The 2018 campus climate survey is available for students and staff to complete, with a prize incentive for students who participate. The survey is a tool the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion use to gauge how comfortable different students are on campus.
“We need to see if people are having different experiences based on who they are,” Christina Lunceford, assistant to the president of Diversity and Inclusion, said.
The goal of the survey is to obtain an understanding of how students of different identities are treated on campus. The Office of the President is hoping to see that the University is a good environment for all types of students, and all students feel they have a place where they belong.
There are two separate surveys: one for students to complete and one for faculty and staff. In 2015, a campus climate survey was sent to the faculty and staff of the University, but this is the first time students will be taking the survey.
“It is extremely important we learn about our campus community so we can make informed decisions about what we are doing well, what we need to improve on and where we should direct our resources,” President Rodney Rogers said in an email to students.
The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will be sending out the survey every three years and will use other methods to gather qualitative data about the campus climate during the off years.
Lunceford said they will be using the data from the survey to determine types of training programs the staff should undergo and where the University should be directing its resources. They also plan to use the data for recruitment and retainment.
The survey is part of the strategic planning initiative the University adopted under former president Mary Ellen Mazey. It has since been passed on to President Rogers.
President Rogers has been hosting forums throughout the month of April to introduce the University community to his plans during his time as president.
The campus climate survey falls under the fifth strategic goal for the 2017-2018 academic year. This goal is to “build a campus community that fosters diversity and inclusion.”
Some other components of this goal include increasing recruitment and retainment of underrepresented and diverse students, developing programs centered on diversity and inclusion and educating the campus community on the importance of diversity.
The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is hoping that 30 to 35 percent of students will respond to the survey, but an even larger response would be better. This year’s survey will serve as a benchmark for the next survey to see how the University has improved or not.
Those who complete the survey will have the opportunity to enter into a raffle to win an iPad, and residence halls will be hosting competitions for completion of the survey by floor. The survey is open until April 24.
