Florida International University
PA-5: Assessing Diversity and Equity

In Spring 2010 and Fall 2013, the FIU Climate Research Team, led by ADVANCE PAID investigators Dr. Eaton (Co-PI) and Dr. Rose (PI), conducted an extensive survey on the quality of work life for FIU faculty. Among tenured and tenure-track faculty in STEM, a response rate of 45% was achieved in 2010 (116/260; 92 men and 24 women) and a response rate of 40% was achieved in 2013 (114/288; 73 men and 41 women). Faculty members were given Starbucks gift cards as incentives for participation. Comparisons between the 2010 and 2013 surveys were made to assess the possible impact the FIU PAID ADVANCE grant and other faculty development activities had on STEM faculty climate, morale, and experiences in the two years since the beginning of the grant period (Fall 2011). Faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences departments of biology, chemistry, earth and environment, math and statistics, physics, and psychology as well as those in the College of Engineering and Computing are considered STEM faculty for the purpose of this report. Results indicate that STEM faculty in 2013 are generally satisfied with their positions at FIU, though satisfaction with salary and fair compensation in relation to colleagues was lower than satisfaction in other areas. Also, about 10% of 2013 faculty reported having been harassed and discriminated against because of their gender in the last 5 years- higher than rates of harassment or discrimination due to any of the other 11 characteristics assessed (e.g., race, age, religion, etc.). Compared to 2010 STEM faculty, STEM faculty in 2013 were slightly more satisfied with college and university-level climate issues than faculty in 2010. Faculty in 2013 reported higher rates of mentoring and more recognition of their teaching and mentoring at the college level. However, faculty were slightly less satisfied with some aspects of their departments in 2013 compared to 2010. Many gender differences found in the 2010 climate for FIU faculty no longer existed in 2013. For example, the lower levels of respect that women felt from their departmental colleagues compared to men was no longer apparent in 2013. However, women still felt that the climate at FIU was not as good for women as men felt it was. Overall, it appears that the climate for women in STEM at FIU has improved substantially from 2010 to 2013, but there are still improvements to be made. http://sish.fiu.edu/initiatives/advance-grant/products/2013-stem-climate-report-final.pdf

Although the University has not assessed student diversity and educational equity, the Office of Student Access and Success (SAS) under a project sponsored by Association of American College and Universities (AACU) has begun to assess educational equity among students at FIU. The project begun in October 2015. https://www.aacu.org/press/press-releases/usafunds