East Carolina University
PA-6: Assessing Diversity and Equity

Two surveys have been administered at the institutional level assessing campus climate in the past 3 years: the UNC System Racial Equity Task Force Survey (assessed racial campus climate) in September of 2020, and the HEDS Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey in Feb-March 2021.

RETF
The UNC System Racial Equity Task Force Survey was conducted in Fall 2020 to assess student, faculty, and staff perceptions, experiences, and satisfaction of the campus racial climate. 1758 faculty and staff and 807 students from ECU began the RETF survey (there were two versions of the survey—one for faculty and staff, another for students). Overall, we found that BIPOC faculty and staff members perceive and experience a more hostile campus climate and less opportunities than their white peers. For example, 64% of white faculty/staff believe people from different racial/ethnic backgrounds have an equal opportunity for promotion compared to 52% of Asian, 37% of Hispanic, and only 18% of Black faculty/staff. Similar patterns amongst faculty/staff emerged when it comes to tenure-track positions, awards for professional achievement, mentorship, and access to leadership. Students who completed the survey shared similar sentiments, particularly when it came to questions regarding student life on campus, including equal access to spaces that represent a person’s racial/ethnic background, student clubs, and resources for cultural events. Significant differences between groups emerged when survey respondents were asked about representation at events and in leadership, as well as feeling supported and safe on campus. For example, 70% of Hispanic faculty/staff and 44% of Hispanic students never or rarely feel represented by leadership compared to under 5% of white faculty/staff and under 3% of white students. Finally, we found that Asian, Black, and Hispanic communities are significantly more likely to experience racial discrimination or harassment on campus, though they feel significantly less comfortable reporting the act to ECU. From this survey, the top five actions recommended for change were: 1) increase efforts to recruit and retain racially diverse and equity-minded faculty, staff, and leadership; 2) provide more funding for mental health on campus including additional counselors of different racial backgrounds and telehealth capabilities; 3) assess and refine reporting processes to ensure fairness and hold others accountable for discrimination; 4) evaluate campus police practices; and 5) investigate and correct any inequities in promotions, tenure, and compensation.

HEDS
The HEDS Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey was administered to ECU student, faculty, and staff in spring 2021. This survey examined the perceptions, experiences, and satisfaction of the campus climate broadly, including race, gender, sexuality, and other axes of inequality. 5.2% of ECU’s population elected to complete the survey. Three major findings resulted from this survey: 1) While the majority of all respondents are generally satisfied with the campus climate, satisfaction significantly decreases amongst historically marginalized communities on campus; 2) Despite increased compositional diversity at ECU, historically marginalized communities are less likely to feel like they belong on campus; and 3) There is a vested commitment to community amongst respondents, but they note that there is increased tension and discrimination and they foster a negative perception of ECU’s prioritization on campus regarding DEI. For example, 52% of the respondents are very or generally satisfied with the campus climate, but this satisfaction declines to only 28% of non-binary and 42% of Black respondents. Less than half respondents feel that populations they belong to are represented in the university’s communications, curriculum, events, faculty, recruiting, and student organizations. Consequently, 24% of women, 31% of non-binary, 22% American Indian and Asian, and upwards of 34% of Black respondents do not feel they belong at ECU compared to 24% of the campus population overall and 20% of white respondents. Finally, we found that nearly one in four students had considered leaving ECU, with not feeling welcome on campus being the third most common reason, and one in four respondents experienced discrimination or harassment on campus. Out of the qualitative data, respondents called for transparent and clear communication, increased representation, and accountability from leadership as well as increased support systems for historically marginalized community members and opportunities for continued learning, growth, and difficult conversations on campus.

Our various DEI assessment and indicators are shared with the campus community regularly. Annual presentations are given to the Executive Council, Faculty & Staff Senates, open meetings of the Chancellor’s Commission on DEI, and other workshops and events as requested.

The OED website is currently in the process of being redesigned to host reports, presentations, and other results from our DEI data initiatives. The results of the 2021 HEDS survey have not been published online at this time due to limited capacity of the OED Research Associate but are planned to be released by the end of Fall 2022.

Data Sources:

Maggie Nanney, Office of Equity and Diversity