum. Activities in the first phase of this initia
tive involved conducting focus group discussions, individual interviews, a literature review, and two na
tional surveys to gauge interest, assess the current situation, and inform planning activities.

This is a brief report of the findings of two national surveys conducted during spring semester 1996, with
follow-up activities during summer and early fall 1996. The first survey was mailed to presidents; the
seconda more extensive questionnaire that required on-campus data collectionwas mailed to chief
academic officers (CAOs). The sample consisted of the 670 members of AAC&U, plus institutions in
the AAC&.U database that grant baccalaureate degrees. (Community colleges that arc not AAC&lU
members are being surveyed by the American Association of Community Colleges.)

All in all, 520 of 1,292 presidents surveyed, or 40 percent, responded to the survey. These presidents
represent institutions with combined total student enrollments of 3,059,578.
Regarding CAOs, 294 of 1,292 surveyed, or 23 percent, responded. These CAOs represent institu
tions with combined total enrollments of 1,749,368 students. (One hundred and thirty-two CAOs
were from institutions where presidents had also responded to the presidents survey.)
The 1,292 institutions surveyed enroll a total of 7,291,842 students. Responses reflect the distribution
of those surveyed by institutional type (Carnegie classification), control (public/private/religious affili
ation), location, and enrollment.

For both presidents and CAOs, random samples were selected for follow-up. For presidents, 74 percent
in the random sample completed responses. Of CAOs in the random sample, 58 percent responded.

The findings summarized here represent the random sample responses. As it happens, the distributions
of these results are similar to those of all survey respondents. Occasionally, results will be highlighted
with enrollment numbers. In these cases, the enrollments will reflect all respondents.

A complete report of the results will be included in a subsequent publication. PHHE staff will be happy
to respond to questions and to receive comments on the report and will, to the extent feasible, provide
results not contained in this brief summary.
WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNED...
Most presidents (71 percent)* and chief academic officers (60 percent) consider it very im
portant or essentiai that students learn about HIV in their academic coursework.
30 percent of presidents and 18 percent of CAOs say such study is essential; 41 percent of presi
dents and 43 percent of CAOs say it is very important."
5 percent of presidents and CAOs believe such study is unimportant; 23 percent of presidents and
25 percent of CAOs think it is somewhat important.

Most presidents (63 percent) and chief academic officers (57 percent) believe that it is
likely or highly likely that students graduating from their institutions will have engaged in
some study of HIV in courses taken for credit.
41 percent of presidents and 32 percent of CAOs report that such study is likely; 22 percent of pres
idents and 25 percent of CAOs say such study is highly likely.
31 percent of presidents and 25 percent of CAOs say that such study is unlikely; 4 percent of presi-
dents and 13 percent of CAOs report that it is highly unlikely.

A vast majority of presidents (92 percent) reports that a typical student receiving a degree
at their institutions would have learned about HIV in the co-curriculum, but one in twelve
says that is unlikely or highly unlikely.
43 percent of presidents think that such exposure is likely and 48 percent report that it is highly
likely."
1 percent of presidents think that exposure in the co-curriculum is highly unlikely, while 7 percent
report that it is unlikely.
Of all presidents responding, those reporting that it is unlikely or highly unlikely that a typical student
would have learned about HIV in the co-curriculum represent institutions with combined enrollments
totaling 483,339 students.

Chief academic officers (CAOs) who are not neutral on the question are evenly divided in their
assessment of the extent of faculty interest in including HIV and health in coursework.
10 percent of CAOs think few faculty would have such interest and another 19 percent report a less
than neutral response.
2 percent report that many faculty would be interested and another 27 percent report a greater than
neutral interest.
41 percent of CAOs indicate a neutral response.

CAOs who are not neutral on the question believe that students would seek courses involving
the study of HIV.
30 percent believe students would seek such courses.
13 percent think students would not respond to such courses.
56 percent of CAOs indicate a neutral response.

*A11 percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

Fewer than half of the presidents report that their institution is currently offering an academic
program or course focusing on HIV.
40 percent say they currently have an academic program or course.
a 35 percent report that they do not have an academic program or course at present.
25 percent of presidents did not respond or are unsure.

One in six presidents reports that his or her institution is currently planning an academic
course or program through which a substantial number of students will learn about HIV.
16 percent say their institution is planning a course.
60 percent indicate that no course is currently being planned.
24 percent of presidents did not respond or are unsure.

Many presidents want more students to learn about HIV in their coursework. About half of
presidents of institutions where students are not likely to be engaged in the study of HIV in
courses taken for credit think that it is very important or 'essential that students should
learn about HIV in their academic coursework.
45 percent of presidents who say it is now unlikely that students are engaged in some study of HIV
also believe that it is important or essential that they should be.
For all presidents responding, this represents a combined total enrollment of 490,402 students.

55 percent of presidents who report that students are not likely to be studying about HIV think that
such study is unimportant or somewhat important.
For all presidents responding, this represents a combined total enrollment of 523,939 students.

Overwhelmingly, CAOs see benefits In Including HIV and health-related topics in the curriculum.
84 percent see benefits; 8 percent indicate that they do not see benefits.
Half report they have direct experience to support their sense of the benefits. They note with greatest
frequency that they had seen HIV taught in a course and that many students are interested in tak
ing these courses.
The particular benefits CAOs most frequently mention in responding to an open-ended question in
clude increasing students awareness and the importance of HIV as a public health issue, as well as
the necessity that those studying for the health professions "know about HIV.

Regarding attention to HIV In courses offered at their institutions, a substantial majority (78
percent) of CAOs reports offering at least one course unit devoted to HIV. One In five reports
offering at least one full course devoted to HIV.
78 percent of CAOs report no full courses devoted to HIV; 22 percent report at least one full course.
22 percent of CAOs report no course units devoted to HIV.

Of the courses CAOs report, few mention HIV or AIDS in the titie.

Half of the courses CAOs cite are at the upper-division level; most are in departments of nurs
ing, biology, and physical education and in wellness programs.
CAOs see high potential for increasing attention to HIV and other health matters by adding
units to courses or programs.
Responding to a list of possible areas, courses, and programs, CAOs most frequently indicate promising
opportunities in the following areas: social sciences (38 percent), sciences (36 percent), freshman semi
nar (30 percent), education (30 percent), and health sciences (28 percent).

Very few CAOs see potential for the creation of full courses regarding HIV and other health
matters.
Responding to a list of possible areas, courses, and programs, CAOs see potential in the following areas:
health sciences (10 percent), sciences (7 percent), and freshman seminar (5 percent).

CAOs think that the study of HIV and related health issues in the curricuium wiil serve their
faculty, students, and community and has potential for helping achieve important goals.
These goals include:
understanding public policy issues (84 percent, with 41 percent saying quite significant),
raising issues of ethics and moral responsibility (83 percent; 41 percent quite significant),
focusing students attention on matters they must face (79 percent; 40 percent quite significant),
improving public health (79 percent; 37 percent quite significant),
understanding diversity issues (72 percent; 18 percent quite significant),
integrating subject matters and fields (70 percent; 21 percent quite significant"),
integrating curricular and co-curricular activities (68 percent; 18 percent quite significant),
engaging the interest of non-science majors in science (62 percent; 10 percent quite significant),
teaching principles in the disciplines (60 percent; 11 percent quite significant), and
serving the community (59 percent; 16 percent quite significant).

CAOs believe that leadership for increasing attention to HIV and health In the curriculum will
come from faculty and academic departments, more than from higher administration.
Answering an open-ended question about the sources of leadership for this initiative, CAOs note the
following, from most frequently mentioned sources to least:
22 percent of the responses indicate departments and department chairs, 21 percent note faculty, and
12 percent mention various.deans.
11 percent of the responses mention departments of student life/student affairs, 7 percent choose de
partments of student health, and 5 percent indicate students.
4 percent of the responses mention offices of academic affairs and 4 percent other colleges or profes
sional schools within the institution.
References to upper administration constitute 6 percent of all responses, with no CAO in the ran
dom sample writing president as a response.

CAOs indicate that one risk of their personally taking leadership in efforts to increase attention
to HIV and health in the curriculum is that the administration would be seen as too intrusive.
In response to this open-ended question, CAOs list improving the campus and improving the health
of the community as benefits that could come from their leadership. However, one in five mentions a
concern about being seen as too intrusive as a particular risk on a matter that is traditionally within
the facultys prerogative.
Individual research and development mini>grants, model syllabi and course materials, and funds
for summer study and planning are the forms of support CAOs think would be most helpful for
AAC&U to provide to faculty.
84 percent of CAOs indicate that mini-R&iD grants would be useful (52 percent rate these as quite
useful), 81 percent support model syllabi and course materials (51 percent rate these as quite use
ful), and 78 percent favor funds for group summer study and planning.
CAOs would welcome funds to purchase materials (76 percent), support for release time for course
and materials development (75 percent), and funds to support guest speakers (71 percent).
70 percent would find access to consultants useful, followed by regional faculty development work
shops (67 percent) and support to develop community service placements (65 percent).

Model syllabi, model student affairs/academic affairs collaborations, and regional workshops
on HIV in the curriculum are the most helpful forms of support CAOs think AAC&U could pro
vide to administrators.
75 percent of CAOs indicate that syllabi wt>uld be useful; 68 percent support regional workshops;
67 percent rate model student affairs/academic affairs collaborations as useful.
More than half of respondents list the following kinds of support as moderately useful or quite useful:
focusing on these topics at AAC&U conferences (57 percent),
establishing mentoring links to institutions with model curricula (56 percent),
forming national or regional consortia of institutions engaged in HIV-related curriculum develop
ment (56 percent),
issuing an association position paper stating the importance of attention t o HIV and related issues
(56 percent), and
publicizing the project in AAC&U publications (52 percent).

Presidents (59 percent) are interested in having help In mounting efforts to Incorporate learn
ing about HIV in the curriculum.
Most (57 percent) express interest in being considered for financial support and/or expert consultation.
Others (27 percent) indicate no present interest in or need for support.
A few (2 percent) make specific requests, while others (14 percent) give no opinion.

There are no statistically significant differences by Carnegie classification, institutional con

trol, enrollment, or location in the responses of presidents and CAOs concerning the level of
importance they attach to including the study of HIV in the curriculum.
There is a strong suggestion that leaders of public and private religiously affiliated insritiirions are more
likely to see such inclusion as important or essential. (That is, their responses are virtually identical,
while leaders of private institutions not religiously affiliated are more represented among those who see
this inclusion as either somewhat important or unimportant.)

These surveys were conducted by the Program for Health and Higher Education of the Association of American Colleges and
Universities in connection with Cooperative Agreement #U87/CCU312248 with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. The Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University assisted in data analysis and reporting. For further
information write to: PHHE, AACdiU, 1818 R Street NW, Washington, EXD 20009; e-mail burns@aacu.nw.dc.us;
http://www.aacu-edu.org.
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