Graduate student-initiated survey focuses on the university’s education culture and climate
Just before the end of the 2024 spring semester, the University Council received a preliminary summary of a culture and climate survey of graduate students conducted by the Graduate and Professional Student Senate. More than 630 students across six departments took the survey and more than 38 percent of them completed it, with some departments nearing a completion rate of close to 50 percent.
Students who responded to the survey shared stories of support and empowerment, Graduate School Dean Aimee Surprenant said, but the survey also documented a range of areas in which the university can improve.
Surprenant said discussing those issues provided opportunities to address a range of concerns, including mental health, work-life balance, inclusion, and students’ well-being and success.
After Rachel Maizel, Graduate and Professional Student Senate president, presented the report, Surprenant announced that she will convene a Working Group on Graduate Student Climate and Success that will review current practices, policies, and experiences related to graduate student climate, with a goal of ensuring a supportive and inclusive environment for all members of the academic community, particularly graduate students. She said the survey data will help the working group as it conducts its research and analysis.
“It was imperative that we hear from the students about what is working and what we can improve upon,” Surprenant said. “We are committed to creating an optimal learning and research environment for our students.”
The project’s goal was to determine the climate and culture in individual departments and the university at large to provide opportunities to foster “a community of growth, compassion, and understanding.”
Doctoral student Charly Hartle, a member of the Graduate and Professional Student Senate, said the responses revealed “people were passionate about their subject and liked being in their departments.” In general, if people had a good relationship with their advisor, they felt good about it and good about the other students and the undergraduates in a department
The major issues were mostly about ensuring students were heard and action was taken if an issue was reported, she said. The presentation to the University Council focused on areas in need of improvement that were emphasized in the survey. Seven such themes emerged from the survey results, including racial or nationality issues,LGBTQ+ motivated issues, general academic abuse or bullying, ableism, sexual or gender-motivated challenges, student perceptions of issues not being handled effectively after reporting, and funding-related concerns
The report features detailed information on each theme and how they can affect academic success and mental health. The Graduate School conducts climate surveys every three years, and it initiated an Anti-Bullying program and mentoring workshops for faculty. Surprenant and Graduate Ombuds Bryan Hanson said bullying, discrimination, and mistreatment have long been of concern of the Graduate School. Hanson said providing community members with the psychological safety to share their experiences when they perceive mistreatment is vital.
As she addressed the University Council, Surprenant said, “Treating graduate students is not just a matter of ethics. It’s a strategic investment. When graduate students feel valued and respected, they are more inclined to engage their intellect fully in their research and scholarship. They become more resilient, more creative, and more productive.”
