INSTITUTIONAL CLIMATE COMMITTEE
MISSION AND BY-LAWS
OCTOBER 10, 2012
I.
Introduction
Whereas culture reflects deeply embedded assumptions, ideologies and values that members
hold about an organization, climate focuses on current perceptions and attitudes of members of an
organization.
II. Background and Developments of the Institutional Climate Committee
The Institutional Climate Task Force (ICTF) was established in 2008 to assess perceptions and
attitudes held by members of the KU community. With funding from the President’s Office, a consultant
was hired. The first recommendation was to hold focus groups, and the ICTF co-chairs organized groups
of campus faculty, staff, and student voluntary participants to dialogue about experiences and
perceptions at KU in October, 2010. A Climate Survey Instrument was subsequently constructed by a KU
team led by a faculty researcher in collaboration with the consultant. After approval by representative
councils, the final survey was administered in March and April 2011. The KU Institutional Climate Survey
Report (Rankin and Associates, 2011) summarizes KU community members’ responses on the Climate
Survey http://www.kutztown.edu/admin/usenate/KU-Executive-Summary-1.pdf. Raw data from the
survey is on file in the Office of Institutional Research. This data is available for use in cooperation with
the Institutional Review Board.
III. Institutional Climate Committee and the KU Strategic Plan
The Institutional Climate Committee (ICC) is an integral part of KU’s 2011-2014 Strategic
Plan http://www2.kutztown.edu/StrategicPlan. The ICC addresses KU’s strategic goal # 3 involving
“creating a caring campus community characterized by value and respect for all campus constituents.”
The ICC also carries out strategic Initiative 3.1.1: Identify and address barriers to access and equity;
Desired Outcome 1. Convene a committee that addresses social equity, campus climate, and inclusion. It
carries out strategic Initiative 3.2.2: Foster an institutional climate that supports diversity, civility, and
inclusiveness; Desired Outcome: 1. Implement measures to address issues raised in the Campus Climate
Study and 2. Increase programming and resources for campus climate improvement.
IV. Institutional Climate Committee Principal Operations
The ICC evaluates information from the IC survey and other sources in order to report the extent
to which KU policies, procedures and programs are truly sensitive and responsive to needs and purposes
of KU’s stakeholders. The ICC is especially attentive to perceptions held by underrepresented and
marginalized populations. The primary ICC values are openness, inclusion, engagement, transformation,
progress, and respect for diversity.
V. Purpose
The purpose of the Institutional Climate Committee (ICC) is to heighten awareness of campus
community members’ perceptions and attitudes about KU; open up communication concerning
perceptions and attitudes about KU; recommend university policies, procedures, and practices that
promote more positive stakeholder perceptions and attitudes about KU; encourage teaching, research,
and programs that enhance KU’s climate of engagement, and transform KU into a more welcoming and
inclusive place to live, work and learn. The ICC shall serve as a consulting team for stakeholder concerns
about climate that arise from the survey and from other sources, and they shall present the results of
their inquiry in open forums and in campus community reports and updates.
VI. Scope
The ICC will request follow-up analyses of climate survey data from the Office of Institutional
Research and issue reports from their findings to the campus community.
The ICC will work with the Office of Institutional Research to develop procedures that facilitate
campus community members to inquire into the nature of campus climate.
The ICC will maintain integrity of data requests; fair uses of survey data for research purposes,
and protection of participants in accordance with consent.
The ICC will encourage individuals and groups to conduct follow-up research and programs
based on the original climate survey results.
The ICC will maintain a file of research literature on the topic of institutional climate that will be
kept on file in the University Senate office.
The ICC will encourage initiatives that address the perceptions and attitudes held by underrepresented and marginalized individuals/groups.
The ICC will engage in consultation with campus groups to address climate conditions related to
marginalized, disenfranchised, and other vulnerable populations.
The ICC will issue periodic reports and updates on investigations related to campus climate.
VII. Membership
A. Member Terms, Limits, and Composition
The term of membership on the ICC shall be three years for appointed members and one year
for student members. Appointees may serve a maximum of three consecutive terms. Ex Officio
members may serve indefinitely. Appointments shall initially be staggered as two and three year terms.
The ICC membership will consist of the following:
At-Large Faculty Member** (term expires 2016)
At-Large Minority Faculty Member** (term expires 2015)
At-Large Professional Staff Manager Representative** (term expires 2015)
At-Large Minority Professional Staff Manager Representative** (term expires 2016)
Faculty Member from the College of Business** (term expires 2015)
Faculty Member from the College of Education** (term expires 2016)
Faculty Member from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences** (term expires 2015)
Faculty Member from the College of Visual & Performing Arts** (term expires 2016)
Senate Representative** (term expires 2016)
Management/Administration Representative*
Women’s Center OR Commission on the Status of Women Representative*
LGBTQ Resource Center OR Commission on Human Diversity Representative*
APSCUF Representative^ (term expires 2015)
AFSCME Representative^ (term expires 2016)
SUA/SCUPA Representative^ (term expires 2015)
Undergraduate Student Representative (SGB appointed)
Graduate Student Representative (Graduate Dean appointed)
*Ex Officio
**Appointed by Committee on Committees
^Appointed by Union
B. Consulting and Visiting Members
Representatives of all stakeholder groups may request to attend ICC meetings to share
information with the ICC in order to address climate related to the representative group, and the ICC
may request representatives to assist the ICC in climate matters that arise with respect to the unit.
C. Member Voting
All members except for consulting and visiting members shall be voting members. A simple
majority of the standing membership shall constitute a quorum. Motions shall require two-thirds
majority of members present to pass.
VIII.
Meeting Frequency and Attendance
The ICC meets regularly the last Tuesday of the month during regular semesters and as-needed
over the summer. Members are not required to attend summer meetings. Members shall find a
substitute if unable to attend.
IX. Duties
A. Regular attendance at meetings
B. Involvement in e-mail communications
C. Completing agreed-upon tasks in a timely manner
D. Interest in enhancing the well-being of the Kutztown University community through
institutional climate initiatives
E. Certification in the NIH training course "Protecting Human Research Participants" is
preferred but not required
10/12/12
Passed Senate 4-4-13