Both students and faculty often have strong emotional reactions when the term "diversity" is used. Sometimes "diversity" is used to mean racial or ethnic differences, and at other times a more inclusive notion that involves differences in gender, class, religious beliefs, sexual preferences, intellectual abilities, learning styles, and other individual or group characteristics. 

When used in the context of an education that is multicultural, diversity can also refer to subject matter, teaching and learning goals, methods and technologies, assessment instruments and procedures, and other aspects of educational practice. Considering both the relatively narrow and broader views of diversity, does research provide evidence that supports the benefits of diversity? A few of the web resources and associated questions for research supporting diversity are as follows:

• New Research on The Benefits of Diversity in College and Beyond: An Empirical Analysis: How do the diversity experiences of students in college affect their interactions after leaving school?

• Who Benefits from Racial Diversity in Higher Education?: What effects does "cross-racial interaction" have on majority student attitudes, institutional climate, and long-term educational results?

• Perceptions of Faculty Behavior by Students of Color: What themes emerge from focus groups with undergraduate students of color regarding their perceptions of faculty behavior?