Office for Institutional Diversity

Campus Climate Survey Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is meant by campus climate?
  2. Why is it important to have a positive campus climate?
  3. Why is Reed College conducting a campus climate survey?
  4. Who will have access to raw data from the survey?
  5. How will you maintain my confidentiality?
  6. How will results be shared with the campus community?
  7. Why should I complete the survey?
  8. How many respondants do we need to participate in the survey?
  9. How long will the survey take to complete?
  10. What types of questions are on the survey?

1. What is meant by campus climate?

Campus climate is best described as the current attitudes, behaviors, standards, policies and practices of faculty, staff, and students of an institution. How one experiences the campus is often shaped through personal experiences, perceptions, and institutional efforts.

2. Why is it important to have a positive campus climate?

Positive personal experiences with campus climate and positive perceptions of campus climate generally lead to successful outcomes that include positive educational experiences and healthy identity development for students, productivity and sense of value for faculty and staff, and overall wellbeing for all.

3. Why is Reed College conducting a campus climate survey?

We believe in the importance of an inclusive community where all members are respected for their unique and positive contributions. Through quantitative and qualitative means, this climate survey allows us to understand how people of varying identities experience the campus and its climate. We aim to use this information to both acknowledge areas of strengths, and to act in areas of opportunity.  

4. Who will have access to raw data from the survey?

Raw data will remain in the Office for Institutional Diversity and the Institutional Research Office.

5. How will you maintain my confidentiality?

Consistent with best practices in the field, your individual responses will be stripped of any identifiable information prior to analysis and distribution of results. Results will only be shared in aggregate, and even then, only if the number of unique participants is greater than 5 people.

6. How will the results be shared with the community?

The Office of Institutional Diversity will invite community members to a results presentation. Results will be shared with the student, staff, and faculty bodies. We welcome your attendance!

7. Why should I complete the survey?

Your input matters! Information about your lived experiences, and those of your peers, will inform the immediate and long-term work of the college. Information will be used by the Office for Institutional Diversity to shape diversity planning, workshops, and trainings. Further, your input helps us build upon Reed’s work in the areas of diversity, access, equity and inclusion.

8. How many respondents do we need to participate in the survey?

To ensure that the results of the survey are statistically significant, we need strong participation from all stakeholders. It is important that the community has confidence in the findings and any generalizations that we are able to make. Therefore, we are asking for a high rate of participation from students, staff, and faculty.

9. How long will the survey take?

The survey should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Of course, if you would like to expand upon your responses by providing detailed narrative responses, the time may be longer.

10.  What type of questions are on the student survey?

  • Demographic Information
  • Questions to help us understand your academic experience
  • Questions to help us understand your perceptions of campus climate
  • Questions to help us understand your personal experiences on campus