Three-fourths of Terps ‘Comfortable’ With Campus Climate, Though Survey Reveals Opportunities for Improvement

Results of a newly released survey designed to assess Terps’ overall sense of belonging at the University of Maryland showed more than three-quarters of students, faculty and staff who responded feel “comfortable” or “very comfortable” on campus based on their experiences, interactions and the support they have received.

Administered last spring by data assessment firm Rankin Climate, the university-wide survey was designed to better understand people’s experiences and perceptions in learning, living and working environments across campus.

“A sense of belonging is essential for individual and community well-being, for personal, academic and professional success, and for ensuring everyone in our community can thrive,” said Georgina Dodge, the university's vice president for diversity and inclusion. “This survey aimed to capture the voices of our community so that we can build upon the university’s strengths while identifying opportunities for growth and transformation.”

More than 12,000 people responded to the survey, which included 87 questions on topics like faculty-student and staff-student interactions, perceived academic success, workplace climate and institutional support.

Some members of the UMD community tended to report lower comfort levels and sense of belonging than the campus overall, such as respondents who identified as Black, multiracial or gender expansive (meaning those who identify as gender-fluid and/or non-binary).

The survey recorded high marks for overall climate and faculty and staff workplace experiences. Overall, 86% of faculty said they felt valued for their teaching, research and service, and 85% of staff said they felt supported by their supervisors in managing work-life balance.

Among graduate students, more than three-quarters said they had ample access to and felt comfortable sharing professional goals with their adviser, and they positively rated departmental communication and mentoring support. These results follow a number of campuswide graduate student-focused initiatives led by the Graduate School, including expanding career and professional development opportunities and working with academic leadership to support high-quality mentoring.

Among areas for improvement, Asian, Black and multiracial undergraduates were less satisfied with faculty-student interaction than their white peers. Undergraduates who are women and gender expansive also reported lower sense of belonging scores than undergraduates who are men.

Higher education research has consistently shown disparities in the way faculty, students, and staff from different backgrounds and identities experience campus climate, said Dawn Culpepper, director of the ADVANCE Program for Inclusive Excellence.

“What the results from the survey do is give our community a better sense of how these issues appear specifically at UMD and provide us with a more concrete sense of where we can improve.” Culpepper co-chaired the university’s survey working group, along with Stephanie Chang, UMD’s assistant vice president for diversity and inclusion.

Faculty and staff indicated concerns about salary competitiveness, increasing workloads, job security and opportunities for career progression and cited these as reasons that prompted them to consider leaving UMD.

Current work to address these gaps includes several new investments in staff, such as launching programs centered around recognition, career advancement and professional development, as well as a compensation review. In addition, the Office of Faculty Affairs has been leading initiatives focused on training and professional development for academic leadership, as well as policy revisions related to faculty evaluation and workload policies.

While UMD graduation and retention rates are among the highest in the nation for public universities, some students said they considered leaving. Top reasons included trouble adjusting to the campus environment and forming meaningful connections with peers. To help foster those connections, UMD is developing five cultural centers in Cole Field House that will celebrate students’ diverse identities.

Responses related to mental health reflect national trends among students and reinforce the importance of UMD’s growing health and wellness services. About half of undergraduates (51%) and graduate students (52%) agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I experienced emotional or mental difficulties that impacted my abilities to learn, live or work at UMD.” The proportion of faculty and staff that agreed with the statement was lower but still notable.

Earlier this semester, university leadership announced expanded investments in mental health, noting that “these efforts are designed to empower every member of our community to prioritize their well-being and thrive in a supportive environment.” This includes the launch of a new hub for mental health and well-being resources.

Throughout the year, campus leaders in the Provost’s Office, University Human Resources and Division of Student Affairs, among others, will convene to discuss the results, with the goal of creating campus-level solutions to address overall disparities in comfort and inclusion, enhance existing resources and improve pathways for career advancement. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion, with the support of the ADVANCE Program, Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment, and the Center for Leadership and Organizational Change, will also provide resources and support to units that want to better understand their results. Read the full report at belonging.umd.edu.