Summary

As an overview to this broad section on climate, no clear patterns emerged regarding school level responses. No particular school’s faculty consistently feels more or less stress than average, perceives a more or less fair distribution of resources in their unit than average, or feels more or less valued on an individual basis than average. However, by rank, associate professors reported the highest levels of stress and were the least likely to perceive that resources were distributed fairly in their unit and that others valued their teaching and research.

Females were more likely than males to report higher levels of stress, a higher number of specific stressors that caused extensive stress for them, more discriminatory behavior toward them, and an unfair distribution of support services and salaries in their unit. They also felt less valued for their teaching and research than did males and were less satisfied with a number of components of the Purdue campus and the local community.

Finally, Asian Americans reported higher levels of stress overall than Caucasians and underrepresented minorities, as well as more extensive stress from personal stressors, while underrepresented minorities experienced the most extensive stress from work-related stressors. Regarding the campus, Asian Americans were particularly dissatisfied with available dining facilities while underrepresented minorities were the least satisfied with cultural activities, ethnic/racial diversity, and campus members’ acceptance of those who are different from them. Both Asian Americans and underrepresented minorities were less satisfied than Caucasians with the following aspects of the local community: libraries, cultural programming, day care, community members’ acceptance of those who are different from them, restaurants, social life, and medical services. In addition, underrepresented minorities were considerably less satisfied than the others with K-12 schools and ethnic/racial diversity.

Turning now to a summary of the specific components of this section on climate, with regard to workload, 82% perceived that the pace of work in their unit seems to be increasing annually, but 77% also believed that their unit expects a reasonable level of output from them. In terms of stress levels, approximately half of faculty perceived that they are asked to serve on too many committees, that an excessive workload is interfering with their personal lives, and that they are burned out from work.

By school, responses from Agriculture, CFS, Libraries, and Veterinary Medicine faculty reflected that they, more than most, feel extensive pressure and stress as a result of their workload. Management faculty, on the other hand, were the least likely to report feeling this extensive stress. Full professors tended to have the most positive outlook regarding workload and stress levels, while associate professors generally had the least positive outlook.

Females were less likely than males to feel that their unit expects a reasonable level of output from them and that they have as much time available for research as do others at their level in their unit. In addition, they were more likely to believe that they are asked to serve on too many committees. While females were more likely than males to report that an excessive workload is interfering with their personal lives, they were only slightly more likely to feel burned out from their work.

Asian Americans were the least likely to believe that they have as much time available for research as do others at their level and were the most likely to believe they are asked to serve on too many committees. This group was also slightly more likely than the others to feel burned out from their work. Underrepresented minorities, although the least likely to feel burned out, were slightly more likely than the others to feel that an excessive work load is interfering with their personal lives.

The survey also asked faculty to report the extent to which a series of specific work and personal factors had been a source of stress for them over the past two years. Among the 17 items included in this question, faculty reported that high self-expectations were the leading source of stress, followed by institutional procedures and “red tape,” and research or publishing demands.

Overall, a number of work and personal factors caused more stress for assistant professors than for associate and full professors. Specifically, higher percentages of assistant professors found research or publishing demands, high self-expectations, the tenure/promotion process, managing household responsibilities, child care, and being part of a dual-career couple to be more common sources of extensive stress than did faculty at the other two ranks.

Where males and females answered differently, in almost every case females reported experiencing more extensive stress than did males. Underrepresented minorities were the most likely to report extensive stress from the following work-related factors: research or publishing demands, high self-expectations, and the tenure and promotion process. They were also the most likely to report that discrimination caused them extensive stress. Asian Americans were more likely than underrepresented minorities or Caucasians to report extensive stress related to personal issues: child care, being part of a dual-career couple, and household responsibilities. Caucasians were the most likely to report extensive stress from committee work and institutional procedures and “red tape.”

Twelve percent of faculty reported that they personally had been harassed or discriminated against. The three most common issues, according to open-ended responses, were sexual harassment, and discrimination based on one’s age and research area. With regard to a second question on the topic of discrimination and harassment, a number of respondents had observed other faculty members harassing or making disparaging remarks about someone within the last two years. Most commonly, faculty reported that these behaviors focused on someone’s research area, theoretical or methodological orientation, dress or personal appearance, or sex. 

A clear majority believed that office space, support services and other resources, and to a lesser extent lab space are distributed fairly across their unit. However, only half believed that their salary is appropriate compared to others of comparable rank in their unit. Faculty across the ranks believed, to approximately the same extent, that office space is distributed fairly, while associate professors were the least likely to believe that lab space, support services, and salaries are equitably distributed. In each of these four cases, Caucasians were the most likely to believe that resources are distributed equitably.

Sixty-three percent of those with an opinion believed that they could request preferential teaching assignments at a critical phase of their career development without fearing negative repercussions, while only 40% believed that they could request a tenure clock extension without fearing negative repercussions. In both cases, females were considerably less likely than males to feel comfortable asking for a preferential teaching assignment or a tenure clock extension.

Examining feelings of value at the individual level, 74% felt that others in their unit value their teaching, while 27% felt pressured to change their research or creative work agenda in order to fit in with the priorities of their unit. Associate professors were the least likely to believe that their teaching is valued and the most likely to perceive pressure to change their research/creative work agenda. Females were somewhat less likely to feel that their teaching is valued and more likely to feel pressure to change their research agenda.

A clear majority of faculty from Agriculture, Engineering, and Science felt that faculty across Purdue value their unit. These three schools were also the most likely to believe that central administrators value their unit. At the other end of the spectrum, only a minority of Management, CFS, Liberal Arts, Technology and Education faculty members felt that other faculty value their unit. Similarly, less than a fifth of Liberal Arts, Management, and Education faculty believed that central administrators value their unit.

Respondents were quite satisfied with their perceived level of personal safety on campus, with bus services, and with recreational facilities. They were far less satisfied with childcare services, accommodations for bicyclists, and the ethnic/racial diversity on campus.

Asian Americans were less satisfied than the others with dining facilities and recreational facilities. Underrepresented minorities were less satisfied than the others with cultural activities, ethnic/racial diversity, and campus members’ acceptance of those who are different from them.

Faculty reported the highest satisfaction with the following aspects of the Greater Lafayette Community: personal safety, K-12 schools, libraries, and housing in their price range. They were considerably less satisfied with community members’ acceptance of those who are different from them, ethnic/racial diversity, restaurants, and the social life available. Both Asian Americans and underrepresented minorities were less satisfied than Caucasians with several aspects of the local community: libraries, cultural programming, day care, community members’ acceptance of those who are different from them, restaurants, social life, and medical services.