State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
PA-13: Assessing Employee Satisfaction

The Higher Education Research Institute's (HERI) 2018-2019 survey was sent to ESF staff members in March 2018.

The Staff Climate Survey (SCS) was designed to assess the campus climate for diversity from the staff/administrator perspective. The staff perspective and experience is an essential component for a fuller understanding of the climate for diversity on any given campus. The SCS has questions that overlap with, and is designed to be administered alongside, the HERI Faculty Survey and the Diverse Learning Environments (DLE) survey. ESF did not participate in the HERI Faculty survey, but did issue Harvard's Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) survey in 2017. COACHE survey response rates are not included in this STARS's report.

Results from the Staff Climate Survey assessed the campus climate from the staff perspective. The survey also touches on staff’s level of stress, satisfaction with their institution, and work-related experiences as staff members in postsecondary institutions. Survey responses in the following categories have informed 2021 legislative asks. The College Chief Diversity Officer submitted a proposed legislative priorities to the president based on data from the survey (and others mentioned above.

The CDO submitted the following proposed 2021 legislative priorities to the president for consideration.

Inclusion, Belonging, Diversity and Equity Among Current and Prospective Leadership:

- Offer implicit bias education for legislators or legislative staff that can support deeper understanding of decisions as related to inclusion, diversity and equity, consulting SUNY CDO’s as sources of knowledge
- Train and educate from legislative seats, to understand, practice, and move toward embodying decision-making that promotes and maintains equitable learning and work space
- Consider bills and resolutions to require or encourage publicly held corporations and public institutions to diversify their boards and employee base.
- Support the SUNY Graduate Diversity Fellowship Program (GDFP).
- Promote state-wide fair search and hire standards to (1) develop a more comprehensive civil service process, and (2) chaperone Civil Service reform, (3) yield increased numbers of people with low-socio economic status, women and racial minority civil servants in the state’s employ (adopt standards that will create an environment of trust)
- Develop a state search waiver policy to maximize access to management confidential employment opportunity among historically absent people (adopt standards that will create an environment of trust)

Inclusion, Belonging, Diversity and Equity Among Historically Oppressed/Absent Communities - Disability:

- Support EIT throughout SUNY, reinforcing the right to pursue educational opportunities in accessible environments and to have reasonable accommodations so individuals with disabilities can work toward their fullest potential

Inclusion, Belonging, Diversity and Equity Among Historically Oppressed/Absent Communities – Familial Status:

- Increased education, funding, and resources (teaching/research/scholarship) to support and retain parenting scholars (co-market to end users in tandem with the SUNY PRODiG initiative)
- Promote state and local coordination to expand access to high quality pre-school and child care for SUNY employees with families in “care deserts” - providing affordable child-care options for all households, and particularly single parent households
- Realign and publicize policies and programs that mitigate the impact of intersectionality on gender and seek to reverse harms done to women and communities of color, particularly those who also have low-income, identify as LGBTQIA+, or experience additional forms of systemic oppression

ESF intends to participate in the Great Colleges to Work For survey in 2021. This survey will assess both staff and faculty satisfaction.