Update on University Climate Assessment
Dear Members of The New School Community,
We send this message to update you on the university-wide Climate Assessment, the process we have been engaged in since last fall to better understand experiences and perceptions about diversity, equity and inclusiveness on our campus. We have made steady progress thanks to the participation and support of students, staff and faculty throughout our community. Thank you!
In the fall, we shared information about the consultants we had engaged to complete the assessment and the Task Force we had formed to guide this work. Throughout the Spring semester, more than 1700 students, faculty, and staff accepted the university-wide invitation to participate in the online survey, and nearly 200 members of our community opted to share their experiences and opinions through one-on-one and group interviews with the consultants. We extended our timeline to encourage additional participation in the surveys.
The Task Force has now had the opportunity to meet with the consultants to review the findings from the qualitative and quantitative assessments. Rather than seeking a representative sampling of the experience of our community, the research was designed through both interviews and surveys to ensure that all members of the university community had the opportunity to participate if they wished. We are pleased to share the consultants’ executive summary that brings together the findings from the qualitative assessment and online survey and offers a set of recommendations.
Over the rest of the summer, the Task Force will have the opportunity to further consider and discuss the reports and help to shape the recommendations that flow from the findings. We look forward to sharing those recommendations along with the findings from the qualitative assessment and online survey at the start of the Fall 2019 semester. We will build-in ways to allow the community to offer feedback on the reports and shape next steps.
This was an informative and important project, and we thank you again for your honesty and commitment to The New School.