Campus Climate Survey Frequently Asked Questions

According to Dr. Susan Rankin of Rankin Climate (who serves as SVSU’s outside consultant), a university climate is “the current attitudes, behaviors, standards and practices of employees and students of an institution.  The climate is often shaped through personal experiences, perceptions, and institutional efforts.”

The Climate Study Working Group (CSWG), which includes a cross section of students, faculty and staff, is charged with conducting SVSU’s climate survey.  Although the CSWG will regularly update the campus about its progress, the committee – in consultation with Rankin Climate – is solely responsible for the development, implementation and interpretation of the survey and its results. Dr. Susan Rankin (Rankin Climate) is the consultant working directly with us on this project.

Dr. Rankin is an emeritus faculty member of Education Policy Studies and College Student Affairs at The Pennsylvania State University and a senior research associate in the Center for the Study of Higher Education. She has extensive experience in institutional climate assessment and institutional climate transformation based on data-driven action and strategic planning. Dr. Rankin has conducted multi-location institutional climate studies at more than 170 institutions across the country. She developed and utilizes the Transformational Tapestry model as a research design for campus climate studies. The model is a “comprehensive, five-phase strategic model of assessment, planning and intervention. The model is designed to assist campus communities in conducting inclusive assessments of their institutional climate to better understand the challenges facing their respective communities” (Rankin & Reason, 2008).

This qualitative and quantitative research effort will allow us to better understand the experiences of our community. We know from the research that thriving campus climates contribute directly to overall success for students, staff and faculty. This information will help us better understand how members of the staff community experience their environment. This is an opportunity for you to ensure your voice is part of this effort. 

YES!  Through Rankin Climate, the survey is stored on a third-party server and you will never be asked to identify yourself. No data protected through regulation or policy (e.g., social security number, campus i.d. number, etc.) is obtained through the survey. 

Questions about Survey Confidentiality/Institutional Review Board

SVSU understands that confidentiality is vital to the success of campus climate research, particularly because sensitive and personal topics are discussed. 

• Participation in this assessment is voluntary. If you decide to participate, you do not have to answer any questions on the survey that you do not wish to answer.
• Refusal to take part in this assessment will involve no penalty or loss of student or employee benefits.
• Individuals will not be identified and only group data will be reported (e.g., the analysis will include only aggregate data).
• You can choose to withdraw your responses at any time before you submit your answers.

Confidentiality for Participation

• Your confidentiality in participating will be kept to the degree permitted by the technology used (e.g., IP addresses will be stripped when the survey is submitted).
• No guarantees can be made regarding the interception of data sent via the Internet by any third parties; however, to avoid interception of data, the survey is run on a firewalled web server.
• Rankin Climate will not report any group data for groups of fewer than 5 individuals that may be small enough to compromise confidentiality. Rankin Climate will combine the groups to eliminate any potential for demographic information to be identifiable.
• You do not have to answer any question or questions about which you are uncomfortable.
• Participants who choose to use a paper/pencil survey will be provided with a self-addressed, stamped envelope so that all submissions are mailed directly to Rankin Climate. The paper and pencil surveys are returned to Rankin Climate and kept in a locked file drawer in a locked office. They are destroyed after they are merged with the on-line data.

Anonymity for Comments

• Upon submission, all comments from participants will be de-identified to make those comments anonymous. Thus, participant comments will not be attributable to their author.
• Depending on what you say, others who know you may be able to attribute comments to you. If certain comments might be attributable to an individual, Rankin Climate will make every effort to de-identify those comments or will remove the comments from the analyses.
• Anonymous comments will be analyzed using content analysis and submitted as an appendix to the survey report. In order to give “voice” to the quantitative data, some anonymous comments may be quoted in publications related to this survey.

All current SVSU students, faculty and staff are encouraged to complete the survey.  It will be available online as well as a paper copy if needed.  Anyone needing an accommodation to complete the survey may contact Accessibility Resources & Accommodations (989-964-7000; access@svsu.edu) for assistance.

Although the committee believes the survey process itself is informative, we have sought and received commitment from senior leaders, as well as college and department level administrators, that data will be shared with the campus and used to plan for an improved climate at SVSU.

NO, Rankin Climate utilizes a survey system that protects identities by collecting a small number of  responses into larger groups so a “unique” response isn’t identifiable. Rankin Climate will not report any group data for groups of fewer than 5 individuals that may be small enough to compromise confidentiality. Rankin Climate will combine the groups to eliminate any potential for demographic information to be identifiable.

Further, all comments from participants will be de-identified to make those comments anonymous. Thus, participant comments will not be attributable to their author. Depending on what you say, others who know you may be able to attribute comments to you. If certain comments might be attributable to an individual, Rankin Climate will make every effort to de-identify those comments or will remove the comments from the analyses. Anonymous comments will be analyzed using content analysis and submitted as an appendix to the survey report. In order to give “voice” to the quantitative data, some anonymous comments may be quoted in publications related to this survey.

The consultant, Rankin Climate, will provide a key findings summary of the most salient findings from the results. The report will provide high-level summaries of the findings and will identify themes found in the data. Generalizations for populations are limited to those groups or subgroups with response rates of at least 30%. 

No. Participation in the Climate Survey is voluntary. If you decide to participate, you do not have to answer any questions on the survey that you do not wish to answer. Refusal to take part in this assessment will involve no penalty or loss of student or employee benefits. If you begin to take the survey, you can choose to withdraw your responses at any time before you submit your answers. 

Research at SVSU that involves human participants is carried out under the oversight of an Institutional Review Board. The participant may also contact the Chair, Human Subjects Institutional Review Board at (989)964-7488 or irbchair@svsu.edu if questions or problems arise during the course of the study.

A Cardinal Climate Survey website has been created. We will also be sending updates and invitations to get involved via email and MySVSU portal.

Every voice matters. SVSU needs your input to help make improvements – for us all.

If you prefer speaking to someone about the survey, contact information is as follows: 

Research at SVSU that involves human participants is carried out under the oversight of an Institutional Review Board. The participant may also contact the Chair, Human Subjects Institutional Review Board at (989) 964-7488 or irbchair@svsu.edu if questions or problems arise during the course of the study.