NEW DIRECTIONS FOR INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH, no. 151, Fall 2011 © Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) • DOI: 10.1002/ir.401 7 The Utility of Using Mixed-Methods and Intersectionality Approaches in Conducting Research on Filipino American Students’ Experiences with the Campus Climate and on Sense of Belonging Dina C. Maramba, Samuel D. Museus The campus climate—the current attitudes, perceptions, and expectations on a given campus—can have a profound influence on college students’ experiences. For example, institutional climate, particularly around issues of race and ethnic diversity, has been statistically linked to student engage- ment, satisfaction, adjustment, persistence, and degree completion (Cabrera and others, 1999; Hurtado and Carter, 1997; Hurtado, Carter, and Spuler, 1996; Museus, Nichols, and Lambert, 2008; Nora and Cabrera, 1996). Importantly, campus climate can also influence the extent to which students feel they belong on their campus (Hurtado and Carter, 1997; Hurtado, Carter, and Spuler, 1996; Locks, Hurtado, Bowman, and Oseguera, 2008). If students feel they belong at their institution, they are more likely to succeed (Astin, 1975, 1984; Bean, 1980; Braxton, 2000; Braxton, Sullivan, and Johnson, 1997; Museus and Quaye, 2009; Tinto, 1987, 1993). It is therefore no surprise that many institutional leaders and researchers are concerned about whether their institutional climate fosters a sense of belonging among the undergraduate students whom they serve. Unfortunately, there is a plethora of existing literature that highlights the fact that college students of color often encounter an unwelcoming campus climate (Hurtado, 1992; Harper and Hurtado, 2007; Museus and In this chapter, the authors discuss the utility of using mixed- methods and intersectionality approaches to conducting research on campus climates and on sense of belonging. 93