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Diversity Climate Assessment Survey Frequently Asked Questions

Confidentiality

Q: Were my answers confidential?

A: Yes!  The survey was administered and analyzed by the University’s Survey  Research Division, a center within the School of Social Work.  The Survey Research Division will provide SPHCM with aggregate results.  SPHCM will not have access to the raw data.  Parameters have been established with the consultants to assure that SPHCM will not be able to identify an individual’s survey responses through demographic characteristics.

Diversity Climate Assessment

Q: What is the purpose of the diversity climate assessment?

A: The Diversity Climate Assessment will establish qualitative and quantitative measures to help the SPHCM develop a Diversity Strategic Plan.  The SPHCM Diversity Strategic Plan will outline steps for integrating diversity into the School’s faculty and student recruitment efforts, curriculum, research, community outreach, and policy.  The Climate Assessment is SPHCM’s most broad and intensive effort to examine and analyze its organizational culture from the perspective of students, faculty, and staff. 

Q: Who participated in the development and launch of the Climate Assessment?

A: The SPHCM Diversity Task Force created a Climate Assessment Subcommittee that coordinated and lead to the development and implementation of the Climate Assessment.  Other participants included a student focus group of 13 students, and the faculty, students, and staff who tested the survey and provided feedback before the survey went live to the entire community of students, faculty and staff.

The Climate Assessment Subcommittee members are as follows:

David Yanez, Biostatistics
Bridget Doyle, Dean’s Office (SPHCM)
Christine Edgar, Dean’s Office (SPHCM)
Matt Keifer, DEOHS
James Meadows, DEOHS
Christopher Li, Epidemiology
Kate O’Brien, Epidemiology
Martha Perla, Epidemiology, Health Services
Michelle Williams, Epidemiology
Celeste Chung, Health Services
James Pfeiffer, Health Services
Joseph Daniels, Pathobiology

Q: What is the University doing with regard to the diversity climate campus wide?

The University of Washington is also taking steps to work on an institution-wide Diversity Strategic Plan, and we expect to see more on that in 2008-09.

For more information about some of the many UW Diversity Initiatives, please visit the following websites:

Incentives for Student Participation

Q: What prizes were available for student participants?

A: There was be a drawing for five (5) $75 gift certificates to the University Bookstore.

Q: Which participants were eligible for the drawing for prizes?

A: Any student who filled out the survey by the closing date will be entered into the drawing.  Faculty and staff were not eligible for the drawing.

Q: When was the drawing be held?

A: April 15, 2008

Survey Deadline

Q: What was the last date I could take the survey?

A: The survey closed on Sunday, April 13, 2008.

Survey Length

Q: How long did the survey take to complete?

A: 15-20 minutes

Q: Did I have to take the survey all at once, or could I do a part of it and complete it later?

A: You could log out of the survey and come back another time to finish where you left off.  Keep in mind that when you log out of the survey, you will need to wait 10 minutes before you can log in again.  It’s a quirk of the survey software.

Survey Participation

Q: Who was eligible to participate in the survey?

A: SPHCM students, faculty and staff were eligible to participate.

Survey Results

Q: When will the survey results be available?

A: First, a summary report of the climate assessment will be provided by the Diversity Task Force.  Second, the data collected will be used to develop a SPHCM Diversity Strategic Plan.  Both the summary report and the strategic plan will be made available on the climate website upon completion.