Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
Executive Summary
This document contains the results of the spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey. This survey was
developed, administered, and analyzed by the Institutional Assessment and Research Office.
Administered annually online during the spring semester to WSSU faculty, this survey was designed to
collect information about faculty satisfaction with university services, processes, resources, working
relationships, and the overall campus climate.
General Information
Sixty-four individuals completed the survey. A majority of the respondents (39.7%) indicated that they
work in the College of Arts and Sciences and more than two thirds of the respondents (70.3%) reported
being employed at WSSU for six years or less. In terms of academic rank and professional status, forty
percent (39.7%) of the respondents are assistant professors and the majority of the respondents were
tenured (35.9%) or on a tenure track (32.3%). A majority of respondents (46.0%) indicated that they
taught between 7 -15 hours during the 2010-11 academic year. A majority of the respondents were fulltime employees (93.8%), female (62.3%) and did not currently hold an administrative appointment
above the department head level (92.2%).
Work Climate
Fifty-eight percent (57.8%) of the respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement “The
number of faculty in my work department is adequate to get the job done”. For the items that focused
on working relationships between various groups, a large majority of respondents (84.4%) agreed or
strongly agreed with the statement “In general, working relationships are satisfactory between faculty
and staff”. The percentage of respondents who agreed or strongly agreed was noticeably smaller (46.9%)
for the statement “In general, working relationships are satisfactory between faculty at Winston-Salem
State University as a whole and the upper administration in the university”. Sixty-four percent (64.1%)
of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “Overall, I am satisfied with the
organizational structure of my school/college”.
Resources
More than half of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that in order to support their work unit, the
university provides adequate computer resources (60.9%), supplies (53.1%), equipment (53.1%), and
salaries to attract capable faculty to their department (53.1%). A majority of the respondents disagreed
or strongly agreed that the university provides adequate staff (54.7%), faculty positions (51.6%) and
salaries to retain capable faculty in their department (50.0%).
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
October, 2011
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
Business Process
More than half of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the promotion and tenure procedures
are fair and equitable in their department (53.2%), hiring practices at the university are fair (53.1%) and
their department uses the results of evaluations for guidance in improving faculty performance (51.5%).
However, the percentage of respondents who agreed or strongly agreed decreased to thirty-three percent
(33.4%) in response to the statement “Grievance procedures are adequate and contain appropriate
safeguards for the protection of personal and civil rights”. It should be noted that the percentage of
respondents who selected “Don’t Know” as their response choice was substantial for several items in
this section.
Physical Environment
Respondents tended to agree or strongly agree with the items in this section. The percentage of
respondents who agreed or strongly agreed ranged from forty-eight percent (48.5%) for the statement
“The university provides sufficient space conducive to informal cultural and intellectual exchanges” to a
high of seventy-one percent (71.5%) for the statement “ WSSU provides a secure environment for all
members of the community”.
Development and Support
A majority of the respondents (71.5%) agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “My attempts to
become a more effective professional are supported by my department”. For the item that asked
respondents to evaluate the extent that the WSSU culture emphasizes quality work from various groups,
“Most of the time” was selected for the following groups in the percentages noted: faculty (51.6%),
administrators (34.4%), support staff (34.4%), and students (37.5%).
Responses to the question “To what extent do you feel that WSSU values professional development and
contributions outside of the classroom in the form of?” varied greatly depending on the development
activity being evaluated. For the activity “Providing faculty development workshops and seminars” a
majority of the respondents (46.9%) of the respondents selected “Most of the time”. However, for the
activity “Research support” the majority of respondents (40.6%) selected “Almost never”. Forty-five
percent (45.3%) of the respondents agreed with the statement “Overall, I am satisfied with the value
WSSU places on my development and contributions”.
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
October, 2011
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
Branding
A majority of respondents (39.7%) selected the answer option “Some” for the following question “To
what extent do you think WSSU has a distinctive brand of leadership and service that are evident in
most learning experiences and activities sponsored by the university?”
Inclusive Governance, Leadership and Engagement
For the item that asked respondents to rate how well WSSU upper administration performs various
activities, the responses varied greatly for each activity listed. To cite an example, for the statement
“Overall, how well does WSSU upper administration do in the areas of transparency of decision making,
communications between all levels of decision making, and providing opportunities for all to be
represented in decision making?” twenty-eight percent (28.1%) of the respondents selected the “Poor”
answer option, the same percentage of respondents (28.1%) selected “Fair”, and thirty percent (29.7%)
of the respondents selected “Good”.
Co-Curricular Activities
A majority of the respondents (67.7%) agreed with the statement “Co-curricular activities at WSSU
support academic goals”.
Community Service
In response to the question “How many WSSU-related outreach projects have you participated in the
last year?” more than half of the respondents indicated that they participated in one to two academic
projects (56.3%) and one to two cultural projects (58.7%). It should be noted that fifty-percent (50.0%)
of the respondents indicated that they did not participate/attend any athletic events during the last year.
Customer Service
Six respondents (n=6) felt that the Provost Office and Library provided them with superior customer
service and the same number of respondents felt that the Financial Aid and Registrar’s Office need to
improve their customer service.
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
October, 2011
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
Summary and Recommendations
Survey results indicate that WSSU faculty is very satisfied with a number of areas/aspects of the
university. In particular, satisfactory working relationships exists between many groups and respondents
feel the university is providing adequate resources in several areas (e.g. supplies, computer resources,
equipment) to support their work units. Respondents also felt that WSSU does provide a safe
environment for all members of the campus community and attempts to become a more effective
professional are supported by their department. Responses were also positive regarding many of the
business processes conducted at WSSU. Areas of concern expressed by respondents include having an
adequate number of faculty in their departments to get the job done and offering adequate salaries to
retain capable faculty in their departments. There was also some concern that the university does not
value nor provide research support. An area of particular concern appears to be the issue of increasing
the longevity of faculty working at the university. Seventy percent (70.3%) of the faculty at WSSU
have only been employed for six or less years and this percentage decreases significantly to seventeen
percent (17%) for faculty employed between seven and twelve years at the university. This downward
pattern becomes even more pronounced over time – only five percent (4.7%) of the current faculty have
been employed between thirteen and eighteen years at the university.
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
October, 2011
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
Section A: General Information
1. Select the academic program which best describes your educational training.
# of responses
Educational Training
1
Accounting
1
African African-American Studies
4
Biology
1
Chemistry
2
Clinical Lab
2
Computer Science
1
Elementary Education
1
Elementary Education(MEd)
1
English
1
English and Lit
1
English with Teacher Certification
1
Exercise Science
2
Finance
2
History
2
Interdisciplinary Studies
1
Justice Studies
3
Management
1
Marketing
2
Math Education
1
Mathematics
3
Music Education
4
Nursing
4
Nursing(MSN)
2
Occupational Therapy
1
Physical Education
3
Physical Therapy(MPT)
3
Psychology
1
Rehabilitation Counseling (MRC)
1
Sociology
2
Sport Management
2
Therapeutic Recreation
1
Visual Art
58
Total
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
September, 2011
Percent
1.7%
1.7%
6.9%
1.7%
3.4%
3.4%
1.7%
1.7%
1.7%
1.7%
1/7%
1.7%
3.4%
3.4%
3.4%
1.7%
5.2%
1.7%
3.4%
1.7%
5.2%
6.9%
6.9%
3.4%
1.7%
5.2%
5.2%
1.7%
1.7%
3.4%
3.4%
1.7%
100.0%
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
2. Please identify the school/college in which you work.
Faculty's Work College/School
(N=64)
School of Health Sciences
33.3%
School of Education and Human
Performance
15.9%
School of Business and Economics
11.1%
College of Arts and Sciences
39.7%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Percent age of responses
3. Number of years employed at WSSU.
Employed's Years at WSSU
(N=64)
4.7%
1.6%
6.3%
17.2%
0 - 6 (70.3%)
70.3%
7 - 12 (17.2%)
13 - 18 (4.7%)
19 - 24 (1.6%)
More than 24 (1.6%)
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
September, 2011
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
4. Faculty status at WSSU.
Faculty's Status
(N=64)
93.8%
Percentage of status
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
6.3%
0%
Full-time
Part-time
Status
5. Please identify your gender.
Gender
(N=64)
Percentage of responses
100%
80%
62.3%
60%
37.7%
40%
20%
0%
Female
Male
Gender
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
September, 2011
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
6. Please identify your current academic rank.
Faculty's Current Academic Rank
(N=64)
3.4%
Lecturer (3.4%)
17.2%
17.2%
Instructor (17.2%)
22.4%
Assistant Professor (39.7%)
Associate Professor (22.4%)
39.7%
Professor (17.2%)
7. Professional status at WSSU.
Professional Status at WSSU
(N=64)
Percent of responses
100%
80%
60%
40%
35.9%
32.3%
31.3%
Tenured
Tenure Track
Fixed Term
20%
0%
Professional Status
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
September, 2011
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
8. Hours taught in 2010- 2011 Academic Year.
Hours Taught in 2010-2011 Academic Year
(N=64)
Percent of responses
100%
80%
60%
46.0%
40%
22.2%
20%
11.1%
7.9%
0
1-6
12.7%
0%
7 - 15
Hours
16 - 24
More than 24
9. Do you currently hold an administrative appointment above the department head level?
Percentage of responses
Do you currently hold an administrative appointment
above the department head level?
(N=64)
100%
92.2%
80%
60%
40%
20%
7.8%
0%
No
Yes
Responses
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
September, 2011
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
Section B. Work Climate
Please indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements.
# of
Don't
Strongly
Questions
Disagree Agree
responses know
disagree
1. The number of faculty in my
department is adequate to get the
64
3.1%
23.4%
34.4%
31.3%
job done.
Questions
In general, working relationships are satisfactory between:
# of
Don't
Strongly
Disagree Agree
responses know
disagree
2. Faculty and Staff.
3. Faculty in my department and
the school/college administration.
4. Faculty at Winston-Salem
State University as a whole and
the upper administration in the
university.
5. Overall, I am satisfied with the
organizational structure of my
school/college.
7.8%
Strongly
agree
64
3.1%
3.1%
9.4%
62.5%
21.9%
64
7.8%
7.8%
12.5%
54.7%
17.2%
64
10.9%
12.5%
29.7%
40.6%
6.3%
64
6.3%
12.5%
17.2%
50.0%
14.1%
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
September, 2011
Strongly
agree
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
Section C. Resources
Questions
In order to support my work unit, the university provides adequate...
# of
Don't
Strongly
Disagree Agree
responses know
disagree
Strongly
agree
1. Staff.
64
1.6%
18.8%
35.9%
37.5%
6.3%
2. Faculty positions.
64
6.3%
20.3%
31.3%
39.1%
3.1%
3. Supplies.
64
1.6%
18.8%
26.6%
50.0%
3.1%
4. Equipment.
64
1.6%
17.2%
28.1%
48.4%
4.7%
5. Computer resources.
64
1.6%
15.6%
21.9%
53.1%
7.8%
6. Physical facilities.
64
1.6%
23.4%
25.0%
46.9%
3.1%
7. Salaries to attract capable
faculty to my department.
64
9.4%
15.6%
21.9%
50.0%
3.1%
64
9.4%
21.9%
28.1%
37.5%
3.1%
64
10.9%
17.2%
28.1%
43.8%
0.0%
# of
responses
Don't
know
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
64
15.6%
7.8%
23.4%
45.3%
7.8%
64
25.0%
9.4%
12.5%
46.9%
6.3%
64
15.6%
10.9%
21.9%
40.6%
10.9%
63
42.9%
12.7%
11.1%
30.2%
3.2%
8. Salaries to retain capable
faculty in my department.
9. Overall, the university applies
funding resources consistent with
the institutional priorities.
Section D. Business Process
Questions
1. Hiring practices at the
university are fair.
2. Promotion and tenure
procedures are fair and equitable
in my department.
3. My department uses the results
of evaluations for guidance in
improving faculty performance.
4. Grievance procedures are
adequate and contain appropriate
safeguards for the protection of
personal and civil rights.
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
September, 2011
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
Section E. Physical Environment
Questions
1. I believe that the physical
environment at WSSU
contributes to an atmosphere for
effective learning by students.
2. WSSU provides a safe
environment (sound building
structures, adequate sidewalks,
adequate lighting) for all
members of the campus
community.
3. WSSU provides a secure
environment for all members of
the community.
4. The university provides
sufficient space conducive to
informal cultural and intellectual
exchanges.
5. The campus has a variety of
spaces to encourage student
learning.
# of
responses
Don't
know
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
64
3.1%
10.9%
25.0%
53.1%
7.8%
64
4.7%
12.5%
23.4%
54.7%
4.7%
63
9.5%
4.8%
14.3%
68.3%
3.2%
64
6.3%
10.9%
34.4%
46.9%
1.6%
64
7.8%
10.9%
31.3%
48.4%
1.6%
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
September, 2011
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
Section F. Development and Support
Questions
1. My attempts to become a more
effective professional are
supported by my department.
Questions
# of
responses
Don't
know
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
63
4.8%
4.8%
19.0%
54.0%
17.5%
To what extent do you feel that the WSSU culture emphasizes
quality work from the following groups:
Most of
# of
Don’t
Almost Some of
the
responses know
never
the time
time
2. Administrators
64
4.7%
14.1%
34.4%
34.4%
12.5%
3. Faculty
64
0.0%
3.1%
21.9%
51.6%
23.4%
4. Support staff
64
6.3%
14.1%
32.8%
34.4%
12.5%
5. Students
64
0.0%
4.7%
43.8%
37.5%
14.1%
To what extent do you feel that the WSSU values professional development
and contributions outside of the classroom in the form of?
Most of
# of
Don't
Almost Some of
Questions
the
responses know
never
the time
time
6. Providing faculty development
64
0.0%
1.6%
26.6%
46.9%
workshops and seminars.
7. Attendance at professional
63
0.0%
6.3%
46.0%
28.6%
meetings/conferences.
8. Research support (e.g.,
administrative support, release
64
3.1%
40.6%
25.0%
21.9%
time, teaching load conducive to
research, etc).
Questions
9. Overall, I am satisfied with the
value WSSU places on my
development and contributions.
Almost
always
25.0%
19.0%
9.4%
# of
responses
Don't
know
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
64
4.7%
14.1%
26.6%
45.3%
9.4%
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
September, 2011
Almost
always
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
Section G. Branding
Questions
1. To what extent do you think
WSSU has a distinctive brand of
leadership and service that are
evident in most learning
experiences and activities
sponsored by the university?
# of
responses
Don’t
know
Very
little
Some
Quite a
bit
Very
much
63
6.3%
23.8%
39.7%
25.4%
4.8%
Section H. Inclusive Governance, Leadership and Engagement
In your opinion, how well does WSSU upper administration do each of the following:
# of
Don't
Questions
Poor
Fair
Good Excellent
responses know
1. Listen to concerns of faculty in
64
6.3%
25.0%
26.6%
34.4%
7.8%
your department.
2. Give a straight answer when
64
3.1%
28.1%
25.0%
29.7%
14.1%
asked a reasonable question.
3. Establish clear priorities for
64
4.7%
9.4%
31.3%
35.9%
18.8%
the university.
4. Make decisions transparent to
64
6.3%
31.3%
17.2%
37.5%
7.8%
the university community.
5. Provide opportunities for
faculty, staff and/or students to
64
9.4%
28.1%
29.7%
29.7%
3.1%
be involved in the decision
making process.
6. Overall, how well does WSSU
upper administration do in the
areas of transparency of decision
making, communications
64
9.4%
28.1%
28.1%
29.7%
4.7%
between all levels of decision
making, and providing
opportunities for all to be
represented in decision making?
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
September, 2011
Spring 2011 WSSU Faculty Survey
(N=64)
Section I. Co-Curricular Activities
To what extent do you agree with the following statement?
Questions
1. Co-curricular activities at
WSSU (organizations, special
speakers, cultural performances,
campus publications, student
government, fraternity or
sorority, intercollegiate or
intramural sports) support
academic goals.
# of
responses
Don't
know
Strongly
disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
agree
62
8.1%
3.2%
8.1%
67.7%
12.9%
Section J. Community Service
How many WSSU-related community outreach projects have you participated in the last year?
Questions
# of responses
0
1-2
3 or more
1. Academic (e.g. Adult Learning
Symposium)
2. Cultural (e.g, Diggs Gallery
Exhibitions)
64
17.2%
56.3%
26.6%
63
31.7%
58.7%
9.5%
3. Athletic (e.g., Track Meets)
62
50.0%
24.2%
25.8%
4. Govemance (e.g., Staff Senate)
62
25.8%
43.5%
30.6%
Section K. Customer Service
1. In your opinion, which one area or office has provided you with superior customer service?
Areas
# of responses
Provost office
6
Library
6
Note: Data is only reported for the units that received 5 or more responses.
2. In your opinion, which one area or office needs to improve their customer service?
Areas
# of responses
Financial Aid
6
Registrar's Office
6
Note: Data is only reported for the units that received 5 or more responses.
Prepared by Institutional Assessment and Research
September, 2011