Inside Iowa State

Dec. 7, 2007

Survey indicates ISU is a great place to learn

by Anne Krapfl

If you think that ISU is a great place to work, join the crowd. About 74 percent of faculty, staff and graduate students who responded to a survey on university life last winter agreed with this statement.

Among employee classifications, the sentiment was more, and less, strong. About 80 and 81 percent, respectively, of P&S and merit employees who participated in the survey agreed Iowa State is a great place to work, while 65 percent of faculty respondents and 70 percent of grad students agreed.

Measuring progress

The survey was a starting point to measure progress on specific priorities within one of the five main goals in Iowa State's 2005-10 Strategic Plan: Ensure that the university is a great place to learn and work. Survey results will guide planning and decision making. The intent is to see positive movement when the survey is administered again in spring 2009, said Melanie Smith, a program coordinator in the provost's office. She said additional comments submitted by survey participants will be distributed to those offices that have responsibility for those areas.

Learn more

Results of the survey, in report form, are available online from the provost's Web site (click on "Reports" and "University Life Survey").

Executive vice president and provost Elizabeth Hoffman and/or associate provost Susan Carlson will present the results at least three times this month: during the Dec. 6 P&S Council meeting (2-4 p.m., Memorial Union Pioneer Room), the Dec. 11 Faculty Senate meeting (3:30-5 p.m., Memorial Union Great Hall) and the Dec. 14 President's Council (8-9 a.m., Memorial Union Gallery). The PowerPoint summary presentation is available from the same Web site as the survey report.

Participation

A total of 4,879 individuals -- representing faculty, P&S staff, merit staff and undergraduate and graduate students -- responded to the online survey last February and March. All employees and students were invited to participate, but response rates varied significantly, from 48 percent of P&S to just under 9 percent of undergraduates. Filling out the field were graduate students (12 percent), merit employees (31 percent) and faculty (40 percent).

University Life survey

Selected responses*

Iowa State University:

A.) Is a great place to learn

Grad students	87
Undergrads	87
P&S	87
Merit	83
Faculty	78

B.) Fosters an environment in which I can manage both a productive professional life and a satisfying personal life

Undergrads	75
Merits	69
Grad students	67
P&S	67
Faculty	51

C.) Provides you with resources to efficiently and effectively carry out your responsibilities

Undergrads	78
Grad students	69
Merit	61
P&S	51
Faculty	38

D.) Recruits and retains faculty and staff who are dedicated to excellence

Grad students	69
Undergrads	68
P&S	60
Faculty	57
Merit	55

*Numbers are percentages and indicate respondents who agreed or strongly agreed

Provost office staff will present the

university life survey results to P&S Council (Dec. 6), Faculty Senate (Dec. 11) and President's Council (Dec. 14).