A Tale of Two Surveys

Metropolitan State College of Denver

Faculty Senate

Marilyn Cullen-Reavill, Diane Davis, Christopher Jennings & Aaron S. Richmond

What & how did we do this?

• Step 1: Determine categories to classify items

• Step 2: Three raters individually categorize each item from each survey

• Step 3: Reach consensus on items that did not load consistently

• Step 4: Determine the similarities and differences in results between the two surveys

Categories

• Leadership• Shared Governance• RTP• Resources• Differentiated work

load• Faculty

Compensation

• Master’s Program• Center for Faculty

Development• Performance

Expectations• Work Environment• Diversity• Background checks• Campus Climate

LeadershipSenate Survey Items Modern Think Survey Similarities & Differences

B1(1). PresidentB1(2). DeanB1(3). ChairB1(4). SenateB1(5). Union

7. Chair12. Chair15. Chair 19. Chair 20. Chair 24. Chair 27. Senior leadership 32. Senior leadership 37. Senior leadership 41. Senior leadership 47. Chair 48. Senior leadership 56. Leadership 79. Trust in Senior Leadership

Similarities: Feelings about chair are positive

Feelings about Dean are positive to neutral

Feelings about President and senior leadership are neutral or bipolar Differences: Senior leadership viewed as positive on ModernThink Survey and views of senior leadership specifically President is split on senate survey

Shared GovernanceSenate Survey Items Modern Think Survey Similarities & Differences

C1(4). Shared GovernanceC4. P4P Approval

8. my offered ideas will be fully considered 13. Opportunities to contribute to important decisions in dept 20. chair actively solicits my suggestions 21. communicate openly about issues that impact each other’s work 22. Change affecting me are discussed prior to implementation 38. role of faculty in shared governance is clear 39. faculty are appropriately involved in educational decisions 42. faculty, admin, and staff are involved in planning 43. we discuss and debate issues respectfully – neutral to positive46. faculty staff, and admin work together to ensure success of programs and initiatives 55. communication between faculty, admin, and staff 80. staff’s role in shared governance is clear

Similarities: Both show uncertainty in implementation of campus wide shared governance

  Differences: Senate survey results are positive. ModernThink survey is generally neutral.

RTPSenate Survey Items Modern Think Survey Similarities & Differences

D1(1). Good system to evaluate faculty performanceD1(2). RTP is fairD1(3). Requirements for RTP are clear F21. Release time satisfaction

16. Promotions based on ability 17. review process accurately measures job performance 40. teaching is appropriately recognized in the evaluation process 63. evaluation process is efficient

Similarities: Evaluation system is viewed negatively. And the RTP process is neither positive or negative

Differences: Clarity of RTP process is strongly viewed as negative in Senate survey and is split in the ModernThink Survey 

ResourcesSenate Survey Items Modern Think Survey Similarities & Differences

F1(1) Resources for teachingF1(2). Resources for PDF1(3). Resources for advisingF1(4). Resources for serviceF1(5)**??F1(6)**??

4. Provided resources to be effective 28. dept has adequate faculty/staff 31. facilities meet needs 62. good use of resources, time and budget 78. appropriate resources for technology

Similarities: Facilities seen as somewhat negative & positive Appropriateness of technology is seen as somewhat negative & positive

Differences: Senate survey has teaching resources as positive but ModernThink as negative-Overall, ModernThink is neutral on resources while senate is split on resources

Differentiated Workload

Senate Survey Items Modern Think Survey Similarities & Differences

C1(1). Differentiated WorkloadC2.Approval of Diff WorkloadC22(1) Implementation of Diff WorkloadF7(7). Support for online classesF7(8). Sabbatical opportunitiesF7(9). Release time

1. Job makes good use of my skills and abilities33. good balance of teaching, service, and research

Similarities: There is a good balance of workloadImplementation of workload is viewed negatively

Differences:  ModernThink survey specifies a negative feeling towards a balance of teaching, service, and research.

Faculty CompensationSenate Survey Items Modern Think Survey Similarities & Differences

C1(3). P4PC22(3). P4P Implementation G1(1). SalaryG1(2). Healthcare BenefitsG1(3). Retirement BenefitsG1(4). Summer PayG1(5). Tuition ReimbursementG1(6). Tuition for FamilyH1(9). Compensated fairly compared to other faculty in deptH1(10). Compensated fairly compared to faculty in other departments

11. fair pay 34. benefits meet my needs

Similarities: Salary is viewed poorly

Differences: The senate survey is very split across the different benefits. Overall, the ModernThink survey labels benefits as neutral to positive Only Senate Survey looked at Tuition for faculty and family which was viewed as a negativeOnly Senate Survey looked at health care – and retirement Only ModernThink looked at recognition which was neutral overall

Center for Faculty Development

Senate Survey Items Modern Think Survey Similarities & Differences

C1(7). Center for faculty developmentC22(7). Implementation of Center for fac. Development

6. opportunity to develop skills 30. orientation program prepares new faculty to be effective

Similarities: None

Differences: Senate positive while ModernThink survey was generally neutral

Performance ExpectationsSenate Survey Items Modern Think Survey Similarities & Differences

D1(4). Dossier preparation clearD1(5). Dossier preparation reasonableD1(6). Annual evaluation clearD1(7).Annual evaluation reasonableE1(1). Teaching expectationE1(2). PD expectationE1(3). Advising expectationE1(4). Service expectation

3. chair makes expectations clear

10. understand requirements to advance career

18. Low performance issues are addressed in dept

35. recognition and awards programs are meaningful 65. performance factored into merit increase

77. reasonable workload

Similarities: Both note a negative workload (Senate regarding Dossier Prep) Differences: The senate survey is split (annual evaluation is clear) while the ModernThink survey clarity of expectations statements are positiveThe PD expectation is negative in Senate survey while neutral in the ModernThink survey

Work EnvironmentSenate Survey Items Modern Think Survey Similarities & Differences

H1(1). Work valued by peersH1(2). Work valued by administration H1(3). Colleagues treat me with respectH1(5). Time valued by colleaguesH1(6) time valued by administrationH1(7). Useful feedback re performanceH1(8). Dept provides good mentorsH1(11). Students treat with respect

2. Responsibility and freedom to do 7. receive feedback from chair that helps 9. regularly recognized for my contributions 14. allowed to speak up or challenge tradition safely 23. people in dept work well together 25. overall, dept a good place to work 26. I can count on cooperation across depts. 29. reasonable steps for safe and secure environment 44. policies and practices ensure fair treatment 51. appropriate recognition of good teaching 52. milestones and accomplishments celebrated 53. flexibility to manage work and life 58. all on same team 60. great place to work 61. address conflict in dept 64. complain w/out losing job

Similarities: Collaboration and working with peers is positive in both. Respect is positive in both.

Differences: Overall work environment for the Senate Survey is positive while the ModernThink Survey is neutral

DiversitySenate Survey Items Modern Think Survey Similarities & DifferencesC1(6). Hispanic Serving InstitutionC22(6). Hispanic Serving Institution Implementation I1(1). Gays and lesbians I1(2). Transgendered people I1(3). People with disabilities I1(4). Men I1(5). Women I1(6) Whites I1(7). People of colorI1(8). People of faithI1(9). Agnostics/AtheistsI21(1) Experienced discrimination due to gender I21(2). Experienced discrimination due to sexual orientationI21(3). Experienced discrimination due to disability statusI21(4). Experienced discrimination due to race/ethnicityI21(5). Experienced discrimination due to religionI21(6) Experienced discrimination due to age H1(1). Work valued by peersH1(2). Work valued by administration H1(3). Colleagues treat me with respectH1(4) Safe on campus

45. people are supportive regardless of background 50. sufficient emphasis on diverse faculty, staff, admin 54. procedures for dealing with discrimination66. different genders treated equally 67. different ethnicities treated equally 68. Different sexual orientations treated equally 69. different abilities treated equally 70. different religions treated equally 73. genuine effort to involve diverse group on college initiatives 74. efforts to support valuing of differences

Similarities: With the exception of pay is viewed as unfair compared to other institutions, all other items were viewed positively.

Differences: None

Categories That Did Not Have Items Load From Both Surveys

Overall Campus Climate

Senate Survey Modern Think Survey

No Items 36. proud to be part of institution – POSITIVE59. culture is special – POSITIVE71. expression of different opinions, styles, and perceptions supported – POSITIVE72. campus is pretty – POSITIVE

Background Checks

Senate Survey Modern Think Survey

C1(5). Background checks-POSITIVEC12. Approval of background checks-POSITIVEC22(5). Implementation of background checks-POSITIVE

No Items

Master’s Program

Senate Survey Items Modern Think Survey

C1(2). Masters Program-POSITIVEC22(2). Implementation of masters program-POSITIVE

No Items

Top Most Negative Rated Items

• Pay• Adequate staff in department• Evaluation process is friendly and efficient• Merit increases• Reasonable workload• P4P Performance factored into merit increase, Good system to

evaluate performance• Dossier preparation • Annual evaluation reasonable• Requirements for RTP are clear• Resources for PD

Top 10 Most Positive Rated Items

• Loyalty• Department uses resources well• Sufficient emphasis on diverse faculty• Actively contributes to community• Chair supports balance• People support colleagues regardless of background• Pride• Dept. good • Good relationship with chair• People in department work well together