Dear members of the UCCS community,

I write with an update on our findings from the Fall 2021 Campus and Workplace Culture (CWC) Survey. 

At last week's Board of Regents meeting, we provided an update to the Regents on our findings from the survey. Our presentation focused on a sense of belonging and campus culture at UCCS, two themes that are strongly aligned with the UCCS 2030 Strategic Plan and the CU System’s strategic pillars on recruitment and retention of underrepresented populations.

The survey is one of many assessment tools being used across campus and one that will also help guide the preliminary work toward the development of UCCS’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Framework goals.

Presentation Highlights

Overall, we found that faculty and staff are proud to work at UCCS. They feel as though they belong and that their colleagues treat them with respect. We found positive sentiment about individuals’ ability to be true to their identity without receiving negative responses from others. This is true for undergraduate and graduate students as well.

We also saw many areas for improvement. Faculty and staff would benefit from greater access to mentors and more opportunities to advance in their careers. Furthermore, we need to make sure faculty and staff feel their work is valued at the university level, and not just by their departments.

Looking at areas for improvement for students, we can focus on fostering a stronger sense that individuals can express differing ideas and opinions. We also saw potential for growth in community-building and cultivating a sense of community at UCCS.

You can find the full survey results on the Campus and Workplace Culture Survey webpage. 

Next Steps

Moving forward, groups across campus are continuing to analyze the results of the survey. Their goal is to better understand how the data reflect and impact the university as a whole, as well as their division and departments.

This survey is one of many assessment tools that will be used towards upcoming DEI action planning over the next academic year. Rame Hanna, Vice Chancellor for DEI, will also be hosting a series of community dialogues in late summer and early fall to center the voices and lived experiences of our community. They hope to dedicate time to hear from students, staff, and faculty about diversity-related change efforts happening in the community, as well as areas that can be enhanced.

The results will aid in the development of UCCS' DEI Strategic Framework goals, which will guide action plans at the division and college level. Please keep an eye out for more information on how you can participate in the VCDEI community dialogues and division and college action planning throughout the next academic year.

Finally, I'd like to give my deep thanks to the many students, faculty and staff who completed the Fall 2021 Campus & Workplace Culture Survey. Thanks to your strong participation, openness and insight, we can continue our work together to build a strong foundation for inclusion and belonging at UCCS. 

Respectfully,

Venkat Reddy
UCCS Chancellor