Rankin & Associate, Consulting
Campus Climate Assessment Project
SUNY Oneonta Final Report
March 1, 2006
Executive Summary
Resistance begins with people confronting pain, whether it’s theirs or somebody else’s,
and wanting to do something to change it.1
--- bell hooks, Yearning
American colleges and universities are charged with creating an environment
characterized by equal access for all students, faculty, and staff regardless of cultural
differences, where individuals are not just tolerated but valued. Institutional missions
suggest that higher education values multicultural awareness and understanding within an
environment of mutual respect and cooperation. Institutional strategic plans advocate
creating welcoming and inclusive climates that are grounded in respect, nurtured by
dialogue, and evidenced by a pattern of civil interaction.
SUNY Oneonta believes in creating such an environment, as evidenced by the
institution’s support and commitment to this project. The project was recommended by
the President’s Council on Diversity (PCOD) and commissioned by President Alan B.
Donovan and the President’s Cabinet. To minimize internal bias, PCOD contracted with
an outside consultant2 to assist them in identifying challenges confronting the College
community with respect to underrepresented3 employees and students. The project was a
proactive initiative by the College to review the climate for underrepresented groups on
campus.
An internal assessment was conducted and the results will be used to identify specific
strategies for addressing the challenges and supporting positive diversity initiatives
through the development of a strategic plan to maximize equity at SUNY Oneonta. This
report provides an overview of the process for maximizing equity and the findings of the
internal assessment, including the results of the campus-wide survey and a content
1
hooks, b. (1990), Yearning. Boston: South End Press.
Rankin & Associates, Consulting was the firm hired to conduct the project.
3 Underrepresented groups can be based on age, ancestry, gender, racial or ethnic background, disability, national
origin, religious creed, or sexual orientation.
2
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Rankin & Associate, Consulting
Campus Climate Assessment Project
SUNY Oneonta Final Report
March 1, 2006
analysis of comments provided by survey respondents. The internal assessment will help
to lay the groundwork for future initiatives.
Because of the inherent complexity of the topic of diversity, it is crucial to examine the
multiple dimensions of diversity in higher education. The conceptual model used as the
foundation for this assessment of campus climate was developed by Smith (1999) and
modified by Rankin (2002).4 The survey questions were informed by the work of Rankin
(2003)5.
PCOD members and various constituent groups reviewed nine drafts of the survey. The
final survey contained 72 questions and additional space for respondents to provide
commentary regarding their experiences. It was distributed to the campus community in
the fall 2005 semester. All members of the SUNY Oneonta community were invited to
participate in the survey, but particular effort was made to recruit underrepresented
populations. The survey was designed for respondents to provide information about their
personal experiences with regard to climate issues, their perceptions of the climate for
underrepresented members of the academic community, and their perceptions of
institutional actions, including administrative policies and academic initiatives regarding
climate issues and concerns on campus.
President Donovan and PCOD leaders suggested revisions and/or further clarifications,
after reviewing a draft of the final report in January 2006. A summary of the findings
presented in the following bulleted list suggests that while the College has several
challenges with regard to diversity issues, these challenges are found in higher education
institutions across the country (see footnote 5).
4
5
See Appendix A for a more detailed description of the Transformational Tapestry model.
Rankin (forthcoming) is a national study examining the campus climate for underrepresented groups.
2
Rankin & Associate, Consulting
Campus Climate Assessment Project
SUNY Oneonta Final Report
March 1, 2006
Sample Demographics
1,731 surveys6 were returned representing the following:
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1,118 undergraduate students, 48 graduate students, 137 faculty, 171 staff,
and 188 professional staff/administrators7
360 people of color8
83 people who identified as having a physical disability
213 people who identified as having a cognitive or emotional attribute
(e.g., learning disability, depression) that limits a major life activity
125 people who identified as a sexual minority (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or
questioning)
1,177 women; 504 men; four transgender people
478 people who identified their spiritual affiliation as other than Christian
(including those with no affiliation)
835 student respondents indicated that they lived in SUNY Oneonta
residence halls
Quantitative Findings
Personal Experiences with Campus Climate Within the Past Year9
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Eighty-five percent of respondents indicated that they were comfortable with the
overall climate at SUNY Oneonta.
Eighty-three percent of respondents indicated that they were comfortable with the
climate in their academic department/major, academic division, or administrative
division.
Eighteen percent (n=304) of respondents had personally experienced offensive,
hostile, or intimidating conduct that interfered unreasonably with their ability to
work or learn on campus. The conduct was based most often on the respondents’
gender (35%), campus status (26%), race (23%), and/or age (19%).
Of the eighteen percent of respondents who experienced this conduct, 40 percent
indicated that the form was derogatory remarks; 39 percent indicated that they
were intimidated or bullied; and 38 percent felt they were ignored or excluded.
Six percent had been threatened with physical violence and 16 people (5%) had
been physically assaulted.
6
The total sample n=1731. The tables provided in Appendix C list the frequencies for all survey questions.
The category “Administrators” includes non-teaching faculty/administrators and staff- professional/technical. The
category “Staff” includes auxiliary services staff, clerical staff, and maintenance/custodial staff. “Faculty” includes
lecturer, adjunct, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor.
8 While recognizing the vastly different experiences of people of various racial identities (e.g., Chicano(a) versus
African American or Latino(a) versus Asian American), and those experiences within these identity categories (e.g.,
Hmong versus Chinese), Rankin and Associates found it necessary to collapse some of these categories to conduct the
analyses due to the small numbers in the individual categories.
9Listings here are those with greatest percentages. For a more complete list, the reader is directed to Table 10 in the
narrative.
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Rankin & Associate, Consulting
Campus Climate Assessment Project
SUNY Oneonta Final Report
March 1, 2006
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Thirty-four percent of the 304 respondents who reported this conduct indicated
that the experience occurred while working at a College job, 31 percent in a
residence hall or dining hall, and 24 percent while in the classroom.
Forty-eight percent of the 304 respondents identified students as the source of the
harassment, 30 percent identified staff, and 28 percent identified faculty.
When reviewing these results in terms of race, a higher percentage of respondents
of color (28%) reported these experiences than did white respondents (16%).
Nineteen percent of the 304 respondents who experienced harassment reported it
to a SUNY Oneonta employee or official.
Thirty-two percent of LGBQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Questioning)
respondents had personally experienced offensive, hostile, or intimidating conduct
that interfered unreasonably with their ability to work or learn on campus. This
was most often based on their sexual orientation and gender.
Fifty-eight percent of respondents indicated that if they were sexually assaulted
they believed the College community would support them and take action on their
behalf.
Perceptions of Campus Climate Within the Past Year
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Thirty-two percent (n=550) of the participants had observed or personally been
made aware of conduct that created an offensive, hostile, or intimidating working
or learning environment on campus. Of these, the observed conduct was mainly
based on race (54%), sexual orientation (42%), ethnicity (39%), gender (32%),
and physical characteristics (23%).
The 550 respondents who observed this conduct indicated that it was most often
observed in the forms of racial/ethnic profiling (48%), derogatory remarks (41%),
seeing people stare at someone or group of people (42%), graffiti (34%), written
comments (34%), and witnessing someone being deliberately ignored or excluded
(32%) or intimidated or bullied (26%). Ninety-five people (17%) witnessed
someone making threats of physical violence and 50 people (9%) saw someone
physically assaulted or injured.
The 550 respondents who observed this conduct indicated that it occurred most
often in residence and dining halls (54%), while walking on campus (34%), and in
public spaces on campus (31%).
The 550 respondents who observed this conduct indicated that the source of the
conduct was primarily students (75%).
Seventy-two percent of student respondents indicated that the classroom climate
was welcoming for students from historically underrepresented groups.
Sixty-six percent of employee respondents indicated that the workplace climate
was welcoming for employees from historically underrepresented groups.
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Rankin & Associate, Consulting
Campus Climate Assessment Project
SUNY Oneonta Final Report
March 1, 2006
Institutional Actions
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Half of all respondents (51%) believed that the President visibly fosters diversity.
Sixty-three percent of respondents believe that the College values their
involvement in diversity initiatives on campus.
Less than half of all respondents felt that requiring all College students, staff, and
faculty to take at least one class that focuses on issues, research, and perspectives
about various groups would improve the campus climate for these groups.
Forty-seven percent of respondents indicated that including diversity related
activities, as a criterion for hiring and/or performance evaluations would improve
the climate at the College.
Qualitative Findings10
Out of the 1731 surveys received, between 200 and 500 respondents contributed remarks
in response to three open-ended questions and about the state of diversity at SUNY
Oneonta, its perceived strengths and weaknesses, suggestions for improvement, their
experiences in the City of Oneonta, their child care needs, and about the survey itself.
Generally, slightly more respondents were in favor of the school’s attention to diversity
and climate issues than those who were not. Many respondents praised SUNY Oneonta’s
efforts to create a supportive, welcoming atmosphere and asserted that the climate had
improved in recent years. In addition, a number of people suggested the College would
further benefit from an array of actions to promote diversity and understanding. Some
respondents indicated that diversity efforts are over-emphasized and that this has led to
patterns of reverse discrimination.
Respondents’ comments told stories of their personal experiences and perceptions of the
climate at SUNY Oneonta. An analysis of their comments yielded three principal
perceptions: 1) SUNY Oneonta is a warm and welcoming place for all people to work
and study; 2) SUNY Oneonta is making strides to be an inclusive higher education
institution; and 3) the emphasis on diversity initiatives has led to instances of reverse
discrimination. Other major themes included sexual harassment and assault, the lack of
people of color in the faculty, administrative, and student ranks, and discrimination
experienced in the City of Oneonta.
10
The complete qualitative analysis is presented in Appendix D of the full report. Given the nature of the comments
and the promise of confidentiality to respondents, only themes are reported from the comments submitted.
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Rankin & Associate, Consulting
Campus Climate Assessment Project
SUNY Oneonta Final Report
March 1, 2006
Next Steps
President Donovan envisions the results of this internal assessment will be used to
identify specific strategies for addressing the challenges facing the campus community
and for supporting positive initiatives on campus. While the survey results suggest that
the majority of the campus community is comfortable with the overall climate for
diversity, the results also indicate that there are opportunities for enhancing the climate.
Use of the study’s findings in planning new initiatives increases the College’s potential to
attract and retain diverse faculty, students, and staff. The findings and subsequent
initiatives can also be used in educating the campus community regarding social justice
issues and concerns.
Based on the results of this internal assessment, the next steps include the President,
President’s Cabinet, PCOD, and other campus constituent groups (e.g., underrepresented
groups, students, faculty, staff, and administration) working in collaboration to create a
strategic plan for maximizing equity. As in the previous phases of this project, the
development of the plan will provide the opportunity for collaboration among constituent
groups at SUNY Oneonta.
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