Climate Matters
February 2-3, 2016
Institutional
History/Core
Values
Vision/Mission
Institutional
Policies
Social Contexts
Structural
Framework
Students,
Faculty, Staff,
Alumni
Harper & Hurtado, 2009; Smith, 2010
Create
and
Distribute
Knowledge
Climate
(Living,
Working,
Learning)
Barcelo, 2004; Bauer, 1998, Kuh & Whitt, 1998; Harper, 2012, Hurtado, 1998, 2005; Ingle, 2005; Milhem, 2005;
Peterson, 1990; Rankin, 1994, 1998, 2003, 2005; Rankin & Reason, 2008; Smith, 2009; Tierney, 1990;
Worthington, 2008
• Campus Climate is a construct
What is it?
Definition?
• Current attitudes, behaviors, and standards and
practices of employees and students of an
institution
How is it
measured?
• Personal Experiences
• Perceptions
• Institutional Efforts
Rankin & Reason, 2008
How students
experience their
campus
environment
influences both
learning and
developmental
outcomes.1
1
2
3
Discriminatory
environments have
a negative effect
on student
learning.2
Research supports
the pedagogical
value of a diverse
student body and
faculty on
enhancing
learning
outcomes.3
Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991, 2005; Harper & Hurtado, 2009
Cabrera, Nora, Terenzini, Pascarella, & Hagedron, 1999; Feagin, Vera & Imani, 1996; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005
Hale, 2004; Harper & Quaye , 2004; Harper, & Hurtado, 2009; Hurtado, 2003.
The personal and
professional
development of
employees are
impacted by
campus climate.1
1Settles,
Faculty members who
judge their campus
climate more
positively are more
likely to feel
personally supported
and perceive their
work unit as more
supportive.2
Cortina, Malley, and Stewart , 2006
2002
3Silverschanz, Cortina, Konik, & Magley, 2007; Waldo, 1999
2Sears,
Research underscores
the relationships
between (1) workplace
discrimination and
negative job and career
attitudes and (2)
workplace encounters
with prejudice and
lower health and wellbeing..3
Why Assess?
What is the Process?
Where Do We Start?
To foster a caring
university community
that provides leadership
for constructive
participation in a
diverse, multicultural
world.
To open the doors
wider for underserved
constituents to
create a
welcoming
environment.
To improve the
environment for
working and
learning on
campus.
Positive
Experiences
with
Campus
Climate
Positive
Perceptions
of Campus
Climate
For Students:
Positive educational experiences
Healthy identity development
Overall well-being
Success
For Faculty & Staff:
 Productivity
 Sense of value & community
Overall well-being
Persistence
&
Retention
 …. Ithaca College is committed to attracting a diverse
body of students, faculty, and staff. All members of the
College community are encouraged to achieve
excellence in their chosen fields and to share the
responsibilities of citizenship and service in the global
community.
Source: https://www.ithaca.edu/about/mission/
We embrace diversity as an integral part of
the educational experience and of the
community we create.
Source: https://www.ithaca.edu/about/mission/
Diversity on a college campus is absolutely vital. Each person’s
unique identity and perspective enrich the campus culture and
make every conversation a learning experience.
At Ithaca College, we are working to ensure that each individual on
our campus feels like a valued member of this community—that
everyone, of any race, sex, religion, sexual orientation, ability,
gender expression, or social status, is empowered to be themselves
and help make our shared campus something greater.
We must constantly challenge ourselves and one another to grow—
to shine a light on important questions and evolve outdated ways of
thinking. We are committed to creating a welcoming community in
which the diverse, inquisitive, passionate individuals that make up
IC are fully heard, completely respected, and always included.
Source: https://www.ithaca.edu/diversity/
Campus Climate
and Inter-group
Relations
Representation
(Access & Success)
DIMENSIONS
OF
CAMPUS
DIVERSITY
Education &
Scholarship
(Curriculum, Teaching,
& Learning)
Institutional
Transformation
(Viability & Vitality)
Smith, 1999; 2009
Government/Policy Context
Sociohistorical Context
Historical Legacy of
Inclusion/Exclusion
Compositional
Diversity
(The Numbers)
Organizational/
Structural
(Campus Policy)
Psychological
Climate
Behavioral
Dimension
(Feelings and
Emotions)
(Interactions and
Practices)
Milem, Chang, & Antonio (2005) adapted fromHurtado, Milem, Clayton-Pedersen, & Allen (1999)
NASPA/NGLTF Grants
Underrepresented/underserved
faculty/staff/students
30 Campuses
Survey Instrument
Meta-analysis of diversity assessment
tools from 35 institutions
Paper/Pencil only
Transformational Tapestry Model©
Access
Retention
Assessment
Research
University
Policies/Service
Baseline
Organizational
Challenges
Scholarship
Current
Campus
Climate
Local / Sate /
Regional
Environments
Systems
Analysis
Contextualized Campus Wide Assessment
Advanced
Organizational
Challenges
Intergroup &
Intragroup
Relations
Curriculum
Pedagogy
Consultant
Recommendations
External
Relations
Access
Retention
Symbolic
Actions
Research
University
Policies/Service
Educational
Actions
Transformation
via
Intervention
Administrative
Actions
Fiscal
Actions
Scholarship
Transformed
Campus
Climate
Curriculum
Pedagogy
Intergroup &
Intragroup
Relations
External
Relations
© 2001
1999-2014 Campus Climate Assessments
2010 State of Higher Education for LGBTQ People
2011 NCAA Student-Athlete Climate Study
2014 International Athlete Survey
2015 United States Transgender National Survey
R&A Campus Climate Assessments 1999-2015
Source: www. rankin-consulting.com
This project is supported by a grant from the NCAA
CLIMATE
• Experiences with Athletic Personnel
• Perceptions of Personal & Institutional Climate
• Perceptions of Respect
• Institutional Actions
• Faculty-Student Interaction
• Beliefs about Diversity & Team Success
• Personal Comfort with Team Diversity
CHARACTERISTICS
• Student-Athlete Characteristics
• Demographics
• Institutional Characteristics
OUTCOMES
• Academic & Intellectual Development
• Persistence
• Athletic Success
• Athletic Identity
SACS Path Diagram – Mediation Model
Perceptions of Respect
AID -.014
People of
Color
η1
ξ1
Perceptions of Climate
η2
Women
AID .079
ASUC .003
AI -.021
Academic &
Intellectual
Development
η8
ξ2
Personal comfort with
teammate diversity
AID -.034
AI -.037
LGBQ
η3
ξ3
Faculty-Student
Interaction
AID .054
AI -.011
ASUC .007
AID .048
AI -.009
ASUC .006
AID .007
ASUC .006
AI .006 (not
significant)
AID .017
AI .010
ASUC .010
Division
ξ4 III
Division
II
ξ5
Division
I
ξ6
Featured
Sport
ξ7
Athletic
Success η9
η4
Athletic Personnel
Interaction
η5
Athletic
Identity
Diversity Leadership
from Athletic Personnel
η6
Athletic Dept Addresses
Discrimination
η7
η10
SACS Path Diagram – Direct Effects, Relevant Indirect Effects, Total Effects for Gender
Academic &
Intellectual
Development
AID .079
ASUC .003
AI -.021
η8
Women
ξ2
Athletic
Success
η9
p < .001
Women student-athletes have significantly greater levels of
academic and athletic success and lower levels of athletic identity
compared to men student-athletes
Athletic
Identity
η10
SACS Path Diagram – Mediation Model for Gender
Perceptions of Respect
η1
Perceptions of Climate
η2
Women
AID .079
ASUC .003
AI -.021
Academic &
Intellectual
Development
η8
ξ2
Personal comfort with
teammate diversity
η3
Faculty-Student
Interaction
p < .001
Athletic
Success η9
η4
ξ4
Athletic Personnel
Interaction
η5
Athletic
Identity
Diversity Leadership
from Athletic Personnel
η6
Athletic Dept Addresses
Discrimination
η7
η10
Gender
Matters
• Gender significantly predicts academic success
and athletic success.
• Women student-athletes report greater levels of
academic success than men student-athletes
• Women student-athletes report greater levels of
athletic success than men student-athletes
Climate
Matters
• The following climate factors significantly
influenced academic success for women studentathletes
• Perceptions of climate
• Faculty-student interaction
• Personal comfort with teammate diversity
• Perceptions of respect
Academic &
Intellectual
Development
LGBQ
Athletic
Success
Athletic
Identity
SACS Path Diagram – Mediation Model for Sexual Identity
Perceptions of Respect
η1
Perceptions of Climate
η2
Academic &
Intellectual
Development
η8
Personal comfort with
teammate diversity
AID -.034
AI -.037
LGBQ
η3
ξ3
Faculty-Student
Interaction
p < .001
Athletic
Success η9
η4
Athletic Personnel
Interaction
η5
Athletic
Identity η10
Diversity Leadership
from Athletic Personnel
η6
Athletic Dept Addresses
Discrimination
η7
Ithaca College Summary
 Ithaca College will add to their knowledge base
with regard to how students, faculty, and staff
currently experience the campus climate.
 Ithaca College will use the results of the
assessment to inform current/on-going work
regarding issues of campus climate for students,
faculty, and staff.
Initial Proposal Meeting
Focus Groups
Identify the
focus groups
Populate the
focus groups
Develop the
protocol for
the focus
groups
Focus group facilitators are selected and trained by the consultant
Assessment Tool Development
Communication/Marketing Plan
IRB proposal
Final instrument
• Quantitative questions and additional space
for respondents to provide commentary
• Web-based survey
Sample = Population
• All members of the university community
are invited to participate via an invitation
IDENTITY EXAMPLES
Position
Status
Racial
Identity
Gender
Identity
Sexual
Identity
disAbility
Status
SES status
Spiritual
identity
CLIMATE
OUTCOMES
Experiences
Professional
Success
Perceptions
Intent to
Persist
Institutional
Actions
Preparing the University Community
 Talking points
 Incentives
 Invitation letter
 Subsequent invitations to participate
 Proposal application
 Primary Investigator from
Ithaca College
Claire Borch
Interim Director
Office of Institutional
Research
Survey Implementation
Data Analysis
Ithaca College
Fall Semester 2016
Faculty
Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
Instructor
Adjunct Faculty
Man Woman
African
American
Native
American
Asian
American
Latino(a)
American
European
American Unknown
Final Report
Presentation of Results
December
2015
JanuaryFebruary
2015
• Initial meeting
with Climate
Working Group
(CSWG)
• Plan Focus Groups
• Begin
development of
survey
April
2016
• Focus Groups
conducted
May-August
2016
• Complete survey
• Complete
Marketing/
Communication
Plan
• IRB application/
approval
SeptemberOctober
2016
• Survey
Launch
NovemberDecember
2016
• Data
analysis
January
2017
• Complete
Data Analysis
February-March
2017
• Development
of Report
April-May
2017
• Presentation
of Results
June-August
2017
• Development
of Actions
Thoughts..?
For more information contact Rankin &
Associates Consulting
Susan (Sue) Rankin
sxr2@psu.edu
Emil L. Cunningham
emil@rankin-consulting.com