Climate Study 2021 Preliminary Update
The Kent State University Climate Study, “Race: Our Voices Count,” survey was sent to Kent State students, faculty and staff at our Northeast Ohio locations in spring 2021. Since the survey response period closed, the climate study team leads and qualitative and quantitative analysis teams are currently reviewing the data.
Our Voices: 2021 Climate Study on Race
Preliminary benchmark comparisons to the 2016 climate study, as well as some comparative overview qualitative data for students and employees, are included in the presentation posted. In addition, the quantitative aggregated and disaggregated analysis, and the remaining qualitative aggregated and disaggregated analysis are provided. In terms of next steps, the teams will continue to share reports as soon as they are available.
2021 Preliminary Update
Abridge Quantitative Data Presentation Overview
Demographic Breakdown
2016/2021 Comparison
Early Aggregate Quantitative Data Analysis Identified
Initial Qualitative Trends
Next Steps and Timeline
Demographic Breakdown
Role Representation
Total Responses: 5,255 (18.1% of invited respondents participated)
Important Note: Most participants spend most of their time on the Kent campus (67.8%) or online (13.9%).
Primary Campus Affiliation
What is your primary (where you spend most of your KSU work time) Kent State campus affiliation?
Gender and Sexual Identity
- Which of the following represents your current gender/gender identity? Please select all that apply.
- Woman (3668)
- Man (1686)
- Cisgender (1306)
- Nonbinary/Gender Queer/Gender Fluid (189)
- Transgender (90)
- Prefer Not to Answer (70)
- A gender not listed here (31)
- Don't Know (22)
- Which of the following terms describe your current sexual identity? Please select all that apply.
- Heterosexual "Straight" (4231)
- Bisexual (583)
- Asexual (193)
- Gay (181)
- Pansexual (163)
- Queer (156)
- Questioning (149)
- Lesbian (143)
- A sexual identity not listed here (59)
- Don't Know (43)
Racial Demographics
Which one of these groups would you say best represents your race?
For the purposes of this survey, Hispanic should not be indicated here as a race.
2016 & 2021 Climate Study Comparisons
About the Last Climate Study
- Created by faculty, staff and students at Kent State.
Led by Kathy Wilson, Chair of Economics and Shay Little, former VP for Student Affairs. - Administered and results summarized
by Rankin and Associates Consulting - Results available in early 2017 (more than a year after).
Used as one of the main dataset for the Great Place Initiative
2016 Climate Survey Timeline
Time Span: Six Years
2015/2016
- Collect community feedback and design Climate Study
March 2016
- Climate Survey launched
February 2017
- Aggregate reports generated by R&A and shared with campus communities
- Great Place Initiative launched - data-driven approach to improving climate at Kent State
2017-Now
- Data Analysis
2021 Climate Survey Timeline
Time Span: One - Two Years
Fall 2020
- Collect community feedback and start designing Climate Survey
March 2021
- Climate Survey launched
November 2021
- Aggregate reports generated and shared with leadership
January 2022
- Climate Study transition team assembled: Data-driven approach to improving climate
March 2022
- Disaggregated Reports shared and continued Data Analysis upon request
Benchmarks from 2016 for 2021
- Overall Climate
- "Overall, how comfortable are you with the climate at Kent State?"
- Climate in Classes/Department
- "Overall, how comfortable are you with the climate in your classes/department?"
- Considered Leaving
- "Have you ever seriously considered leaving Kent State?"
- Experienced Exclusionary Behavior
- "Within the past year have you personally experienced any exclusionary that has interfered with your ability to work or learn at Kent State?"
- Examples:
- Shunned or ignored
- Intimidating, offensive and/or hostile conduct (bullied, harassed)
- Examples:
- "Within the past year have you personally experienced any exclusionary that has interfered with your ability to work or learn at Kent State?"
2016-2021 Survey Differences
- More Narrow Focus
- This survey is to study the impact race has on our climate –all community members are requested to complete it.
- Survey Design and Analysis conducted internally
- Thank you for the assistance of the KSU Sociology Survey Lab
- Length of survey reduced
- Estimated 15 minutes to complete
- Use of Scenarios and vignettes
- In consideration of the past year’s events, this study will include situations that have occurred and soliciting how it has impacted members of our community
- Used to inform the university’s anti-racism efforts
- The past year, KSU has embarked on several anti-racism efforts to address our challenges by making good faith collaborative efforts –this study will provide some additional data points for those endeavors.
Preliminary Quantitative Data Analysis
Climate Study Comparisons
2016 & 2021 Kent Campus
Climate Study Comparison
- Overall Climate Questions
- Demographic Results - 3 gender & 5 racial categories (2016 categories)
2016 & 2021 Regional Campuses
Climate Study Comparison
- Overall Climate Questions
- Demographic Results - 3 gender & 5 racial categories (2016 categories)
2016 vs. 2021 Early Quantitative Analysis
2021 Preliminary Update Initial Qualitative Trends
The Initial Qualitative Trends Report of the 2021 Climate Study includes an overview of the analysis of qualitative data for students and employees for two questions.
The two questions we analyzed first were the two with the largest response rate.
The question around campus perceptions of the Fall 2021 racist graffiti on the Kent campus Rock.
Initial emergent trends of why current students and employees have seriously considered leaving are also included.
Next Steps
What to Expect: Anticipated Timeline
Updated: 3/18/2022 March 2022Preliminary results shared and continued data analysis April 2022
Full Quantitative report
Qualitative Initial Trends Release May 2022
College and Campus Reports with Recommendations
Full Qualitative Analysis Report Release June 2022
Full Qualitative Analysis Report Release NOTE: Campus Reports will be release to the extend possible as some campuses do not have enough response for disaggregation in some areas.
2021 Committee Members
Climate Study Committee Co-Chairs
N. J. Akbar, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President, Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Robert Hamilton, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor, Biological Sciences (Stark Campus)
Mandy Munro–Stasiuk, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
View the Complete 2021 Committee Member List