Campus climate survey to help build stronger community

Students, faculty and staff of the University of Nebraska will receive an email this week from Gallup concerning a campus climate survey.

Last week, University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds, Ph.D., sent a university-wide message to alert employees and students to the coming survey and offer his thanks in advance for helping to build an even stronger university for every member of the university community.

“One of our most important priorities is creating an environment where each of us feels welcomed and safe and where all ideas can be freely expressed and heard,” Dr. Bounds wrote. “These principles are fundamental to any great university, and we have long dedicated ourselves to their advancement.

“It’s critical for us to periodically assess what we’re doing well and where we can improve,” he said. “We have not conducted such an assessment across the entire university in quite some time. As we and many other institutions work through issues related to freedom of expression, inclusion and civil discourse, it’s an appropriate time to take a close look at how we’re doing.”

The climate survey, which has been informed by input from a university-wide working group representing all campuses, will be distributed on Thursday, and Dr. Bounds urged members of the university community to complete it.

“Your answers will be completely confidential, so we’d ask you to be as candid as possible,” he said. “A similar survey will be sent to NU alumni, likely in May. We’ll use the aggregate data to identify broad strengths and weaknesses; where significant opportunities for improvement emerge, we will appoint teams to develop action plans.

“It is our goal for the University of Nebraska to be the very best place in the nation to be a student and the best place to work,” he said. “We know we can do better, and we hope you will help us chart a path forward. Thank you for your support and for all your contributions to the University of Nebraska.”