campus climate survey

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Actually, battleships can turn around but it depends on the captain giving the order

Byuclafaculty

We’ve all heard the expression about how hard it is to turn a battleship around.  Giant ships moving forward have momentum to keep going in a straight line.  But they can be turned around. Yesterday we posted about the Judge Cunningham case.  It is symptomatic of a larger problem in Murphy Hall.  What should have occurred in that case is a prompt apology by the chancellor and appropriate internal action.  If you were reading this blog at the time of the event, you would have found that suggestion.  Instead, what occurred was defensive legalism which is still going on.  So…

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Advice to Whoever is Appointed Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Buckle Up!

Byuclafaculty

You may have gotten today’s email from Chancellor Block:  [excerpts] Today I am announcing a significant step in our efforts to respond to incidents of bias and discrimination on our campus and to build an environment of inclusion and tolerance: the creation of the new position of Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. The new Vice Chancellor, who will report directly to me, will provide leadership across the campus in these important areas. Although we have many dedicated individuals deeply committed to this work, I have come to see that we need a clear and powerful voice at the…

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Unsolicited Follow-Up for Our Unsolicited Traffic Stop Advice

Byuclafaculty

Devoted blog readers will recall our unsolicited advice of last Wednesday to the folks in Murphy Hall.  We suggested that they spend their Thanksgiving weekend trying to figure out what happened when a UCLA police car stopped a motorist in Westwood for driving without a seatbelt buckled.  According to the Huffington Post, African-American Judge Superior Court Judge David Cunningham exited L.A. Fitness Gym around 10 am on Wednesday. [“Start” on the map above.] Presumably, he pulled out of the garage you can see above in his Mercedes – beltless – and proceeded north on Gayley.  According to the press release…

Climate Delayed

Byuclafaculty

Remember the campus climate survey taken last winter.  There were concerns expressed at UCLA about the length of the survey and what biases might be introduced.  The survey seemed to be the result of Regents’ concerns stemming from racial/ethnic incidents at various campuses.  In any event, the Daily Bruin is reporting that the results, which were supposed to be released by now have been delayed until next year. …UC officials will present the survey findings to the UC Board of Regents before making them public, Montiel said. The results are expected to be reported to the regents in early 2014……

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What Ever Happened to the Campus Climate Survey?

Byuclafaculty

The Chronicle of Higher Ed published the chart above back in January based on national freshmen reports about the neighborhoods from which they came. [http://chronicle.com/article/BackgroundsBeliefs-of/136771] The data were gathered by UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute (HERI).  [Click on the chart to enlarge and clarify.]  It was around that time that UCOP sponsored a “campus climate” survey of all the campuses.  The survey had been announced with great fanfare after various racial incidents: http://www.ucop.edu/newsroom/newswire/img/16/16489629294e7b6333135a8.pdf.  As we have pointed out on this blog from time to time, there is no sign of any results from that survey as yet despite the considerable…

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Another Campus Climate Incident Reported

Byuclafaculty

The story above can be found in more detail at http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/04/26/uc-irvine-fraternity-issues-apology-after-blackface-video-sparks-outrage/.  So far, yours truly found no official response on the UC-Irvine website. Blog readers may recall a somewhat-related video that became known as “Asians in the Library” at UCLA and which sparked an official reaction from Chancellor Block. Possibly, this matter will be discussed at the upcoming May Regents meeting, possibly in conjunction with results – are there any yet? – from the campus climate survey taken this past winter.  

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Campus Climate Survey Promotional Materials

Byuclafaculty

Blog readers will know that a UC-wide campus climate survey was developed after various incidents on the campuses.  There has been concern that because of the length of the survey instrument, participation would be low and mainly confined to those with concerns.  According to the promotional materials for department chairs and similar administrators – see the link below – there are lottery-type financial and non-financial prizes available to participants to obtain at least a 30% participation rate. Use the search engine on this blog to find earlier posts on the survey including audio of a presentation by the woman conducting…

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Campus Climate Survey is Coming

Byuclafaculty

Some readers may remember that after a series of incidents aimed at minority students on various campuses, including UCLA, the UC president was pressed by the Regents to “do something.” (Some readers will recall the “Asians in the library” incident at UCLA.)  What emerged was an elaborate all-campus survey of “campus climate.” In late December and early January, it will be coming to UCLA. There have been reservations raised about the participation rate and biases in participation caused by what appears to be a rather lengthy survey. The campus faculty welfare committee at UCLA, for example, raised such issues.  Apparently,…

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Hot Potato for Yudof

Byuclafaculty

UC report on anti-Semitism draws ire Nanette Asimov, August 9, 2012, San Francisco Chronicle(excerpts) Katherine Orr had just started her freshman year at UC Berkeley last August when she was stunned to see five students in military fatigues carrying what looked like rifles and stopping students at Sather Gate. “They were asking people, ‘Are you Jewish?’ They were trying to be like soldiers interrogating Palestinians along the border,” Orr said. “They were re-enacting what was happening on the West Bank.” To students who regard Israel as an essential Jewish homeland, this event and others like it that are staged each…

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Chancellor at Staff Town Hall on Hotel, Climate Survey, Pensions, Donor-Community Relations

Byuclafaculty

Chancellor Block, Vice Chancellor Steve Olson, and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Campus Human Resources Lubbe Levin participated in a staff Town Hall on April 4. The session was videoed but the video works poorly and the commercial service utilized includes ads.  Below is a link to the audio of the session which works much better. There were no exhibits at the session so nothing is lost in the audio-only format. There were specific questions, some in-person/some submitted in advance, on the proposed hotel/conference center, the upcoming (systemwide) campus climate survey, pensions, and donor-community relations.  Links just to those questions are…