In early 2007, Campus Tolerance Foundation and Public Agenda selected FDR Research to conduct a Pilot Test at three universities - Berkeley, Columbia and Michigan State University - in order to gauge the level of tolerance on college campuses. The research at each university included background interviews, focus groups with students and an online survey. A total of 1039 students were interviewed anonymously. Below, Marcella Rosen of Campus Tolerance Foundation describes some of the more noteworthy findings from that Pilot Test.

There have been a number of reports of bias incidents on college campuses. It seemed essential, then, to find a way to check on the level of tolerance at each college. We conducted a Pilot Test at three universities - Michigan State, University of California-Berkeley, and Columbia - to develop a template to be used across the country.

The results of this Pilot Test were disturbing. Students unexpectedly reported that women's safety on campus was a major issue. They also reported a surprising amount of intolerance against minority groups. Below are some of the findings related to the issue of women's safety on campus:

Likelihood of Date Rape and Sexual Harassment on Campus

• 48% of all students surveyed said it was "very likely" or "somewhat likely" that a female could be the victim of a date rape on their campus. The results varied widely by school: 65% at Michigan State University, 40% at Berkeley and 39% at Columbia.

• 40% of all the respondents said it was "very likely" or "somewhat likely" that females would be sexually harassed on campus (MSU 59%, Columbia 30%, Berkeley 30%).

Are Women Taken Seriously in Class?

• 16% of the students believed that female students would be taken less seriously in the classroom than their male peers (MSU 22%, Berkeley 15%, Columbia 11%).

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Acceptance

• 77% of students reported their campus is open and accepting of GLBT students (Columbia 87%, Berkeley 84%, MSU 62%). However, when asked whether being GLBT would hurt a student's chances of being elected student body president, 34% said it would.

• 46% of students said they had seen graffiti or heard verbal insults directed at GLBT on their campus (MSU 53%, Columbia 47%, Berkeley 38%).

We are not the only group to have found evidence of a problem with date rape and sexual assault on campus. The AAUW and the U.S. Defense Department, among others, have corroborating data. Although specific incidents have been in the news on occasion, the general subject of women's physical safety on campus has not had major media attention. There is not much awareness of the problem.

Intolerance on campus must be exposed and addressed. It is imperative that we make colleges a place where all students - male and female - are treated fairly and respectfully and are safe and comfortable. They are not only our sons and daughters but also our future leaders. We need to ensure that they absorb American values and reach their potential.

For a full report, click here.