This dissertation is a study of student race relations on a university campus and tests the opportunity hypothesis in a university setting. Research has determined that students benefit most from interactional diversity (i.e. ongoing and meaningful contact across race lines) in areas such as critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and improved self-concept. While scholars agree on the benefits of interactional diversity, there has been limited research on the most effective ways to facilitate it.

The literature suggests that students living in racially diverse residence halls are more likely to interact cross-racially than students living in predominantly White residence halls. An additional factor that contributes to students' experiences on campus is the college classroom. Research suggests that students exposed to diversified curriculums and an active pedagogy, regardless of the course content, exhibit higher levels of academic achievement, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, civic participation, and cultural awareness. Most importantly, for the purposes of this study, research has shown that opportunities for interaction in the classroom have proven to contribute to interactional diversity outside of the classroom.

Using Michigan State University as a case study, this dissertation aims to identify the patterns and settings that promote and deter interactional diversity in a campus setting by focusing on the role of residence halls and classroom environment in students' interactions across race lines. A 10-minute online survey was developed and distributed to all undergraduate students currently living in a residence hall on the campus of Michigan State University (n=13,935) between November and December 2006. The primary dependent variable for this study was the Interactional Diversity scale—a 10-point scale that addresses the frequency with which respondents engaged in a variety of activities with students of different racial backgrounds (alpha=.916). Survey participation was representative, and results are generalizable, to the on-campus population of undergraduates at Michigan State University.

This research led to several key findings: (1) Levels of interactional diversity differ significantly between racial groups. Levels of interactional diversity among White students were more easily influenced than for other students. Among students of color, Black students were the least likely to engage in interactional diversity. Mixed Race students were the most likely to engage in interactional diversity. This finding is a new contribution to the literature which has largely excluded this population of students. (2) From this study is that levels of interactional diversity are significantly affected by first-year roommates for all students. This is especially true for White and Asian students who are more likely to engage in interactional diversity if their first-year roommate is not someone that they requested and of a different racial background. (3) Results confirm that the classroom is a critical component of the interactional diversity puzzle. The Classroom Experience scale in this dissertation—which accounts for both curriculum and pedagogy—proved to be a significant predictor of interactional diversity for all students. The implications of these findings are discussed. The limitations of this study and suggestions for future research are also outlined.