Webinars set for 2020 Campus Climate Survey Report

montage of campus shot from DeLand and College of Law

Stetson students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend upcoming webinars for the DeLand campus and College of Law to discuss the results of the 2020 Campus Climate Survey.

A report on the 2020 Campus Climate Survey was sent to members of the Stetson Community on Thursday, Sept. 3. University officials say the survey results provide a snapshot in time, showing how students, faculty and staff experience their education and social life, teaching and research, and jobs and careers at Stetson. 

portrait outside
Christopher F. Roellke, PhD

“The university has made some positive improvements since the 2016 survey, but there are areas that we must address. We are not immune to the issues of sexism, elitism, racism, ableism and divisive communication that plague our country,” according to the joint email from President Christopher F. Roellke, PhD; Lua Hancock, EdD, vice president of Campus Life and Student Success; and Michèle Alexandre, JD, dean of the College of Law.

They did not summarize the results of the survey, saying they wanted students, faculty and staff “to discover the information it contains, come to your own conclusions and join one of our open forums. This is how we can learn together.”

Stetson will host two webinars with John Pryor of Pryor Education Insights, the research agency that oversaw the survey, on: 

  • Thursday, Sept. 17, 4-5:30 p.m., for the DeLand community
  • Tuesday, Sept. 22, 5-6:30 p.m., for the College of Law community.

Invitations to the webinars will be emailed to students, faculty and staff. Both sessions will be recorded and posted on the 2020 Campus Climate Survey Report website for those who cannot attend.

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Michèle Alexandre

“Our inclusion work is ongoing, and there is much work left to do,” said Dean Alexandre. “I am thankful to be part of a community like ours that is committed to such a deep level of self-evaluation. With our willingness to really dig in and identify obstacles to growth, we can only become better versions of ourselves as professionals and as a community. 

“I have been looking forward to the results of the climate survey because I know that the College of Law is always looking for ways to improve. With that outlook and motivation, we are ready to tackle the work that needs to be done,” she said.

That process will last much of this academic year and will include discussions, feedback, work in small groups and, by April 2021, a final report with goals and structure for Diversity and Inclusion work moving forward. 

portrait outside
Lua Hancock, EdD

“The campus climate results serve both as a snapshot of our community members’ experience with our campus and local culture, and serve as a catalyst for us to have deep and needed conversations that lead to action,” Hancock said.

“To me, the campus climate work this academic year will be successful if two things happen. Number one, we take the time to work in small groups to address hard questions and specific topics with each other and, number two, that those deep conversations lead to actionable items that will make real change. Everyone in our community has a role to play in the next year as we engage in this process,” she said.

University officials said the timeline spans most of the academic year because “during the time of COVID many of our community members are especially taxed and need time to do this crucial work well and, both communication and transparency are mentioned in the survey as an area for improvement, so the shared process that we use to come to measurable outcomes is key,” according to the joint email from Roellke, Hancock and Alexandre. 

“We are all too aware of the tragic events in Wisconsin, Minnesota and elsewhere, and the racial injustice in our communities that have sparked unprecedented protests across the nation, and actually, across the globe,” they wrote in the joint email. “Many of us are angry, hurt and confused, but many of us are also motivated to foster real change in ourselves, our communities, our nation and Stetson.”

In the coming weeks, as the community begins providing their input and suggestions, Stetson’s leadership will continue to discuss the report’s findings. President Roellke and Cabinet will collaborate to charge relevant members on aspects of the issues.

They thanked the many groups at Stetson that work toward more equity in their areas of influence. That includes members of the Equity and Inclusion Group in DeLand, the Diversity and Inclusion Group at the College of Law, and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion as well as student groups like the Multicultural Student Council and Student Government Association, academic departments, many offices and individuals.

“Your work has kept this effort alive, and you are right to hold us accountable for results,” they wrote.