Faculty Satisfaction Survey Results October 2009.

Faculty Satisfaction Survey ResultsOctober 2009

Table of Contents

• Research Objectives and Methodology

• Key Findings and Communications Implications

• Detailed Survey Findings• Overall Morale

• Job Satisfaction and Support

• Career Development, Research and Scholarship

• Collaboration

• Internal Communications

• Compensation and Benefits

• Connection to Institution and Pride

• Facilities and Security

• Faculty, Administration and Staff Relations

• Fairness

• Participation in College Governance

• Polices, Resources and Efficiency

• Respect and Appreciation

• Confidence in Senior Leadership

• Supervisor or Department Chair Leadership

• Teaching Environment

Research Objectives and Methodology

Research Objectives

• Measure and track Lindenwood University’s progress in improving faculty members’ satisfaction

• Compare faculty members’ perceived morale and satisfaction levels during their first years at the university and their current morale and satisfaction

• Create a diagnostic tool, which will allow university officials to make policy changes as needed

Research Methodology

• Conducted Web-based survey with all faculty members in August 2009

• 171 out of 224 completed the survey

• 76% response rate with sampling error of plus or minus five to eight percentage points at the 95% confidence level

• Topics evaluated and response categories are similar to those asked in the Chronicle Great Colleges to Work for 2008 Survey

Profile of Survey Respondents

Tenure School


Gender Age


Race

Key Findings and Communication Implications


Improved Satisfaction

• Recent changes have significantly improved faculty members’ overall satisfaction including reduced workloads, improvements to the campus, and increased and improved communications with university officials

• Faculty members feel more respected and appreciated than they did in the past

• Lindenwood University needs to continue to engage faculty members by keeping them informed of changes, soliciting input and helping them grow professionally

• This will improve the work environment and retain quality faculty members


Areas of Improvement• While overall satisfaction has increased, results suggest there is still

room for improvement

• Less than one-half of faculty members agree that they:

• Have sufficient time to meet with students (40%)

• Have sufficient time to pursue scholarly interests/research (22%)

• Are supported by the university in their research efforts (40%)

• Are provided a competitive and fair benefits package (40%)

• Are proud of the university’s academic rankings (43%)

• Feel that one department is never favored over another (39%)

• Recent workload reductions should begin to impact levels of agreement and increase satisfaction

• The university may want to explore new ways to encourage faculty to look for and take advantage of professional development opportunities


Internal Communications

• Internal communications tend to impact satisfaction levels

• Faculty members volunteer that they have seen an improvement in the level and quality of internal communications, which has positively impacted their satisfaction with Lindenwood University

• Lindenwood University should continue to openly communicate with faculty about changes and solicit input

• Transparency is and will remain key to creating an open and collaborative work environment

Detailed Findings

Overall Morale

• Faculty members believe that morale is higher today than it was during their first years at Lindenwood University

• Increase in morale is likely a result of positive changes over the past few years

• Faculty members have suggestions for even more changes

Overall Morale• Nine out of 10 faculty members describe the

overall morale today as “much higher” or “somewhat higher”

Q1. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe the overall morale of faculty members today?

Overall Morale

• In all areas, faculty members say they are now more satisfied

Overall Morale

Positive changes volunteered by faculty include:

•Benefit changes• Course load reduction

• Direct deposit

•Atmosphere and/or communication changes

• Faculty governance/control

• Improved treatment of faculty

• Better communication with faculty

•School changes• New buildings/better facilities

•Administration changes• Improved attitude of administration

• Change in administration

Q2. Since you first started at Lindenwood University, what changes, if any, have been made that have improved your overall satisfaction as a faculty members?

Overall Morale

Verbatim Comments From Faculty MembersReduction in teaching load has permitted us to improve what we do in the

classroom.

The administration has responded with positive action to issues and concerns raised by the faculty. Example would be decreasing caseload and adding more faculty to decrease advising loads.

Lindenwood has gone out of its way to help faculty get to know each other across departments and to work jointly on projects.

Professors are now starting to have a voice and are being treated more professionally. The professors before were overworked and had very little time to be creative or even to breathe.

We have our own computers. We have smart classrooms. Our class sizes have been held to the maximum. More classrooms are air conditioned.

Overall MoraleSuggestions for further improvement include:

•School emphasis changes• Stronger emphasis on academics

• Better staffing

• Higher caliber of students

•School/building changes• Increased office and classroom space

• Continued efforts to update buildings/facilities

•Other changes• Better benefits/health insurance

• Improved technology

•Workload changes• Further reduction of workload and/or

responsibilities

• Better contracts

•Communication changes• More faculty input

• Increased recognition

Q33. What changes, if any, would make Lindenwood University a better place to work?

Overall Morale

Verbatim Comments From Faculty MembersAn increased emphasis on research is vital to the university.

Undergraduate research opportunities are needed in a number of disciplines and these can only arise if faculty are given time to conduct quality research.

We need clear and explicit documentation about the faculty benefits. This needs to be clearly communicated on a yearly basis.

Stricter admission standards for all students. The university must place a greater priority on improving the academic caliber of its students. The university must also give greater support and freedom to scholarship and publishing by its faculty.

Update the buildings, including office buildings with central air and heating would be a big improvement.

Increased access to technology and ongoing professional development on how to incorporate technology into our classrooms.

Job Satisfaction and Support

• More than eight out of 10 faculty members describe their current level of satisfaction with their job as higher today

Q3. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with working at Lindenwood University today?

Job Satisfaction and Support

Q4. Please rate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements from the perspective of your first year at Lindenwood University versus the current semester.

*Indicates a statistically significant change.

Career Development, Research and Scholarship

• A small majority of faculty members say they are more satisfied with their career development and research opportunities today

Q5. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with your career development and research opportunities?

Career Development, Research and Scholarship



Collaboration

• Faculty members are more satisfied today than during their first years with the level of collaboration between faculty members and departments

Q7. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with the level of collaboration between other faculty members and departments?

Collaboration




• Satisfaction with internal communications is greater today than in the past

Q9. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with the level and quality of communications you have received from the university?

Compensation and Benefits

• While overall satisfaction with compensation and benefits has increased, satisfaction levels are not as high relative to other areas

Q11. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with your compensation and benefits package?

Compensation and Benefits



Connection to Institution and Pride

• More than three-fourths of faculty members are more satisfied with their connection to Lindenwood University today than they were during their first years

Q13. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with your personal connection to the university?

Connection to Institution and Pride



Facilities and Security

• Recent improvements to the campus’ buildings and facilities have positively impacted faculty members’ satisfaction at Lindenwood University

Q15. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with your current satisfaction with the university’s facilities?

Facilities and Security



Faculty, Administration and Staff Relations

• The relationship between faculty members and university administration appears to have improved over time, with 85% saying they are more satisfied today

Q17. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with the relationship between faculty members and the administration?

Faculty, Administration and Staff Relations



Fairness

• More than three-fourths of faculty members are more satisfied today than during their first years with how fairly they are treated by university officials

Q19. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with how fairly faculty members are treated by the university administration?

Fairness



Participation in College Governance

• Faculty members say they are more satisfied today with their involvement in college governance

Q21. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with faculty members’ level of involvement in college governance?

Participation in College Governance



Policies, Resources and Efficiency

• Compared to the years faculty members first joined Lindenwood University, they are now more satisfied with the university’s policies and resources

Q23. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with the university’s policies and resources for faculty members?

Policies, Resources and Efficiency



Respect and Appreciation

• A large majority are satisfied with the respect and appreciation faculty members receive from the university

Q25. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with the level of respect and appreciation given to faculty members?

Respect and Appreciation



Confidence in Senior Leadership

• Faculty members’ satisfaction with senior leadership has increased over time

Q27. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with the university’s senior leadership?

Confidence in Senior Leadership



Supervisor or Department Chair Leadership

• Overall satisfaction with faculty members’ relationships with their supervisors has improved

Q29. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with your relationship with your supervisor and/or department chair?

Supervisor or Department Chair Leadership



Teaching Environment

• Faculty members are currently more satisfied with the teaching environment at Lindenwood University than they were their first years

Q31. Compared to your first year at Lindenwood University, how would you describe your current satisfaction with the teaching environment?

Teaching Environment



Faculty Satisfaction Survey Results October 2009.

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Transcript of Faculty Satisfaction Survey Results October 2009.