The Staff Assessment of Campus Climate

Summary

The Staff Assessment of Campus Climate survey was mailed in March 1998 to 3,239 classified staff members at Virginia Tech. This sample included all salaried, full- or part-time, and restricted staff members working at least 50 percent. Both on- and off-campus staff members were included, as well as janitorial, buildings, and grounds employees. Completed surveys were returned by 1,636 individuals, or 50.6 percent of the eligible sample.

The survey analyzed nine dimensions of campus climate as listed below:

1. Climate for diversity
2. Familiarity with programs and services
3. Professional treatment
4. Insensitive materials
5. Attitudes towards diversity efforts
6. Unfair treatment
7. Workshop interest
8. Social acceptance
9. Representation on governance committees

Findings

Some survey findings follow:

• White staff members assessed the climate for underrepresented groups more positively than did members of any of those groups. For example, 65 percent of white staff members rated the university climate as relatively non-racist, while only 21 percent of black staff members perceived the climate to be positive regarding race (See Figure 11).
• Two-thirds of both male and female respondents rated their departmental climate as relatively non-sexist. Somewhat fewer rated the university climate relatively non-sexist, but again the differences between men¹s and women¹s perceptions on this measure were not significant (See Figure 12).
• There were significant gender differences on about half of the items asking about work relationships and the fairness of treatment on the job. However, the differences were not in the expected direction. Women were more positive than men about fair treatment and appreciation of their work by supervisors, as well as opportunities for career advancement.
• Almost half of the responding staff members had observed negative material or overheard insensitive comments about individuals from the Appalachian region.
• Many staff members from underrepresented groups reported receiving unfair treatment at least occasionally based on their group identity. Sixty-seven percent of African-Americans reported unfair treatment or harassment based on race/ethnicity and 54 percent of lesbian, gay, or bisexual staff members reported unfair treatment or harassment based on sexual orientation.

Conclusions

The responses from classified staff differed from patterns for faculty and students on some questions and dimensions (for example, the greater satisfaction among women than men concerning treatment by their supervisors as cited above). One possible explanation for this might be the relative gender segregation of the classified workforce, with men more likely to be employed in certain roles (maintenance, skilled crafts, and higher level managerial roles) and women more likely to be employed in clerical, administrative, and paraprofessional roles. Thus, the work environments themselves differ. Also, the classified staff as a whole, and the respondents to this survey, are more homogeneous in terms of race/ethnicity and other personal characteristics than the faculty or student respondents. Because of small numbers of racial/ethnic minorities, responses to questions concerning the university¹s involvement with diversity issues and relative health of race relations, among others, reflect primarily the dominance of the white perspective.

Faculty Assessment | Staff Assessment | Undergraduate Assessment | Graduate Assessment

Contents | Welcome | Mission and Vision | Goals and Tasks | Climate and Status Data | VT Core Values | Print

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