Sixth climate survey will open on November 14

Grand Valley's sixth campus climate survey will be conducted November 14-24 and organizers hope for a participation rate of 100 percent.

Jesse Bernal, vice president for Inclusion and Equity, said more participation from students, faculty and staff members plays an important role in creating a welcoming and inclusive campus for everyone.

"This survey presents a snapshot of what it's like to live, learn and work at Grand Valley," Bernal said. "Results from the survey help support the goal of providing an environment that attracts, retains and supports a diverse community."

The past five climate surveys have resulted in tangible, positive changes for Grand Valley. These changes include adding lighting around campus, increasing the numbers of international students and faculty members, and establishing the position of a student ombuds.

Takeelia Garrett was named the university's first student ombuds in 2015. In that position, Garrett helps students resolve conflicts and makes referrals to campus services when necessary. During the 2018-2019 academic year, Garrett worked directly with 196 students. 

The campus climate survey will take participants about 10-15 minutes to complete. Students, faculty and staff members will receive an email with a link to the online, anonymous survey on November 14.

People who complete the survey can choose to be entered into a drawing for awards of $1,000-2,000 to use for professional development. More information is online at gvsu.edu/mygvsu.

More than 40 percent of the campus community responded to the 2015 survey. Results showed that 87 percent of all respondents were “comfortable” or “very comfortable” with the overall campus climate.