Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is a campus Climate Study a valuable tool in building welcoming campus communities?

A: The goal of the study is to identify potential areas that may need to be addressed so that the UW System can be a national leader in creating a welcoming environment for faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds.

The UW System's Growth Agenda for Wisconsin recognizes that higher education has a significant role in providing students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the 21st-century global economy. To ensure this success, UW students must have the skills, knowledge, abilities, and habits of mind that include multicultural competence and the ability to work and live side-by-side with people who represent diverse cultures and perspectives.

The UW System also recognizes that student successes lie in a learning environment that meets his or her unique and diverse needs. To recruit and retain students and talented faculty, campuses must demonstrate and model inclusive excellence.

Beyond 2008, the Climate Study will help the UW System develop a set of strategic directions that will move its institutions closer to enhanced education quality, equity, and diversity.

Q: What does the Climate Study involve?

A: Unique from the Equity Scorecard and other diversity studies throughout the UW System, the Climate Study will survey all students, staff, and faculty on seventeen campuses who are 18 years of age or older. The survey will measure the climate of diversity and inclusiveness at each campus with regard to multiple identity groups (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender, religious affiliation, veteran status, etc.). Five campuses participated in the first year of the pilot program including UW-La Crosse, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point, and the thirteen freshman-sophomore UW-Colleges.

In September 2007, focus groups were formed from all the UW Campuses and a wide variety of system-wide constituencies (e.g. M/D Coordinators, members of the Inclusivity Initiative for LGBTQ people, members of the Women's Studies Consortium, individuals with disabilities, faculty and student representatives, etc.). Discussions with focus groups informed the development of a survey tool. At the same time, a Climate Study Working Group was established to aid the national consultant leading the project in being sensitive to the unique needs of the UW System.

Q: Who will administer the Climate Study?

A: Rankin & Associates was chosen to lead the project because of their nationally recognized reputation for conducting multiple identity climate surveys in higher education. They have conducted Climate Study Assessments at over sixty institutions of higher education.  All phases of the project will also be conducted in collaboration with the Climate Study Working Group, a system-wide group set up to guarantee that the contractor will best understand the mission, goals, and objectives of the UW System and participating institutions.  All faculty, staff and students will be surveyed at each of the seventeen campuses.

Q: How will my confidentiality be protected when I complete the survey?

A: Responses to the survey will be submitted directly to a secure server external to UW-Whitewater. This server will strip any computer identification that might identify participants. Comments are also separated at submission so they are not associated with any demographic information. Any cells with less than 10 responses will be aggregated to the next level to eliminate the potential for demographic information to become identifiable.

Q: How will the survey results be utilized to enhance each campus climate?

A: Survey results will be reported in meetings for all members of the campus community. The conclusions of the Climate Survey will aid each institution in developing tailored action plans for inclusion and diversity that will assist in focusing their efforts to make their campus inclusive and welcoming for all.

Q: When and how will UW-Whitewater participate in the Campus Climate Survey?

A: UW-Whitewater is one of four campuses to complete the survey during the fall 2009 term. Other UW System campuses completing the survey in 2009 are UW-Eau Claire, UW-Parkside, and UW-River Falls. At UW-Whitewater, the survey will be administered online and/or in paper form October 1-15, 2009.

Q: How can I learn more about the Survey?

A: Several sources of information will be available, including the Campus Climate Survey web site, videos, printed information, announcements on campus media outlets, e-mails, oral presentations to groups, and other forms of media. All members of the UW-Whitewater campus community will receive a letter of invitation to participate from the chancellor and leaders of campus governance groups and unions in early September. The Diversity Leadership Committee, the Steering Committee for this project, includes representatives from many constituency groups on campus, including faculty, students, classified and unclassified staff. Questions about the UW-Whitewater survey may be directed to Barbara Monfils, associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at UW-Whitewater (monfilsb@uww.edu; phone: 1055); questions concerning the rights of participants should be directed to Denise Ehlen, director of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at UW-Whitewater (ehlend@uww.edu; phone: 5212). Questions may also be directed to Sharon Wilhelm, associate vice president of the Office of Policy Analysis and Research at UW System (swilhelm@uwsa.edu; phone: 608-262-3905). Questions about Rankin and Associates may be directed to Susan R. Rankin, principal and senior research associate, Rankin and Associates, Consulting (sue@rankin-consulting.com; phone: 814-625-2780).

When you have questions:

About the UW-Whitewater survey:
Barbara Monfils, associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs
monfilsb@uww.edu, 262-472-1055

About the rights of participants:
Denise Ehlen, director of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
ehlend@uww.edu, 262-472-5212

About Rankin and Associates:
Susan R. Rankin, principal and senior research associate
sue@rankin-consulting.com, 814-625-2780

Questions may also be directed to Sharon Wilhelm, associate vice president of the Office of Policy Analysis and Research at UW System, at swilhelm@uwsa.edu or 608-262-3905.