In a sharp decline over the past two years, nearly six in 10 Republicans believe colleges and universities have a negative impact on the U.S., according to the latest survey by the Pew Research Center.
While 55 percent of Americans overall have a positive view of colleges/universities, 58 percent of Republicans hold a negative attitude — a stunning 13-point change from 2016 and 21-point change from 2015, according to Pew.
Last year, 45 percent of Republicans had a negative view of institutions of higher education. Less than two years ago — September 2015 — 54 percent of Republicans held a positive outlook on colleges/universities compared to 37 percent negative.
Other results from Pew's research on the country's institutions:
- 73 percent of Republicans have a positive outlook on churches/religious organizations.
- 59 percent overall have a positive outlook on churches/religious organizations.
- 85 percent of Republicans have a negative outlook on the national news media compared to 63 percent overall of those surveyed.
- Just 39 percent overall have a positive view on banks, while 46 percent of Republicans are positive.
The majority of Republicans holding a negative view on colleges/universities marks the first time that has happened since the question was first asked in 2010.
"Among Republicans, there is an ideological gap in views of the impact of colleges and universities and other institutions: Nearly two-thirds of conservative Republicans (65 percent) say colleges are having a negative impact, compared with just 43 percent of moderate and liberal Republicans," Pew wrote.
The Pew analysis is based on telephone interviews conducted June 8-18 among a national sample of 2,504 adults, 18 years of age or older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The error attributable to sampling that would be expected at the 95 percent level of confidence is plus or minus 2.3 percentage points.
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