Diversity and Inclusion Climate Survey
In 2018, the University administered the Diversity and Inclusion Climate Survey to all members of the University community. The survey collected information to inform priority areas for institutional transformation regarding diversity, inclusion, and safety.
The University Diversity and Inclusion Climate Survey was conducted by the Center for Survey Research (CSR) at the University of Virginia in conjunction with Archie Holmes, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs; Margaret Riley, Professor of Law; Catherine Spear, Associate Vice President for Equal Opportunity & Civil Rights; Rachel Spraker, Compliance Director for Equity and Affirmative Action; and Sarah Schultz-Robinson, Assistant Director for Institutional Assessment & Studies. All undergraduate students, graduate students, staff, and faculty from UVA, including the College at Wise, were included in the sample, except for those in the Medical Center and School of Medicine. While a survey on these topics was already under discussion in relation to the University's strategic efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion, it was also the recommendation of the Dean's Working Group, convened in response to the events of August 11-12, 2017, that a survey of the climate for inclusion and safety be conducted to aid in informing the University on priority areas for institutional transformation. University President Teresa A. Sullivan accepted that recommendation and the Board of Visitors approved funding for the survey project in early March 2018.
The survey was conducted between April and June of 2018. The CSR then performed data analysis, prepared tables, and drafted the final report, a demanding process that occupied several months. The release of the report was delayed by a number of factors, including the departures of President Sullivan, Provost Katsouleas and Vice Provost Archie Holmes. Most significantly, the emergence of COVID-19 soon after Provost Magill's arrival in Fall 2019 required intensive focus on adapting UVA's academic and service operations to the circumstances of a global pandemic.
In the time since this survey was conducted, UVA has made important commitments related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In January 2020, the University adopted the Inclusive Excellence framework, a structure for self-study and organizational change. In June 2020, President Ryan convened the Racial Equity Task Force, which presented a set of goals for the university; UVA's Board of Visitors endorsed those goals in September 2020. in September 2020.
Diversity and Inclusion Climate Survey Results
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The CSR, a unit of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at UVA, assisted with study design and questionnaire development, collected the data, analyzed the results and prepared the initial, detailed report of results. The project leadership at CSR included Director Thomas M. Guterbock, PhD, who oversaw the entire CSR operation; Senior Project Coordinator Kathryn F. Wood, PhD, who drafted the report of results; and Senior Project Coordinator Kara S. Fitzgibbon, PhD, who led the data analysis effort. All three worked closely with the Associate Provost''s survey team (Holmes, Riley, Schultz-Robinson, Spear, and Spraker) on conceptual development, design of the questionnaires, field procedures and deciding on the content and structure of the final report as well as final editing. Matt Starnowski, CSR Survey Operations Manager, managed the programming and fielding of the questionnaire (using the Qualtrics survey platform) and oversaw the reminder calling effort by CSR's telephone interviewers. Research Analysts Hexuan Zhang, Sean Johnson, and Senior Research Analyst Mitch Morehart contributed greatly to questionnaire programming, data analysis and preparation of tables, with assistance from graduate and undergraduate students Laura Baird, Rebecca Brookman, Keyu Chen, Julia Nguyen, Hannah Shadowen, Carole Yang, and Shayne Zaslow. Gare Galbraith supervised telephone reminder calling by CSR's interviewing team, which included Louise Bibb, Nancy Botchford, Spot Etal, Stephanie Fick, Kelly Johnson, Beverley Kerr, Susanne Moyer, Michelle Paul, Hannah Ridings, and Christine Stone.