Project History

Goals

Assessing the climate at MU is critical for us to be able to improve our learning and working environment.

MU has conducted periodic climate studies since 2001, and plans were in the works in spring 2015 to conduct a new survey. At the same time, the University of Missouri–Kansas City was also planning to conduct a climate survey. In order to leverage resources and gain valuable information from all campuses, the University of Missouri System decided in spring 2016 to expand the survey to all four UM System campuses and system administration offices. The Systemwide Climate Study Team, consisting of representatives from all campuses, began meeting in June to develop plans for survey administration.

Participation

Every response matters and is valuable in providing the most beneficial feedback and results. Units with large numbers of staff without regular access to computers, such as Campus Facilities, Residential Life and Campus Dining Services, made plans to accommodate staff in computer labs and by providing laptops in breakrooms and work areas. Paper surveys are also available, and respondents will be able to mail the survey to the consultant in a prepaid envelope.

To encourage participation, a weekly drawing was held to award prizes, including gift certificates to The Mizzou Store and Starbucks, six iPad minis, and free parking for a year from Parking & Transportation Services.

What comes next?

MU is analyzing this data and formulating an action plan to address issues and replicate successes. Improving campus climate is constant work, and it requires the commitment and engagement of the entire MU community. Follow our progress.

Survey Team

Professor Susan Rankin, Principal, Rankin & Associates Consulting
Rankin is a faculty member in education policy studies and college student affairs at Pennsylvania State University and a senior research associate at the Center for the Study of Higher Education. She has extensive experience in institutional climate assessment and institutional climate transformation based on data-driven action and strategic planning. Rankin has conducted multi-location institutional climate studies at other university systems across the country.

Emil Cunningham, Senior Research Associate, Rankin & Associates Consulting
Emil L. Cunningham has worked in higher education since 2004, most recently overseeing research initiatives and projects in the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs at The Pennsylvania State University. Cunningham also received his Ph.D. in higher education from Penn State. His research focuses on sense of belonging, institutionally designated safe space and the lived experiences of students of color.

Campus Climate Steering Committee:

Shelby Anderson
Noor Azizan-Gardner
Joshua Bolton
Kathryn Chval
Angela Dahman
Sean Earl
Ellen Eardley
Mardy Eimers
Marlo Goldstein-Hode
Ashli Grabau
Laura Hacquard
Berkley Hudson
Christa Keers
Stephanie Kubas
David Mitchell
Pat Okker
Becky Stafford
Niki Stanley
Ben Trachtenberg
Tara Warne-Griggs
Tiffanesha Williams
Donell Young

Why is Mizzou conducting a climate survey?
Assessing the climate at MU is critical for us to be able to improve our learning and working environment.

MU has conducted periodic climate studies since 2001, and plans were in the works in Spring 2015 to conduct a new survey. At the same time, the University of Missouri–Kansas City was also planning to conduct a climate survey. In order to leverage resources and gain valuable information from all campuses, the University of Missouri System decided in Spring 2016 to expand the survey to all four UM System campuses and system administration offices. The Systemwide Climate Study Team, consisting of representatives from all campuses, began meeting in June to develop plans for survey administration.

Who will be conducting the survey?
Rankin & Associates Consulting was selected to conduct the survey for the University of Missouri System. The consultant has administered climate assessments to more than 150 institutions across the nation, including the University of California and University of Wisconsin systems.

Survey administration is being supported by the Systemwide Climate Study Team and MU Campus Climate Survey Steering Committee, which consists of faculty, staff and student representatives from various constituent groups at MU.

What will be done with data from the results?
Rankin & Associates will analyze the data and provide an executive summary, as well as the full report, to the entire campus community and UM System constituencies. All campus stakeholders — students, faculty and staff — will be invited to participate in the development of post-survey action initiatives.

Past climate surveys have resulted in the creation of the chief diversity officer position, Chancellor’s Diversity Initiative and Equity Office, which was one of the first in the nation to track bias incidents on campus. All of these areas, plus the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX, are now part of the Division of Inclusion, Diversity & Equity (IDE).

Other important developments include the creation of a domestic partner benefit policy and the inclusion of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression as part of the university’s non-discrimination policy. Past surveys also identified the critical need for the Black Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies programs to become full-fledged departments. Both programs are now departments within the College of Arts and Science.

Why was a non-MU researcher selected for the project?
In reviewing efforts by other universities to conduct comprehensive climate studies, several best practices were identified. One was the need for external expertise in survey administration. The administration of a survey relating to a very sensitive subject like campus climate is likely to yield higher response rates and provide more credible findings if led by an independent, outside agency. Members of a university community may feel particularly inhibited to respond honestly to a survey administered by their own institution for fear of retaliation.