Faculty and Staff Campus Climate Survey 

Frequently Asked Questions


What is campus climate?
Campus climate describes our living and learning environment in relation to diversity and inclusion.  It can be shaped by the current attitudes, behaviors and experiences of faculty, staff, and students and their general sense of feeling welcomed, respected, and valued.

Why is the university launching a campus climate survey?
Pathways to Diversity & Inclusion: An Action Plan for Brown University (DIAP) articulates a set of concrete, achievable actions that will make Brown a more diverse and inclusive community, “in which a wide range of experiences and views are represented and all individuals are valued and treated with respect.” A major goal of the DIAP was to develop metrics for measuring progress and to create accountability for the implementation of these actions. The first campus climate survey was administered in spring 2016 to understand the perceptions and experiences of Brown community members regarding the campus climate. This first climate survey asked respondents to rate the extent to which they felt respected by different members of the Brown community; their sense of being welcomed in their departments/units and more generally in the university; their perceptions of whether they felt valued; the level of preparedness for having discussions related to diversity and inclusion matters; and any experiences they have had related to bias encounters with respect to religion, race and/or ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, age, and other types of bias. 

The results of the climate study were shared with the Brown community widely, and the results can be found in an online dashboard.

Periodic climate data collection and evaluation of programs and initiatives should be undertaken (every two years) to monitor progress regarding specific climate issues and concerns raised by members of the Brown community.  To this end, we will be conducting the second university-wide climate survey of staff and faculty from January 14th to February 19th. The student climate survey was administered on November 5th.  

We are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive campus for our diverse community and launching a campus climate survey provides us information to fully understand the experiences and perspectives of our faculty, staff and students.

Why should I participate in the survey?
This is your opportunity to let Brown know about your perspectives and experiences around issues of diversity and inclusion. Your participation is vital in helping us identify areas that need attention and in informing future policies, initiatives and programs. This survey is how you can get involved and help shape the culture of our institution.

How will the information from the survey be used? 
A comprehensive understanding of the university’s campus climate is a priority for the university’s leadership. This survey will be used to help inform and shape policies and practices. It will also be used to measure the progress of existing policies, initiatives, and actions that were articulated in the University’s DIAP as well as to help us identify new areas of focus.

Who is conducting the survey?
The campus climate survey is being led by the Office of Institutional Research (OIR) in partnership with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED). The survey development was led by OIED and OIR in partnership with the President and the Provost. Many Brown partners and offices were consulted in its creation. All data analysis will be conducted by OIR. 

How will I know my responses will not be tied to me? 
No responses will be attributed to you by name in any reports on this study. You may be identified by category (e.g., undergraduate student, graduate student, medical student, staff, faculty). Only the Office of Institutional Research will have access to the data and conduct all the analysis of the survey results. Reports of the findings will be aggregate in nature. In order to ensure your privacy, responses with fewer than 5 people will not be shared.

When will the survey be open?
All Brown University faculty and staff can take the campus climate survey between Monday, January 14 and Tuesday, February 19.

Why do I keep receiving email reminders to complete the survey when I have already completed the survey?
The survey is anonymous, therefore we do not know if you have completed the survey or not. For this reason, all staff are receiving reminders to complete the survey. 

How long is it expected to take?
The survey takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

How do I access the survey? 
Faculty and staff will receive an email with a link to take the survey. 

Will hourly staff be given paid time to complete the survey?
All supervisors have been asked to provide their employees with sufficient time and accommodations to complete the survey.

Will the survey be translated? 
The survey will be available in English, Spanish and Portuguese. For assistance, please contact the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity at [email protected].

What types of questions should I expect on the survey? 
The survey will ask you to share your experiences and perspectives on diversity and inclusion and incidents of bias at Brown University.

When will the data from the survey be released?
A report summarizing the survey’s findings will be shared with the campus community at the end of the 2018-19 academic year.