University of Michigan
PA-13: Assessing Employee Satisfaction

The U-M Campus Climate Survey on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was conducted in the Fall 2021 term as a complex designed study with three primary goals:
1. Give all U-M enrolled students and permanently employed staff, special faculty, and faculty a voice to communicate their experiences related to DEI at the U-M Ann Arbor campus.
2. Provide the U-M administration and campus community with scientifically defensible institution level estimates of the campus climate.
3. Provide U-M units with data to evaluate local unit level efforts and outcomes.
To accomplish these goals, a complex study design was developed to include a short-form survey administered as a census to all students, staff, special faculty, and faculty; coupled with a long-form survey administered to a scientifically selected sample of students, staff, and faculty, using protocols designed to increase participation and maximize the quality of the data collected (such as incentives, calling, and paper versions of the survey). The census (short-form) effort was designed to meet the first and third goals. The sample (long-form) effort was designed to meet the second goal.
This survey was conducted by SoundRocket, an Ann Arbor-based survey research organization, in order to ensure confidentiality of survey responses. SoundRocket and the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (ODEI) collaborated with the relevant units on campus to acquire up to date and accurate lists of students, staff, special faculty, and faculty at the UM Ann Arbor. For the staff, special faculty, and faculty populations, the collaboration was with the Human Resources department, who generated a list of all permanent staff, special faculty, and faculty at the U-M Ann Arbor campus. It was determined that employees of U-M affiliated units (such as alumni associations) would not be included in this effort. Temporary employees were also not included in this effort. Both of these exceptions were consistent with exceptions made in the 2017 data collection. Where duplicates were identified between the employee and student files, the participant was included in this effort as a student.

The results of the evaluations are made available to each unit on campus for them each to make their own adjustments as needed in their departments.
The results of this survey underscore the importance of regularly collecting data to apprise U-M Ann Arbor campus leadership and the broader community about respondent experiences surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Further analyses of survey results may be conducted to inform the work of U-M Ann Arbor schools, colleges, and units in developing enhanced education and programming efforts, to ensure that ample support is available for individuals who experience discriminatory events, and to bridge gaps in knowledge and/or understanding of all policies and resources regarding DEI across the University. Units are expected to share the survey results with members of their community. This is also an opportunity to secure more granular insights from community members regarding their lived experiences with DEI. Further, the results are used to help inform the development of the unit-level plans for DEI 2.0 launching in Fall 2023.