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.

View the 2021 Climate Study on Race (PDF version)

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

NOTE: This study was conducted in the middle of a pandemic which may have affected the response.

Demographic Breakdown

Role Representation
Primary Campus Affiliation
Gender and Sexual Identity
Racial Demographics

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

GPI Logo 2018

2017-Now

  • Data Analysis

Learn more about the 2016 Climate Study

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

Access the 2021 Climate Study Site

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)
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
2016 & 2021 Regional Campuses

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
Student Climate
  • There were more students who reported lower levels of comfort with the overall and department/college climate.
  • Male identifying students reported relatively high comfort levels with their overall and department/college climate. Although, the satisfaction level was not as high as it was in 2016.
  • Students who identify on the Trans-spectrum reported that they considered leaving Kent State at disproportionately higher rates based on being uncomfortable with the climate, a few percentage points less than 2016.
  • Black Students reported that they considered leaving Kent State at disproportionately higher rates based on being uncomfortable with the climate, a few percentage points less than 2016.
  • Multiracial and Hispanic/Latinx students reported that they were not as comfortable as other populations with the climate and considered leaving Kent State. This is a slight improvement from 2016 as these populations reported very high levels of being uncomfortable.
Faculty Climate
  • In 2021, there were less Faculty respondents reported considering leaving Kent State due to climate while more reported being less comfort than 2016.
  • Male identifying faculty reported relatively high comfort levels with their overall and department/college climate. Their  reported comfort level was slightly higher in 2021 than 2016.
  • Black and Trans-spectrum faculty reported that they were less comfortable than other populations with their Department climate in 2021. There was a slight increase in comfort reported by Trans-spectrum faculty while Black faculty were slightly more uncomfortable.
  • Asian, Trans-spectrum and Multiracial faculty reported a greater number of respondents as seriously considering leaving due to climate concerns.
Staff Climate
  • Staff respondents reported higher levels of comfort with climate overall and within their department. There were also less respondents who reported seriously considering leaving due to climate concerns.
  • Female identifying and White staff reported relatively high comfort levels with their department climate. This was at higher levels than 2016 and much higher than any other group.
  • 2021 respondents quantitatively identified no populations specifically indicating potential concerns, however, the quantitative responses may share a some potential areas of focus.
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.

Access the 2021 Initial Qualitative Trends

Next Steps

What to Expect: Anticipated Timeline

Updated: 3/18/2022
 
March 2022
Preliminary 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

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