Surveys of Swarthmore Staff and Faculty

Faculty

Faculty participated in the Higher Education Research Institute's (HERI) national survey of faculty in 1989. We began participating again more regularly, beginning in 2004-05. (In that year Swarthmore coordinated with Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges to ask some overlapping questions in our optional local questions.) We have also participated in 2007-08, 2010-11, and 2013-14. Findings from these surveys have been particularly useful in our planning efforts.
Vendor Website (HERI)

Staff (may include faculty, as noted)

There has been no routine program of surveying staff in recent years. However, staff are included in topical surveys.   Examples of these are noted below.

Public Safety Survey

A spring 2014 survey asked faculty, staff, and students for perceptions and opinions about safety on campus, as well as views on Public Safety initiatives

Dependent Care Survey

In a collaboration between the Student Labor Action Project and Human Resources, this spring 2014 survey explored needs and attitudes among faculty and staff about child and adult dependent care benefits.   A summary is available on the Human Resources website at:  http://www.swarthmore.edu/Admin/human_resources/swarthmore_only/surveys.php

Healthcare Benefits Survey

The Faculty/Staff Benefits Committee surveyed staff in December 2001 with a brief instrument designed to help them better understand staff preferences and priorities with regard to healthcare benefits. Results of the survey helped to inform the committee's discussions as they recommended changes for the upcoming benefits year.

Compensation Survey

A Compensation Review Steering Committee was designated in Spring of 2001 to recommend changes to the staff compensation system. As one of its first steps, the committee wanted to know the views of the Swarthmore community about what our compensation philosophy should be. They administered a survey [pdf] to all staff in late Spring. A shorter version was administered to faculty and students as well. A summary of the results of that survey was shared with the college community by Melanie Young, Associate Vice President for Human Resources. You can learn more about the Compensation Review Committee's activities at the Swarthmore Human Resources Web site.

Human Resources Users Survey

In order to better understand how well the Human Resources was serving the college community and where improvements were needed, a survey of HR User Needs was administered to all faculty and staff in summer of 2000.