Campus Climate
Campus Climate
What is campus climate, and why is it important? According to Dr. Susan Rankin, President of Rankin Climate, campus climate is “the current attitudes, behaviors and standards of faculty, staff, administrators and students concerning the level of respect for individual needs, abilities and potential.” The insights from the conversations will empower Molloy University to maintain, enhance, and establish initiatives, policies, and practices shaped by valuable community feedback.
Molloy University's Campus Climate Survey
During the Spring 2023 semester, Molloy University administered its inaugural campus climate survey. The HEDS Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey asked current students, faculty, staff, and administrators about their perceptions of Molloy University’s climate, how Molloy University supports diversity and equity, and experiences with discrimination and harassment. Data from the climate survey will allow Molloy University to sustain, improve, and develop initiatives, policies, and practices informed by community feedback.
2023 Campus Climate Survey Summary
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Participation Rates
17% (968 individuals) of the university responded to the survey including 13% of undergraduate students, 8% of graduate students, 51% of full-time faculty, and 49% of staff and administration.
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High-level Data
- 74% of respondents at Molloy indicated they were “satisfied” to “very satisfied” with the overall campus climate as compared to 73% at all participating institutions.
- 58% of respondents at Molloy indicated they were “satisfied” to “very satisfied" with experiencing a sense of belonging compared to 51% at all participating institutions.
- 57% of respondents at Molloy indicated they “agree” or “strongly agree” that the campus is free from tensions related to diversity and equity compared to 47% at all participating institutions.
- 90% of respondents at Molloy indicated they “agree” or “strongly agree” that diversity improves campus interactions compared to 89% at all participating institutions.
- 17% of respondents at Molloy responded “yes” to have experienced discrimination or harassment compared to 18% at all participating institutions.
- Molloy is significantly higher as compared to 4-year privates and all participating institutions on the overall Campus Climate for Diversity and Equity Indicator calculated by HEDS (3.79 compared to 3.66 and 3.67, respectively, with 5 being most positive and 1 being most negative). The score is computed by averaging the level of satisfaction of the following elements: overall campus climate; campus experience/environment regarding diversity; extent to which the respondent experiences a sense of belonging or community; and the extent to which the respondent feels all community members experience a sense of belonging or community.
- While most subpopulations scored higher on the Campus Climate for Diversity and Equity Indicator, some subpopulations of respondents did score lower at Molloy as compared to all participating institutions, including faculty (3.52 at Molloy vs. 3.57 of all participating institutions), African American employees (3.10 vs. 3.38 of all participating institutions), and non-binary and/or transgender students (2.84 vs 3.22 of all participating institutions).
Campus Climate Research
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Campus Climate and Student Outcomes
- "Campus Racial Climate and the Adjustment of Students to College: A Comparison between White Students and African-American Students" by Alberto L. Cabrera, Amaury Nora, Patrick T. Terenzini, Ernest T. Pascarella, and Linda Serra Hagedorn
- "Nine Themes in Campus Racial Climates and Implications for Institutional Transformation" by Shaun R. Harper and Sylvia Hurtado
- "How College Affects Students: 21st Century Evidence that Higher Education Works" by
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Campus Climate and Faculty and Staff Outcomes
- "The Climate for Women in Academic Science: The Good, The Bad, and The Changeable" by Isis H. Settles, Lilia M. Cortina, Janet Malley, and Abigail J. Stewart
- "Out on Campus: Sexual Orientation and Academic Climate in a University Context" by Craig R. Waldo
- "Campus Climate for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender People: A National Perspective" by Susan Rankin