Northeastern University
PA-5: Assessing Diversity and Equity

Building a diverse and inclusive community is central to Northeastern’s mission because diversity of thought, culture, and viewpoint is essential to learning and growth. The university conducts multiple ongoing assessments focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues and targeting specific stakeholder groups.
1. Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey
Most recently, the Presidential Council on Diversity and Inclusion was charged with finding new opportunities and making specific recommendations about how Northeastern can implement meaningful institutional change that leads to a campus climate that is more diverse, inclusive, and equitable. As part of the Council’s initiatives, the Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey will be administered to the entire campus network in March-April 2021. The survey will assess Northeastern student, faculty and staff perceptions of the university’s climate and its commitment to racial diversity, equity, and inclusion. It will also ask about their personal experiences with discrimination and harassment at Northeastern and the quality and diversity of interactions with others on campus.
2. National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
Northeastern University conducted the National Survey of Student Engagement in Spring 2018. In addition to the questions that assess the extent to which students engage in educational practices associated with desired university’s outcomes of learning and development, the survey also included the “Inclusiveness and Engagement with Cultural Diversity” topical module, which examined students’ exposure to inclusive teaching practices and intercultural learning; perceptions of institutional values and commitment regarding diversity; and participation in diversity-related programming and coursework.
3. HERI Faculty Survey
Every three years, in collaboration with the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI), Northeastern University conducts Faculty Survey which includes questions designed to learn how faculty experience the campus climate, whether they had experiences with sexual harassment and discrimination, and uncover areas for improvement. The last administration of the survey in 2020 also included the “Campus Climate” module, which asked faculty about their perception of the campus environment and the various types of practices and policies in place at an institution.
4. HERI College Senior Survey
In academic year 2017- 2018, Northeastern University collaborated with Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) to administer the College Senior Survey. The next administration is planned for Spring 2021. The survey asks graduating seniors about their satisfaction with the diversity of the student body and faculty, their perceptions of the university’s climate and its commitment to racial diversity, equity, and inclusion, and their personal experiences with discrimination and harassment.
5. G-14 Faculty Survey
In spring 2018, Northeastern University partnered with several G-14 peer universities (a consortium of 14 universities collaborating through data exchanges and information sharing) to conduct a faculty survey. The purpose of the survey was to gather information and perceptions about the institutional climate in the areas of teaching, research, and service, and to identify strengths and weaknesses that could be capitalized upon or enhanced to improve the university.

The most recent assessment is still collecting results. The results of the survey will allow Northeastern to define areas of strength and improvement for the diversity and inclusion efforts and will be used to help inform Northeastern support, policies, and practices as the university works towards building a more inclusive university community.

Annual reports of demographics
Northeastern’s University Decision Support produced many diversity dashboards over the past year that provide insight into the following:
• Trends in total employee and student race/ethnicity demographics over time
• Trends in newly hired employee and newly matriculated student race/ethnicity demographics over time
• Trends in employee turnover rates by race/ethnicity over time
• Progress towards the newly stated diversity and inclusion goals, as outlined by the President

Additionally, the University’s Fact Book, which is available to internal users, allows to trace graduation and retentions rates by gender, race and ethnicity.

1. The results of the Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey have not yet been shared because the data is still collecting. The plan is to disseminate the results transparently with the community via emails, infographics with key survey results, to discuss them at town halls and webinars. They will also be published on the diversity and inclusion website.
2. The results of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) were shared with senior administrators in the form of a report, the admission office, and Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion for actions and policy improvement.
3. HERI Faculty Survey results, by tenure and by college, are shared with the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Faculty Senate, and deans who shared the results with faculty. They are also shared with the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion for actions and policy improvement.
4. HERI College Senior Survey results were shared with the Office of Provost, Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion in the form of the reports. The infographic with key survey results was made publicly available on the University Decision Support website.
5. G-14 Faculty Survey results were shared in the form of the comparative reports by tenure status and by college with the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and deans who shared the results with faculty.
6. The University’s Factbook and annual reports of demographics in the form of dashboards are available to the community on the internal Tableau server.