Recommendations from climate survey action groups revealed

Recommendations related to results from the 2015 myGVSU Climate Survey were discussed at an open forum March 30 in the Kirkhof Center.

Jesse Bernal, vice president for Inclusion and Equity, said faculty, staff and student action teams submitted recommendations in early March after delving through survey results.

Recommendation reports for each action team are posted online at www.gvsu.edu/mygvsu/. Several recommendations for each group are listed below.

• Students: Upgrade Banner to accommodate name preferences; secure funding for additional victim advocate; ensure all syllabi include and reflect university diversity and inclusion policy; revise admissions application to collect information about sexual orientation and gender identity.

• Faculty: Hire faculty/staff ombuds; expand and standardize family leave policies; review full-time faculty salaries to ensure equity.

• Staff: Create strategic plans for each department to address climate; audit annual salary adjustments to determine disparities; implement consistent family leave policy; enhance exit interview to include climate questions.

Bernal reiterated climate survey results, stating most respondents (87 percent) reported feeling comfortable with the campus climate. Disparities in the report came from segmented groups: transgender, LGBTQA, people of color, people with disabilities, religious minorities and women.

"It's those disparities among populations that do not feel as comfortable on campus that drive us to seek a deeper understanding of their experiences," he said.