Campus Climate Survey FAQ
Researchers define campus climate as "the current attitudes, behaviors, standards and practices of employees and students of an institution." The climate is often shared through personal experiences, perceptions and instructional efforts.
Positive perceptions and personal experiences with campus climate generally equate to successful outcomes for individual campus members and for the institution's educational mission. Examples of successful outcomes include positive educational experiences and healthy identity support for students, productivity and a sense of value for faculty and staff, and overall well-being and a sense of belonging for all.
This is Stetson University's third campus climate survey and will serve as a crucial resource for Stetson to assess its support structures used to promote compliance with Title VI, Title IX, and other anti-discrimination and anti-harassment requirements. The survey will also help guide ongoing strategies as we prioritize a relationship-rich environment that works to promote learning across differences and is welcoming and supportive for campus members of all backgrounds, identities, and views.
The survey results will also be compared to applicable data points from the previous campus climate surveys conducted in 2016 and 2020. That first survey in 2016 originated with interested students, faculty, and staff who believed data from such a survey might be useful in planning for the future and improving the climate at Stetson where everyone feels valued and supported to pursue their educational and professional goals.
The 2025 Campus Climate Survey is conducted by the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS), a national organization of colleges and universities committed to sharing data, knowledge, and expertise, which includes deep experience in higher education assessments, data exchanges, and research. HEDS surveys are designed to help institutions assess the quality and impact of their programs as well as the strengths and weaknesses of their campus climate to better support all campus community members and better address discrimination and harassment concerns.
In reviewing efforts by other universities to conduct comprehensive campus climate studies, several best practices were identified. One was the need for external expertise in survey administration. The administration of a survey relating to a very sensitive subject such as campus climate is likely to yield higher response rates and provide more credible findings if led by an independent, outside agency. Members of a university community may feel particularly inhibited to respond honestly to a survey administered by their own institution for fear of retaliation. Feedback from Stetson community members over the years have also emphasized a value in the level of confidentiality and anonymity provided by an outside researcher.
The survey consultant designed the survey questions to administer to all participating institutions throughout the 2024-2025 academic year. These questions make up a "baseline" survey that also allows each institution to customized according to their needs. Stetson's custom ("supplemental") questions at the end of the survey were developed by the university’s Office of Institutional Inclusive Excellence, the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, and the Inclusive Excellence Leadership Council in collaboration with HEDS consultants.
It is important in campus climate research for all survey participants to "see" themselves in response choices to prevent "othering" an individual or an individual's characteristics. Some researchers maintain that assigning someone to the status of "other" is a form of marginalization and should be minimized, particularly in campus climate research which has an intended purpose of avoiding exclusion. Along these lines, survey respondents will see a long list of possible choices for many demographic questions. However, it is reasonably impossible to include every possible choice to every question, but the goal is to reduce the number of respondents who must choose "other."
Stetson's 2025 Campus Climate Survey is open to all current full- and part-time Stetson staff, faculty, and students - including all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. This includes the DeLand campus as well as the College of Law's campuses in Gulfport and Tampa. These specific stakeholders will have the insights needed as the survey assess the university's on-campus climate as well as its support structures to help comply with Title VI, Title IX, and other anti-discrimination and anti-harassment duties to students, staff, and faculty within the university's academic, extracurricular, residential, and workplace environments.
The survey covers several concepts including questions about Stetson student's or employee's:
- Own sense of belonging and support on campus,
- Perceptions of campus being welcoming and supportive of others,
- Perceptions of Stetson's resources to address discrimination and harassment concerns,
- Perceptions of their ability to connect with others in constructive and educational ways,
- Comfort and experiences with sharing their own opinions or views on specific and general topics,
- Own experiences with discrimination or harassment concerns, if any, and, perceptions of Stetson's support structures to assist with these concerns.
The concepts covered in the survey account for the tapestry of abilities, backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, identities, and views that make up our campus communities and will provide crucial insights on how Stetson can continue to better support everyone to freely pursue their educational and professional goals.
The response rate goal for this survey is 35% or more among current Stetson students, staff, and faculty. Every response matters and is valuable in providing the most beneficial feedback and results.
Although the survey process itself is informative, the data will be used to help inform Stetson's continued efforts to promote a positive campus climate and to help address needs to improve resources that assist with Title VI and IX concerns and promote a sense of belonging and value for all campus community members. All current students, staff, and faculty will also be invited to participate in dialogues to develop post-survey initiatives.
Confidentiality is vital to the success of campus climate research, particularly as sensitive and personal topics are discussed. Since the survey itself cannot guarantee complete confidentiality because of the nature of multiple demographic questions that could potentially identify a participant indirectly, we have secured an outside consultant, HEDS, to manage all survey responses and to take multiple precautionary measures to enhance individual confidentiality and de-identify the data. No data already protected through regulation or policy (e.g., Social Security number, campus identification number, medical information) is obtained through the survey. In the event of any publication or presentation resulting from the assessment, no personally identifiable information will be shared.
Confidentiality in participating will be maintained to the highest degree permitted by the technology used.
Participation in the survey is voluntary, and participants skip any question they consider to be uncomfortable.
The consultant will provide a final report that will include: an executive summary; a report narrative of the findings based on cross tabulations selected by the consultant; frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations of quantitative data; and content analysis of the textual data. The reports provide high-level summaries of the findings and will identify themes found in the data. Generalizations for populations are limited to those groups or subgroups with high response rates.
The data from online participants will be submitted to a secure server hosted by the consultant. The survey is run on a firewalled web server. HEDS will have access to the raw data. The researcher will provide Stetson with an aggregated data file at the completion of the project.
Current Stetson students, staff, and faculty can complete the survey either online or by mailing a hardcopy paper version directly to the consultant. The online and paper versions of the surveys are available in both English and Spanish.
For online completion, respondents can complete the survey using an electronic device of their choice or they can access a campus public computer in a Stetson library. Employees can make arrangements with their supervisors or Human Resources to use a computer within a private office setting.
To complete and mail a hardcopy version, students may request a blank paper survey from their Dean of Students office. Employees can request a copy from their Human Resources/People Operations office. Mailing supplies will also be provided for direct mailing to the consultant.
FEBRUARY - MARCH 2025
Monday, February 3 – Campus Climate Survey Opens
Monday, February 24 – Campus Climate Q&A Office Hours/Webinar (Details Forthcoming)
Monday, March 3 – Campus Climate Survey Closes
After the survey closes, the HEDS consultant will analyze all data and prepare data summaries, reports, and national comparison reports throughout the remainder of the Spring 2025 semester.
June 2025
The HEDS consultant will begin sharing survey reports with Stetson administration to help plan and schedule reporting efforts to the Stetson community, including information sessions and post-survey strategy planning opportunities.
AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2025
Community Information Sessions & Dialogues, to be announced as Fall 2025 draws closer
Sessions will include drafted goals, timelines, and measurable outcomes for community feedback, which may include opportunities for focus group discussions, etc. throughout the remainder of the Fall 2025 semester.
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2025
Community updates and focus group efforts in alignment with Stetson University's "Forward Together" Strategic Plan goals.