Clarkson University Campus Climate Assessment: Overview of Results October 24, 2007

The Evolution to Academic Excellence … Essential to achieving academic excellence is our full commitment to diversity among our faculty, staff and students. Not only is this the right thing to do to provide an environment that reflects the world our graduates will enter and eventually lead, it is imperative to make Clarkson a top choice for developing the broad base of talent that our global partners desire and expect us to deliver…. Anthony G. Collins President, Clarkson University 1 October 2004

Survey Instrument  Final instrument 81 questions and additional space for respondents to provide commentary On-line or paper & pencil options  Sample = Population (Census) All members of the Clarkson community were invited to participate  Results include information regarding: Respondents’ personal experiences at Clarkson Respondents’ perceptions of climate at Clarkson Respondents’ perceptions of institutional actions Respondents’ input into recommendations for change

Who were the respondents?  990 people responded to the call to participate in spring semester  Many respondents contributed comments via open-ended questions throughout the survey.

Limitations  Self-selection bias  Response rates  Caution in generalizing the results for those constituent groups with significantly low response rates

Respondents by Clarkson Position Status (n)

Findings

Aggregate Findings  69% of respondents were “very comfortable” or “comfortable” with the climate at Clarkson.  76% of student respondents were “very comfortable” or “comfortable” with the climate in their department.  75% of faculty respondents were “very comfortable” or “comfortable” with the climate in their department/work unit.  77% of staff respondents were “very comfortable” or “comfortable” with the climate in their department/work unit.

Aggregate Findings  80% of respondents have not personally experienced any conduct that has interfered with their ability to work or learn at Clarkson.  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 Clarkson.  About half of student respondents feel that the classroom climate is welcoming for people from underrepresented groups.  Less than half of employees feel that the workplace climate is welcoming for people from underrepresented groups.

Personally Experienced Offensive, Hostile, or Intimidating Conduct at Clarkson Experiencedn% Yes No

Personally Experienced Based on…(%)

Comfortable Being “Out” on Campus (%)

Comfort with Overall Campus Climate by Gender (%)

Comfort with Overall Campus Climate by Position (%)

Comfort with Overall Campus Climate by Race (%)

Comfort with Overall Campus Climate by Sexual Orientation (%)

Observed conduct on campus that created an offensive, hostile, or intimidating working or learning environment within the past year Observedn% Yes No

Perceived Discriminatory Employment Practices Observed Discriminatory Hiring (29%) Due to position (44%) Due to gender (25%) Due to age (21%) Promotion (31%) Due to position (45%) Due to gender (30%) Due to educational level (20%) Due to age (14%) Observed Discriminatory Firing (17%)  Due to position (48%)  Due to gender (23%)  Due to age (18%)

Employee Attitudes about Climate for Diversity and Work-Related Issues Potential Successes  72% of respondents strongly agreed/agreed that they were comfortable asking questions about performance expectations.  59% of respondents agreed that their colleagues solicit their opinions about their work. Potential Challenges  31% of respondents were reluctant to bring up issues that concern them for fear than it will affect their performance evaluation or tenure review.  30% of respondents believe there are many unwritten rules concerning how one is expected to interact with colleagues in their work units.

Employee Attitudes about Climate for Work-Life Issues Potential Successes  66 % of respondents strongly agree/agree that they are satisfied with the way in which they were able to balance their personal and work lives.  43% find Clarkson supportive of family leave. Potential Challenges  23% of respondents strongly agree/agree that personal responsibilities and commitments have slowed down their career progression.  30% of respondents feel that they have to miss out on important things in their personal lives because of professional responsibilities.  18% of respondents strongly agree/agree that employees who have children are considered less committed to their careers.

Employees’ Perceptions of Resources Available at Clarkson  65% of respondents strongly agree/agree that they have colleagues or peers at Clarkson that give them career advice or guidance.  45% of respondents receive regular maintenance/upgrades of their equipment.  62% of respondents strongly agree/agree that they have the equipment and supplies they need to adequately perform their work.  66% of respondents strongly agree/agree that they had sufficient office space, in terms of quantity and quality. Potential Successes

Employee Attitudes about Climate for Diversity and Work-Related Issues by Gender  When reviewing these data by gender, women employees indicate that they are more reluctant to bring up issues that concern them fearing that it will affect their performance evaluation or tenure decision than their male counterparts.  More women than men indicate that colleagues do not solicit their opinions about their work and have lower expectations of them.

Employee Attitudes about Climate for Diversity and Work-Related Issues by Gender  Women faculty as compared to male faculty feel their research interests are not as valued. pressure to alter their research agenda to be considered for promotion/tenure.  Women employees as compared to male employees feel they have to work harder to be perceived as legitimate. there are many more unwritten rules concerning how they are to interact with colleagues.

Employees’ Perceptions of Resources Available at Clarkson by Gender  When compared to their male colleagues, women employees feel that they have insufficient laboratory space and teaching support.  When compared to male employees, women employees indicate that their compensation is not comparable to their peers at Clarkson who have similar levels of experience.

Visible Leadership that Fosters Diversity at Clarkson from the President’s Office (%)

Course Content Inclusive of Difference (%)

Summary of Challenges Concerns with Regard to Gender  Of those respondents reported experiencing offensive, hostile or intimidating conduct, it was most often based on one’s gender.  Of the 26% of women who reported having personally experienced such conduct, 59% stated it was because of their gender.  Further, only 50% percent of women faculty/students reported being comfortable in the classroom as compared to 71% of the men faculty/students.  These experiences were substantiated in comments provided by survey respondents. For example, several respondents commented on a number of ways in which colleagues or students have subjected women to inequitable treatment.

Summary of Challenges Safety Concerns Among Women  38 respondents reported being sexually assaulted while at Clarkson.  Of these, 32 were women and 36 were students.  The offender was most often an acquaintance, a friend, or a classmate.  The underreporting of sexual assault is a national campus concern 1  These experiences were substantiated in comments provided by survey respondents where they describe incidents of sexual misconduct in the workplace and rape on campus. 1 Fischer, B., Cullen, F., Turner, M. (2000). The sexual victimization of college women. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice.

Summary of Challenges Concerns in Regard to Race  24% of respondents of color report that they personally experienced offensive, hostile or intimidating conduct; 63% indicated that it was because of their race.  Of the 32% of the participants who had observed or personally been made aware of conduct on campus that created an offensive, hostile, or intimidating working or learning environment, 40% indicated that it was due to race.  Regardless of one’s racial identity, racial profiling was reported most often as the form of observed harassment.  These experiences were substantiated in comments provided by survey respondents. Most respondents felt there was a lack of representation of people of color at Clarkson and that people from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds felt as though they cannot “be themselves” without encountering various forms of discrimination and harassment.

Summary of Challenges Institutional Classism  Discriminatory employment practices were most often based on one’s status at Clarkson [hiring (44%); discriminatory employment-related disciplinary actions (48%); promotion practices (45%)].  These experiences were substantiated in comments provided by survey respondents. The most pervasive theme was the low morale among employees that was in part attributed to the lack of support given to staff by their supervisors and the administration.  Respondents also commented on perceived discrimination that has occurred against majors other than engineering and business.  Further, several respondents believed the University has unfairly attributed more resources to the engineering programs than to other majors/programs.

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 ”