Campuswide Climate Survey

Action Item (as stated with DEI strategic plan launch in 2016)

Using advanced methodology, we will conduct the first-ever Campus Climate Survey on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to help us understand faculty, staff and student perspectives and experiences related to work and study at the university. The resulting data will be used to assess the present campus climate, guide current and future decisions and provide a metric of accountability for change over time. Administered for the first time in 2016–2017, the climate survey will generate university- and unit-level data in a way that can be repeated to measure progress. The university-level sampling efforts will take place during Fall 2016, and census efforts will deploy beginning in Spring 2017 (staff) and continue in Fall 2017 (student and faculty). Data from the census efforts will be used to provide unit-level reports to the DEI planning units. Further, data will be collected at the end of Year Five to provide central administration as well as the 50 planning units with follow-up climate survey data against which to measure progress.

Progress Update
In keeping with our commitment to collect data at the start and finish of the five-year strategic planning process, we are collecting campuswide climate data in the current (2021–22) academic year. 

Planning for these surveys is underway, with a faculty advisory group guiding the process. A Year Five survey that will engage both a sampling and a census approach is scheduled to be fielded in Fall 2021. 

Derived from census survey data, all schools, colleges and units will receive follow-up student, faculty and staff reports to provide their planning unit with actionable climate data as they advance their unit-based DEI goals and initiatives and prepare to move into DEI 2.0. 

Going forward, our intention is to continue providing broad access to university-level data. For example, we will continue to make university-level sampling climate survey data available through public use data files, for access by the general public via direct download from the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR 37096) website or from the DEI website. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution. These efforts are supported through an ongoing partnership among ODEI, the Institute for Social Research (ISR) and the independent research firm SoundRocket.

Responsibility: Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion