University of Massachusetts Amherst
PAE-7: Measuring Campus Diversity Culture

1. UMass Amherst’s Campus Coalition Against Workplace Bullying is a working group comprised of the leaders of the five largest campus unions (MSP, PSU, GEO, USA, and AFSCME) and representatives from the Ombuds Office, the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Labor/Management Workplace Education. The Coalition formed in Summer, 2010, and has met regularly since then. In Spring, 2012, the Coalition conducted a Workplace Bullying Survey of all UMass employees in order to
assess the nature and extent of their overall experiences on campus and their familiarity with workplace bullying.

The web-based survey was designed by Coalition members (with some consultation with both Student Assessment, Research, and Evaluation Office and the UMass Amherst administration) and administered by the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) via an email invitation (see Appendix A) distributed on May 3rd to all campus employees (7975 in theory) by UMass Amherst’s Human Resources.

2. In Spring 2012 the Division of Student Affairs & Campus Life administered the Undergraduate Campus Climate Survey to gain insights to key elements of the UMass environment as experienced by undergraduate students.

3. In its Diversity Report, the College of Engineering CDSJ Committee reported that in 2009 they resurveyed staff and graduate students, asking about progress since 2005 (the last CDSJ survey). The survey indicated success in several areas, specifically co-worker support, general work satisfaction in immediate work environment and general overall climate of the College. COE contact: Shelly Perdomo, Director for Diversity Program.

4. SARIS conducted a survey in spring '07 for the Office of Programs and Services for ALANA Students (OPSAS). The target population was all undergraduates of color, and the survey included questions asking about use of the various "Success Centers", as well as questions about their experiences with advising and academics. The response rate was pretty low -- only 20%. Jackie Pinn was the client.

5. SARIS conducted a survey in spring 2008 for Larry Goldbaum in Jewish Affairs. Detailed information on this survey is provided below:
The "Survey of Campus Climate for Jewish Students" was formerly titled "Anti-Semitism"; but we changed the name in 2008 to reflect a broader range of questions. These periodic surveys assess the extracurricular, residential, and classroom experiences of self-identified Jewish students. The questions have remained fairly consistent since the survey's inception in 1991, although in 2004 some questions were added to explore Jewish students' perceptions of criticism of Israel by professors, other students, and columnists in the student newspaper. In 2008 we changed the name of the survey and added several questions regarding religious observance.

Based on the Undergraduate Campus Climate Survey, UMA developed a new campaign program in 2013 known as UMatter at UMass. UMatter at UMass is a campaign that seeks to help students who feel disconnected on campus, encourage students to be proactive and reach out to those around them, raise awareness of the resources the University provides and ensure that UMass is a safe, caring and compassionate environment for all students who attend.

In Spring 2014, as a result of the Workplace Bullying Survey (and subsequent voluntary on-campus Workplace Bullying symposium that took place in fall 2013), a new mandatory 90 minute training is being implemented for all staff on the subject of workplace bullying and environmental awareness.

In addition, as a result of campus diversity reports and surveys conducted in previous years, Chancellor Subbaswamy created the position of Faculty Advisor for Diversity and Excellence, a position housed directly within the Office of the Chancellor.

Announced in January 2013, the new post, held by Dr. Amilcar Shabazz, serves directly on the Campus Leadership Council and serves as the chancellor’s representative to all campus groups, committees and councils involved in advancing diversity. Dr. Shabazz meets with various groups and members of the senior administration, staff, faculty and students regularly to develop, review, and implement appropriate academic initiatives to advance the campus’s diversity goals.

In earlier years, the Anti-Semitism survey (renamed "Campus Climate for Jewish Students" in 2008) was originally used (in 1991) to measure the nature and extent of anti-Jewish attitudes or behaviors on campus. These triennial surveys provided information which led the University to create an Office of Jewish Affairs in 1995. Subsequent surveys were used to monitor our progress in redressing the problems identified by the surveys. (Note: The Office of Jewish Affairs has been incorporated into a broader Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, which will administer a Survey of Campus Climate for Muslim Students, modeled on its predecessor.)

Undergrad Campus Climate Survey
http://www.umass.edu/studentlife/sites/default/files/images/CampusClimateStudy2012_Aggregate%20Report_FINAL.pdf

Article on UMatter at UMass Campaign
http://dailycollegian.com/2013/10/02/umatter-campaign-aims-to-improve-umass-experience/

Details on Faculty Advisor on Diversity & Excellence Position
http://www.umass.edu/chancellor/amilcar-shabazz

UMass Workplace Bullying Survey
http://www.umass.edu/local1776/Flyers,%20Updates%20&%20Documents_files/WBS%20Final%20Report%202012%2010%2004.pdf

Workplace Bullying Symposium Details
http://www.umass.edu/events/campus-symposium-against-workplace-bullying

Article on Chancellor's Efforts to Eliminate Workplace Bullying
http://www.gazettenet.com/home/6301021-95/umass-chancelor-kumble-subbaswamy-takes-on-bullying-in-workplace

Jewish Antisemitism Survey Results (2008)
http://www.umass.edu/jewish/pdf/antisem2008detail.pdf