Marquette will conduct the university’s third Campus Climate Study in spring 2025. The Campus Climate Study, which the university previously conducted in 2015 and 2020, provides senior leadership with valuable information on Marquette’s strengths and how the environment for learning, living and working at the university can be improved.
The study, which is one of the first Marquette 2031 Strategic Plan initiatives to move forward, addresses key objectives in the plan’s Thriving Students and Healthy Campus goal themes aimed at improving well-being and a sense of belonging for students and employees.
Results from the study will be made available to campus by fall semester 2025. The Campus Climate Study committee will use the results to make recommendations to the Executive Leadership Team to improve the campus climate for students, faculty and staff.
Past campus climate studies have resulted in the development and implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion educational programs, the creation and support of Employee Resource Groups and increased employee education programs.
Following the 2020 Climate Survey, the university significantly increased access to educational opportunities for students, faculty and staff around issues related to inclusivity, including the launch of “Personal Skills for a Diverse Campus,” the required online course for employees as well as optional opportunities such as the Making Marquette Inclusive discussion series, implicit bias workshops, and other trainings available through the Office of Inclusion and Belonging.
What is the Campus Climate Study?
A key priority in the university’s Marquette 2031 Strategic Plan, Guided by Mission, Inspired to Change, the Campus Climate Study will help illuminate students’ and employees’ perceptions and experiences, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and measure year-over-year progress on key initiatives. Faculty, staff and students will be asked to take a survey to gather specific information about how the environment for learning, living and working at Marquette can be improved.
The survey, which will be reviewed by a cross-sectional team to ensure its alignment with the strategic plan, will ask students, faculty and staff about attitudes and behaviors around inclusiveness and belonging across campus.
New this year, the 2025 Employee Engagement Survey will be administered to faculty and staff along with the Campus Climate Study. The Employee Engagement Survey is issued every three years and focuses on critical employee engagement factors such as understanding of and alignment with Marquette’s mission; team and supervisor relationships; individual growth and development opportunities; and fulfillment of basic work needs. Completion of this survey provides important trend data to inform actions leaders can take to increase everyday engagement for employees.
The university encourages all members of the campus community to share their perspectives when the survey is released in the spring. The study is most effective when the responses represent a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences. All responses will be anonymous.
Executive and implementation committees
The Campus Climate Survey will be developed by an executive and an implementation committee; the two committees convened for the first time in late October. Committee membership follows:
Executive committee:
- Dr. Chris Navia, acting vice president, Division of Belonging and Student Affairs
- Claudia Paetsch, vice president, Office of Human Resources
- Alix Riley, chief academic effectiveness officer, Office of the Provost
- Dr. John Su, vice provost for academic affairs and student success, Office of the Provost
The implementation committee is co-chaired by Laura MacBride, associate director in the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis, and Dr. Joya Crear, assistant vice president in the Division of Belonging and Student Affairs. Following Crear’s departure from the university in January, MacBride will be joined by Dr. Jacki Black, director of Hispanic initiatives and diversity and inclusion educational programming in the Office of Inclusion and Belonging.
The implementation committee also includes:
- Jack Bartelt, director, Office of Disability Services
- Dr. Jodi Blahnik, assistant director, Counseling Center
- Jack Goods, communication specialist, Office of University Relations
- Becky Goral, project manager, IT Services
- Cara Hardin, Title IX deputy coordinator, Office of the Provost
- Dr. Ben Correia-Harker, clinical assistant professor, College of Education
- Dr. Dawne Moon, Professor, Social and Cultural Sciences, Klingler College of Arts and Sciences
- Dr. Linda Olszewski, director of academic assessment and program review, Office of Assessment and Program Review
- Dr. Rosemary Stuart, professor, Biological Sciences, Klingler College of Arts and Sciences
- Lisa Ploszaj, director of organizational development and senior HR business partner, Office of Human Resources
- Laiya Thomas, executive director, Educational Opportunity Program
- Brennan Wills, undergraduate student representative and MUSG representative
- Novalee Sweeney, GSO representative
The committees held listening sessions in November with specific campus groups to garner input on the structure and implementation of the Campus Climate Study.
Check Marquette Today for further updates. More information is available on the Campus Climate Study website.
