Assessing Campus Climate: Results of NGLTF 20002001 Study

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Template design and some language provided
by Rankin Associates, Consulting
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College of Agriculture Life SciencesClimate
AssessmentApril 2002
CALS Diversity Team
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• The project is designed to foster change in the
  Land Grant University System.
• Eight states worked together to develop and
  implement a plan of action to address diversity
  in their institutions.
• Conduct an internal assessment of the current
  climate.
• In Arizona, the CALS Diversity Team and the CALS
  Millennium Oversight Committee to distribute the
  survey.

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Why conduct a climate assessment?

• To establish a baseline climate measurement
• To create a diverse, fair and hospitable
  community

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Commitment

• The College of Agriculture Life Sciences (CALS)
  is committed to creating an environment that is
  characterized by equal access for all students,
  faculty and staff regardless of
  differences.where individuals are
• not just tolerated..but valued.

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Assessment Process

• 1,070 surveys were distributed to all CALS
  faculty, staff, administrators
• 680 completed surveys were returned for a 64
  response rate
• 97 individuals offered additional comments

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Survey Respondents byPosition
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Survey Respondents by Gender
Note Number of transgender respondents too
small to report
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Survey Respondents by Race/Ethnicity
Note Includes multi-racial and multi-ethnic
identities
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Survey Respondents byAge
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Survey Respondents by Sexual Identity

• Heterosexual 593
• Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgendered 25
• Uncertain 11

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Findings
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Good News!

• 21 participated in diversity training in the
  past year
• 75 believed the workplace climate welcomed
  underrepresented groups
• 66 believed management demonstrated commitment
  to diversity
• 75 indicated the campus climate overall was
  accepting of groups listed
• 88 had rarely heard insensitive or disparaging
  remarks about various populations

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More Good News!!

• 50 believed the campus thoroughly addresses
  issues related to ethnicity, race, physical
  disability, gender, and English as a second
  language
• 50 agreed age, veteran status, socioeconomic
  status, religion, sexual orientation, mental
  disability, and gender identity were addressed
  thoroughly.

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Even More Good News!!!

• 39 made adjustments in programming strategies as
  a result of the increased diversity of clients in
  Arizona.
• The majority indicated they would feel
  comfortable being a close friend of, sharing an
  office with, and being supervised by people from
  groups listed.

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Challenges
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CHALLENGES

• 132 or 19.4 participants personally experienced
  harassment

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CHALLENGESPersonally experienced harassmentby
position
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CHALLENGESPersonally experienced
harassmentdue to
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CommentEach comment was made by a different
person and represents similar statements made by
5 or more people

• We with children at home are snubbed somewhat
  because work is not our life. We do not put in
  60-80 hours/week and therefore are not rewarded.
  I work to support my family. They are much more
  important than a paycheck.
• - a male agent -

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Comment
I have seen workers (mostly female)
penalized/reprimanded for taking off time to deal
with sick children. There is no real
availability of flex scheduling in our immediate
unit. - a female paraprofessional/technician -
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CHALLENGES Source of harassment
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Comment

• I was referred to as the token woman on our
  units faculty by the unit head and other senior
  faculty in front of all the other faculty. I
  ignored the heads comment but corrected the
  senior faculty member who subsequently made the
  same remark. I have felt isolated and ignored in
  faculty meetings (no one sits next to me my
  raised hand is passed over).
• - a campus female faculty member -

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CHALLENGES Form of Harassment
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Comment

• It seems to be fashionable among several
  administrators and faculty to be anti-political
  correctnessthese individuals make a point of
  being candid about their generalizations and
  stereotypes. One central administrator regularly
  makes insensitive remarks and has never really
  been seriously challenged on his behavior by his
  superiors. This has a rippling effect through
  the college.
• - a white male administrator -

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CHALLENGES Harassment occurred
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CHALLENGES

• 143 or 21 personally observed harassment

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CHALLENGES Observed harassment by position
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CHALLENGES Observed harassment by gender
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CHALLENGES Observed harassment by race
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Comment

• The tone of the conversation among colleagues
  made me feel uncomfortable because it seemed to
  imply that a person who does not look as though
  s/he belongs to a particular ethnic group should
  not claim that descent, or if they do they are in
  some way dishonest.
• - a Latina faculty member -

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CommentConversely

• CALS bends over backwards to hire not the most
  qualified person but someone who will help with
  the affirmative action mandates. Women are given
  tenure and promotion in cases where men would not
  receive it. Those of an ethnic background are
  given nearly a free pass and are kept on because
  of their birth not their performance.
• - a male agent -

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CHALLENGES Of the total respondents,21
observed harassment by sexual identity
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CALS MANAGEMENT

• 62 felt CALS leadership visibly fostered
  diversity
• 75 believed the workplace climate was welcoming
  for clients from underrepresented groups
• 66 believed management within their work units
  demonstrated a commitment to diversity
• 51 felt programming within CALS represented
  contributions from underrepresented groups
• 39 made adjustments in programming strategies as
  a result of increased diversity of clients across
  Arizona

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CALS EMPLOYEE ATTITUDES

• 80 feel comfortable being a close friend of,
  sharing an office with, or being supervised by
  people with the various groups listed
• 73 - person with HIV or AIDS
• 71 - openly gay man
• 70 - openly lesbian woman
• 70 - person with a mental illness
• 57 - transgender man or woman

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Comment

• I dont believe race, gender, ethnicity and
  sexual orientation are issues that generate a
  great deal of problems within this college. The
  real problems relate to what people do within the
  system. Prejudice pertaining to ones field of
  work or research orientation exists and has great
  impact on many employees since this type of
  prejudice impacts salary and eventually ones
  retirement security.
• - a campus faculty/specialist member -

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CALS EMPLOYEE ATTITUDESCALS adequately
addresses.

• Ethnicity 59
• Race 58
• Physical disability 57
• Gender 56
• English as a second language 52
• Age 49
• Veteran status 47
• Socioeconomic status 44
• Religion 43
• Sexual orientation 40
• Mental disability 37
• Gender identity 36

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CALS EMPLOYEE ATTITUDESUA campus climate is

• Friendly 45.1
• Welcoming 36.9
• Non-racist 35.9
• Respectful 34.0
• Cooperative 31.6
• Accessibility 31.5
• Non-sexist 30.6
• Competitive 29.3
• Communicative 29.0
• Non-homophobic 27.8
• Improving 27.2
• Concerned 26.6

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Summarizing the ChallengesWomen experienced or
observed harassment more often than men
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Summarizing the ChallengesA supervisor/administra
tor was themost common source
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Summarizing the Challenges

• Derogatory remarks were the
• most common occurrence

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Summarizing the ChallengesThe action most
commonly occurred in theon- and off-campus office
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Next Steps
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Respondents Suggestions toImprove CALS Climate

• Offer workshops and training for all employees
  dealing with other cultures, diversity, race and
  communication skills
• Increase recruitment and retention of
  administrators, faculty and staff from
  underrepresented groups (broader than race,
  ethnicity and gender)
• Administrators should develop more visible and
  vocal leadership on diversity issues
• Focus more attention to physical and
  psychological disability, gender identity, sexual
  orientation, and the perception and treatment of
  women, minority and bi-racial/multiracial
  employees.

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Comment

• I do strongly believe that a diverse workforce,
  whatever the category of diversity, makes for a
  much more rewarding experience.
• - Faculty -