This report summarizes findings from three studies of college teachers' and students' attitudes toward and experiences with racial and ethnic diversity, which are based on surveys of faculty at leading U.S. research universities; a survey of faculty at Macalester College (Minnesota); and a case study of three interactive, multiracial/multiethnic classrooms at the University of Maryland, College Park. Empirical evidence from the three studies offers strong educational reasons for universities to recruit and admit diverse student populations. The study found that: over two-thirds of faculty surveyed believed their universities valued racial and ethnic diversity; nearly all indicated that neither the quality of students nor the intellectual substance of class discussion suffered from diversity; faculty believed that diversity helped all students achieve academically; and most faculty felt well-prepared to teach diverse students and comfortable doing so. Women faculty, politically liberal faculty, and minority faculty had the most positive views of the benefits of diversity. Most U.S. liberal arts colleges have as a core mission a range of developmental outcomes that emphasize social, personal, and ethical goals, and over half have tolerance and diversity as central to their missions. Both faculty and students believed that the broader range of ideas and perspectives brought by diverse students increased the educational possibilities of classrooms and enhanced educational outcomes. (SM)