State University of New York, College at Oneonta Campus Climate Assessment Results of Report March 2006

Background 1 Invited by the President’s Council on Diversity to: Evaluate the climate at SUNY Oneonta Present findings in a report to the SUNY Oneonta Community 1 all work in collaboration with PCOD

Climate In Higher Education  Climate on college campuses not only affects the creation of knowledge, but also has a significant impact on members of the academic community who, in turn, contribute to the creation of the campus environment (Bauer, 1998, Kuh & Whitt, 1988; Peterson, 1990; Rankin, 1994, 1998, 1999; Smith, 1999; Tierney, 1990).  Preserving a climate that offers equal learning opportunities for all students and academic freedom for all faculty – an environment free from discrimination – is one of the primary responsibilities of educational institutions.

College at Oneonta Mission “During the course of the next decade, the College at Oneonta will be identified, state-wide and regionally, as : …a college with a safe, caring environment, enhanced by the beauty of its natural surroundings, that supports and encourages its diverse learning community and provides leadership in volunteer and community service…”

College at Oneonta Mission "As demographic changes produce a more diverse society, we will foster the development of understanding and respect in all members of our College community. Academic and extracurricular programs, as well as faculty and staff development programs, must encourage the entire College community to welcome diversity.“ -- College Mission Statement, 1990

Diversity Statement The College at Oneonta is an academic community that values diversity. Diversity at the College is an inclusive term that encompasses race and ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, economic status, and other aspects of identity. As a campus community, we believe that every individual is important in a unique way and adds to the overall quality of the institution. We are committed to recruiting and retaining diverse faculty, staff, and students, and to fostering a learning environment which draws strength from, celebrates, and honors diversity. We strive to eliminate prejudice and discrimination; to respect the dignity of all persons; and to learn from differences in people, ideas, and opinions. Approved by the President's Cabinet, December 2004

SUNY Oneonta Campus Climate Project Objectives  SUNY Oneonta will learn how constituent groups currently feel about living and learning at the College and how they feel the institution responds to community challenges and concerns.  SUNY Oneonta will develop specific objectives and action plans to address institutional changes and cultural shifts needed to embrace and enhance the working and learning environment (i.e., employee development seminars).

Process to Date  August 2005 Fact-finding groups held with various constituent groups on campus to present the project process and assist in informing questions for the survey  September 2005 Survey developed, reviewed, and revised with continued input from PCOD and constituent groups (9 drafts) Both on-line and paper/pencil forms created

Process to Date  September 9, 2005 Project approved by SUNY Oneonta Institutional Review Board  October 2005 Survey distributed to all members of the SUNY Oneonta community via an invitation from President Donovan  January 2006 Draft of report results shared with campus community

Current Campus Culture Access Retention Research Scholarship Curriculum Pedagogy University Policies/Service Intergroup & Intragroup Relations Institutional Transformation Model: Maximizing Equity© Baseline Organizational Challenges Systems Analysis Local / Sate / Regional Environments Contextualized Campus Wide Assessment Advanced Organizational Challenges Consultant Recommendations Assessment Transformation via Intervention Fiscal Actions Symbolic Actions Administrative Actions Educational Actions Transformed Campus Culture Access Retention Research Scholarship Curriculum Pedagogy University Polices/Service Intergroup & Intragroup Relations © 2001, Rankin & Associates, Consulting

Survey Instrument  Final instrument 72 questions and additional space for respondents to provide commentary On-line or paper & pencil options  Sample = Population All members of the SUNY Oneonta community were invited to participate  Results include information regarding: Respondents’ personal experiences at SUNY Oneonta Respondents’ perceptions of climate at SUNY Oneonta Respondents’ perceptions of institutional actions Respondents’ input into recommendations for change

Who are the respondents?  1,731 people responded to the call to participate in fall semester 2005  respondents contributed comments via three open-ended questions

Limitations  Self-selection bias  Successful deliberate attempt to over-sample underrepresented populations  Caution in generalizing the results due to significantly low response rates for undergraduate students and adjunct faculty

Faculty Response Rates Lecturer = 33% (n=13) of all lecturers Assistant Professor =53% (n=53) Associate Professor = 56% (n=26) Faculty = 32% (n=137) of all faculty Professor =59% (n=27)

Staff Response Rates Staff Clerical = 72% (n=99) Staff Maintenance/Custodial =31% (n=48) Staff-Auxiliary Services = 20% (n=24) Staff- Professional/Technical = 43% (n=95) Non-Teaching Faculty / Administrators = >100%

Student Response Rates Undergraduate Students = 20% (n=1118) Graduate Students = 23% (n=48) Students of color = 43% (n=230 ) Women students = 25% (n=824) Students of color = >100% (n=10 ) Women students = 22% (n=34)

Respondents by Position (n)

Respondents by Gender & Position 1,2 (n)

Respondents by Sexual Orientation & Position (n)

Student Respondents by Age (n)

Employee Respondents by Age (n)

Respondents by Racial/Ethnic Identity (n) 1 1 Inclusive of multi-racial and/or multi-ethnic

Respondents by Racial/Ethnic Identity (n)

Respondents by Spiritual Affiliation (n)

Respondents Spiritual Affiliation & Position (n)

Respondents with Conditions that Substantially Affect a Major Life Activity (n)

Student Respondents by Department/Unit (n)

Employee Respondents by Department/Unit (n)

Student Residence Table 3 Residence %n Residence hall Off campus Off campus – with partner or spouse Off campus – with parent(s)/family/relative(s) 3.441

Income Status by Position (n)

Citizenship Status by Position (n)

Relationship Status by Position (n)

Respondents Time at the College by Position (n)

Findings

Aggregate Findings  85% of respondents are “very comfortable” or “comfortable” with the climate at SUNY Oneonta.  83% of respondents are “very comfortable” or “comfortable” with the climate in their academic department/major, academic division, or administrative division.

Aggregate Findings  82% have not personally experienced any conduct that has interfered with their ability to work or learn at SUNY Oneonta.  68% of respondents have not observed or personally been made aware of any conduct that has interfered with their ability to work or learn at SUNY Oneonta.  72% of undergraduate students feel that the classroom climate is welcoming for people from underrepresented groups.  66% of employees feel that the workplace climate is welcoming for people from underrepresented groups.

Challenges and Opportunities

Personally Experienced Conduct that has Interfered with Your Ability to Work/Learn %n Yes No

Personally Experienced Offensive, Hostile, or Intimidating Conduct by Position (%)

Personally Experienced Based on…(%)

Personally Experienced Offensive, Hostile, or Intimidating Conduct by Race/Ethnicity (%)

Personally Experienced Offensive, Hostile, or Intimidating Conduct by Spirituality (%)

Personally Experienced Offensive, Hostile, or Intimidating Conduct by Gender (%)

Personally Experienced Offensive, Hostile, or Intimidating Conduct by Sexual Orientation (%)

Form of Offensive, Hostile, or Intimidating Conduct (%)

Source of Personal Experiences of Conduct (%)

Where did the conduct occur?  While working at a college job (31%)  In a residence hall or dining hall (31%)  In a class (24%)  Walking on campus (20%)  Public space on campus (18%)  Meeting with a group (17%)  Campus office (17%)

What did you do?  Told a friend (42%)  Felt embarrassed (44%)  Avoided the harasser (32%)  19% made a complaint to SUNY Oneonta official  19% did not know to whom they should report the incident  19% did not report the incident for fear of retaliation

Victim of Sexual Assault by Gender Identity (n)

What did you do? (%)

Sexual Assault Offender by Position (%)

Where Sexual Assault Occurred  On campus (60%, n=35)  Off campus (26%, n=15)  Specific location (12%, n=7)

Observed Harassment Observed%n Yes No

Observed Harassment by Race (%)

Observed Harassment by Spirituality (%)

Observed Harassment by Sexual Orientation (%)

Observed Harassment by Gender (%)

Form of Observation (%)

Source of Observed Conduct (%)

Perceived Discriminatory Practices Hiring (16%, n=80) Due to gender (35%) Due to race (25%) Promotion (14%, n=74) Due to gender (58%) Due to campus status (26%) Firing (6%, n=29)

Percent “Not at All Familiar” with Campus Units, Groups, Policies, etc. by Position

Percent “Not at All Familiar” with Campus Units, Groups, Policies, etc. by Race

Percent “Not at All Familiar” with Campus Units, Groups, Policies, etc. by Gender

Percent “Not at All Familiar” with Campus Units, Groups, Policies, etc. by Sexual Orientation

Percent Comfortable Being Open About my Identity on Campus

University Addresses Issues of Race (%)

University Addresses Issues of Gender (%)

Visible Leadership to Foster Diversity from… (%) Strongly agree % (n) Agree % (n) Do not agree nor disagree % (n) Disagree % (n) Strongly disagree % (n) The President My Vice President My academic dean/unit head My department head/direct supervisor Faculty in my department Student Government College Senate Affirmative Action Office/Affirmative Action Advisory Committee President’s Council on Diversity

Course Content Inclusive of Difference (%)

Welcoming Classroom Climate (%)

Welcoming Workplace Climate (%)

Questions….?? Other Ideas…..??

Next Steps…

Transformational Change A change in the institution’s:  Shape – how the institution looks which allows it to function effectively in the dynamic world in which it operates.  Structure – the basic parts of the institution that are responsible for it’s character.  Nature – values, beliefs, reward systems, ownership, patterns, etc.

Institutional Prerequisites 1 1)Commitment of top leaders 2)Written description of the changed institution 3)Conditions that foster positive change 4)Likelihood of a critical mass of support 5)Awareness of resistance and the need to honor it 1 Adpated from Beckhard (1992)

Institutional Prerequisites 6)A medium to long range perspective 7)Awareness of the need for education 8)The conviction that the change must be undertaken 9)Willingness to use resources 10)Commitment to maintaining the flow of information

Development of Strategic Plan Areas for consideration Access/Retention Research/Scholarship Curriculum/Pedagogy Inter-group/Intra-group Relations University Policies/Service Transformed Campus Culture Access Retention Research Scholarship Curriculum Pedagogy University Policies/Service Intergroup & Intragroup Relations © 2001, Rankin & Associates, Consulting

Process Forward – 2006  January 30-31, 2006 Draft report shared with the SUNY Oneonta community  March 1, 2006 Final Report submitted inclusive of requested revisions  March Development of Strategic Initiatives to address challenges and opportunities

Development of Strategic Plan: Areas for Consideration Institutional Commitment  Promoting and fostering an environment in which the quality of life is affirming and strives for the emotional safety of all students, faculty, and staff Research & Scholarship  Creating an academic environment that appreciates and values cultural and social differences Curriculum & Pedagogy  Developing a curriculum that guides students to think critically about social justice issues and provides faculty with the tools to teach inclusively with regard to social justice issues

Development of Strategic Plan Areas for Consideration Recruitment & Retention of Historically Underrepresented Students, Faculty, & Staff Inter-group & Intra-group Relations  Create an environment that recognizes and celebrate cultural differences and socially constructed differences (e.g., gender, race)

What thoughts do you have? Additional questions/comments on results? Thoughts on process? Suggested actions? Contact S. Rankin at

Last Thoughts “Resistance begins with people confronting pain, whether it’s theirs or somebody else’s, and wanting to do something to change it” --- bell hooks,“Yearning ”