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Dear Colleagues,
Today, we are releasing the results from the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) survey, completed by faculty in spring 2022. The faculty response rate of 51% (about 900 participants) deserves celebration. I appreciate everyone dedicating the time to complete it, and I value your perspectives.
Our office commissioned a standing COACHE faculty committee to review the data from the survey and provide recommendations for areas of improvement. You can read the committee’s full report and recommendations on our website. The committee co-chairs shared the report and recommendations with Faculty Council this afternoon.
Areas of strength highlighted in the report include department collegiality, departmental and faculty leadership, and teaching. Areas for development included senior leadership and shared governance.
The report also highlighted 28 initiatives tied to the 2016 and 2019 results. These programs are aimed at improving faculty recruitment and retention, recognizing the outstanding work by faculty and providing for more faculty success support programs, research cohorts and professional development.
Some accomplishments since the 2019 COACHE survey include:
- Added an associate provost position with a focus on enhancing faculty success initiatives and programs
- Created a leadership development program and increased communications and professional development with chairs
- Launched faculty support programs, in collaboration with various units on campus, to support faculty at various stages in their careers and from a variety of disciplines (e.g., Provost Great Books Program, Mid-Career Research Cohort, Arts & Humanities Research & Creative Works Cohort, External Awards Office, iChange and Aspire teams focused on needs of underrepresented groups of faculty members in STEM fields).
- Focused on interdisciplinary collaborations, such as NextGen Precision Health and Mizzou Forward Initiatives.
As our leadership team works with the COACHE committee on our areas of development and the committee’s recommendations, we will share how we plan to engage in an open and inclusive dialogue between leaders and faculty. I am very thankful to every member of the committee (see full list below) and look forward to engaging with them and others interested in the process in the coming months.
The President and I take the information provided in the report and the resulting recommendations very seriously. We will align our response and actions related to this survey to Mizzou’s strategic plan. Our response and actions will also be included in our annual evaluations as well as the evaluations of deans. The results of this survey and continuing conversations will guide our decisions as we seek to foster a climate of trust, respect and opportunity for our university community.
I want to reiterate my appreciation to every faculty member who took the time to complete this survey. Your participation matters, and your input counts.
Sincerely,
Latha Ramchand, PhD
Provost &
Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Members of the 2022 COACHE Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey Committee
- Shelly Rodgers, Co-Chair, Journalism
- Daryl Smith, Co-Chair, Business
- Nicole Campione-Barr, Arts and Science
- Jennifer O’Connor, Nursing
- Patrick Pinhero, Engineering
- Tom Warhover, MU Faculty Council Representative and Liaison, Journalism