1. Senate Ad hoc Committee for the Assessment of the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) Faculty Survey
Report on Findings
Felicia Lassk, Associate Professor, D'Amore-McKim School of Business, Chair
Janet H. Randall, Professor, College of Social Sciences and Humanities
Yiannis Levendis, Distinguished Professor, College of Engineering
Ann C. Golub-Victor, Associate Clinical Professor, Bouvé College of Health Sciences
April 6, 2016
Introduction

2. Agenda Ad hoc Committee’s Charge HERI Survey Data Major Findings
On Research
On Teaching
On Satisfaction with Careers
On Relationships among the Faculty and between Faculty and Administration
Recommendations

3. Ad hoc Committee’s Charge
To examine the results of the HERI Survey for the purpose of identifying key strengths and concerns pertaining to the faculty’s perceptions of the University.
Longitudinally
In comparison to a peer group of private universities
Particular attention to faculty’s role in decision making

4. HERI Survey Data Hard copy reports by HERI at UCLA
NU and Private Universities
Exhibits created by NU’s Office of Institutional Research (OIR)
NU’s HERI datasets
Background on how we accessed the data.

5. Major Findings
Explanation about how to read the tables that follow.

6. Research (% of Faculty Responding “Yes”)
Research and Funding Items
Result
PU Result
5. Engaged in academic research that spans multiple disciplines.
72.2%
76.9%
6. Received funding from foundations.
21.9
30.0
7. Received funding from State/Federal.
33.3
25.2
We will present the major findings from our report. Starting with research.
Across the years, faculty who report engaging in academic research that spans multiple disciplines has increased, 72.2% in from 41.2% in
About 8% lower for foundation funding
About 8% higher for State/Federal funding – strength of the University

7. Teaching (% of Faculty Responding “Very Descriptive” or “Yes”)
Teaching Items
Result
PU Result
2. Faculty are rewarded for
being good teachers.
12.9%
23.6%
3. Taught an exclusively web-
based course.
16.3
8.5
4. Taught a capstone course.
29.9
30.5
Despite the importance of teaching at the University, only a small portion of the faculty (12.9%) labeled “faculty are rewarded for being good teachers” as a very descriptive statement. This percentage has been consistently low over the years. So 59.5% say “very” or “somewhat” descriptive – means 40% say not descriptive.
Reflecting NU’s growing leadership position in global online education, over 16% of faculty reported that they had (#3) “taught an exclusively web-based course” in the past two years, Higher percent of NTT faculty report teaching web-based courses.
Another 46.6% of the faculty surveyed described “faculty are rewarded for being good teachers” as “somewhat descriptive.”

8. Satisfaction with Careers (% of Faculty Responding “Very Satisfied” or “Satisfied”)
Job Satisfaction Items
Result
PU Result
2. Professional relations with
others.
75.0%
80.0%
4. Departmental leadership.
66.0
72.0
5. Prospects for career
advancement.
54.0
63.0
6. Overall job satisfaction
75.3
81.0
NU faculty’s satisfaction rating of 75% for “professional relations with other faculty” (#2) is 5% lower than the PU result. Notably, this difference may come from the lower rating by the NTT faculty (70%) as compared with T/TT (78%/77%). Since (67.8%), this percentage has been increasing.
Prospects for career advancement” (#5) (54%) is rated 9% lower by NU faculty than the PU rating of 63%. This result appears to be driven by the NTT responses (28.0%) (see Table 1). Consistent with lower rating by NTT in the PU results. T (67%) and TT (69%) are above the PU result.
Professional relations has been consistent over the years.
Departmental leadership has been increasing over the years.

9. Satisfaction with Careers (2 & 3: % of Faculty Responding Agree Strongly” or “Agree Somewhat”) (4: % Definitely Yes or Probably Yes)
Professional Satisfaction Items
Result
PU Result
2. My research is valued by department colleagues.
73.0%
78.0%
3. Criteria for advancement and promotion decisions are clear.
59.0
70.0
4. Would you still want to come to this institution if beginning career.
77.0
“Criteria for advancement and promotion decisions are clear” at 59% vs. 70% PU. Over 40% of the NU faculty respondents are unclear about these criteria. Not statistically different from to

10. Relationships among Faculty and between Faculty and Administration (% of Faculty Responding “Very Descriptive”)
Work Climate Items
Result
PU Result
Faculty are at odds with administration.
24.6%
18.0%
2. Faculty here respect each
other.
49.8
58.0
In , 24.6% report that (#1) “faculty are at odds with the administration” as “very descriptive” in comparison with 18.0% PU faculty. Over the last 10 years, this feeling at NU has steeply increased from 12% ( ) to 24.6%. About 49.1% of the faculty surveyed described this item (#1) as “somewhat descriptive.” “faculty here respect each other” at 49.8% in comparison to a 58% PU result.
About 43.3% of the faculty surveyed described this item (#2) as “somewhat descriptive.”
About 49% of the faculty surveyed described “faculty are at odds with administration” as “somewhat descriptive.”
About 43% of the faculty surveyed described “faculty here respect each other” as “somewhat descriptive.”

11. Summary of Recommendations
Share the HERI results with faculty.
Convene an Ad hoc Faculty Senate Committee to explore the underlying reasons for the issues identified in this report.

12. Governance (% of Faculty Responding “Very Descriptive”)
Governance Item
Result
PU Result
Administrators consider
faculty concerns when
making policy.
10.2%
13.6%
Additional slides for data in the report – if asked.
Another 46.7% of the faculty surveyed described “administrators consider faculty when making policy” as “somewhat descriptive.”

13. Diversity (% of Faculty Responding “Agree Strongly and “Agree Somewhat”)
Diversity Items
Result
PU Result
9. Racial and ethnic diversity is reflected in the curriculum.
61.8%
61.6%
11. Faculty are not prepared to deal with conflict over diversity issues in class.
41.7
42.3

14. Institutional Identification (% of Faculty Responding Agree Strongly” or “Agree Somewhat”)
Professional Satisfaction Items
Result
1. I am happy with the pace of institutional change at NU.
62.8%
2. I am proud to be a faculty member at NU.
89.1
3. I feel confident recommending that strong students apply to NU.
88.1