ABSTRACT
Periodic evaluation of campus climate over a defined time period will allow assessment of longitudinal progress as well as comparative review of results. Climate studies also offer support for accreditation requirements that focus on collaborative self-reflection and inquiry in service of continuous improvement. Collaboration of campus leadership with boards of trustees and governance bodies can help facilitate an understanding of the goals of the climate study and its relation to institutional improvement and effectiveness. Caution needs to be exercised in developing questions relating to work climate to ensure careful and meaningful definitions, relevant constructs, and valid criteria for evaluating responses. Cultural assessments are another vehicle for probing more deeply rooted cultural assumptions and unspoken cultural norms. Selection of a climate survey consultant requires due diligence that includes close review of survey methodology. A starting point for a cultural assessment can be a comparison of the institution’s espoused values versus the degree to which diversity is actualized in day-to-day practice.
