The Campus Climate team established two major goals: 1) Develop a definition of campus climate, and 2) Assess the campus climate at KSU. The latter goal became the primary research question: What is the climate on the KSU campus with regard to various dimensions of diversity and equity.

Research Methods:

The team recognized the need to collect both qualitative and quantitative data in its effort to assess campus climate.

Focus Groups Conducted

Synthesis of Focus Group Data

• Positives
• Concerns
• Questions to be researched
• Recommendations

Surveys Underway and Planned

• January 2008 – Faculty – Sloan Foundation Survey of Faculty Career Flexibility
• April 2008 – Staff – Survey developed in-house with Burruss Institute
• August 2008 – Students – Survey comparable to EBI Campus Climate Survey

Recommendations Made:

• Provide funds to continue assessments
• Create a structured mentoring program, with appropriate compensation
• Provide child and elder care support
• Offer different payment distribution options, such as spreading 10-month salary over 12 months
• Provide flexible work-schedule options (e.g. telecommuting and flex scheduling) and the ability to stop the tenure clock
• Provide diversity training for faculty, staff and administrators
• Provide more guidance to search committees to ensure process consistency
• Establish reward systems for employees who acquire additional skills or education, or continually perform above average, but do not or cannot advance into other roles
• Seek “out of the box” solutions to diversity-related challenges, looking beyond narrowly-defined peers
• Recognize and reward diversity-oriented scholarship and service