University Analysis, Reporting, & Assessment 

Academic Issues Survey

April 11 - April 18, 2005

 

The following items are intended to assess your perceptions of the level of support and encouragement for academic and intellectual freedoms, the clarity of the tenure and promotion processes, and University vision and resource allocation.  Your responses will inform three SU Self-Study working groups: the Academic Excellence: Faculty and Curriculum Working Group; the Community Engagement, Governance, and Leadership Working Group; and the Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal Working Group.   Although additional questions could be asked that explore the issues confronting the University, these survey items specifically address the groups' review aims. For questions regarding the survey, please contact Dr. Ron Dotterer, SU Self-Study Committee Chair (x36449) or Mr. Bryan Price, Director of Institutional Research, Assessment, & Accountability (x36025).

The survey should take no more than 15 minutes of your time and your answers are anonymous.  Please skip an item if you would prefer not to answer it.  Additionally, please base your answers on your OWN opinions and experiences. 

 

Please identify:

 

How long have you been employed by SU? 0-3 years 4-6 years 7-10 years 11 years or more
Tenure Status Tenured Tenure-Track Non-Tenure  Track  
Did you apply for tenure or promotion within the past five years? Yes No
Rank Professor Associate Professor Assistant Professor Instructor Lecturer
Librarian IV Librarian III Librarian II Librarian I
School Fulton Henson Perdue Seidel Blackwell
Status Full-time Part-time  
Academic Administration (Academic Dean, Associate Provost, Provost, President) Yes   No

Please respond to each item by selecting one response using the following scale:

 

4 = Agree Strongly 3 = Agree 2 = Disagree 1 = Disagree Strongly  0 = Unable to respond/NA
  4 3 2 1 0
     (1)  I am able to pursue my scholarly or creative interests at Salisbury University.
     (2)  SU makes resources available for me to pursue my scholarly or creative interests.
     (3)  External resources are available for me to pursue my scholarly or creative interests at SU.

 

Please respond to each item by selecting one response using the following scale:

 

4 = Always 3 = Most of the time 2 = Sometimes 1 = Never  0 = Unable to respond/NA
  4 3 2 1 0
     (4)  In accordance with SU's statement of mission, I believe the University provides an adequate level of support to faculty in my department with respect to:          
                    (a)  financial assistance to support creative or scholarly activities, or for conducting research
                    (b)  financial assistance to support creative, scholarly, or research presentations
                    (c)  financial assistance for participating in professional or research conferences/events
                    (d)  reassigned time (to include sabbaticals) to engage in scholarly or creative activities
                    (e)  resources to try new approaches in the classroom.
     (5)  In accordance with SU's statement of mission, I believe the University makes adequate provision for students to complete research or creative activities in my department with respect to:          
                    (a)  course credit
                    (b)  supplies and equipment
                    (c)  stipends
                    (d)  presentation of work

 

Please respond to each item by selecting one response using the following scale:

 

4 = Strongly Agree 3 = Agree 2 = Disagree 1 = Strongly Disagree  0 = Unable to respond/NA
  4 3 2 1 0
     (6)  My scholarly or creative pursuits will have or had no negative effect on my tenure at SU.
     (7)  My scholarly or creative pursuits will have or had no negative effect on my promotion(s) at SU.
     (8)  After receiving tenure, I experienced the same sense of academic and intellectual freedom that I experienced before receiving tenure.
     (9)  My department's criteria regarding tenure and/or promotion are clear with respect to:          
                                        (a)  Teaching
                                        (b)  Scholarship
                                        (c)  Service
     (10)  My department's criteria regarding tenure and/or promotion are in accordance with the policy in the Faculty Handbook with respect to:          
                                        (a)  Teaching
                                        (b)  Scholarship
                                        (c)  Service
     (11)  The promotion committee's criteria regarding tenure and/or promotion are congruent with those of my department with respect to:          
                                        (a)  Teaching
                                        (b)  Scholarship
                                        (c)  Service
     (12)  The promotion committee's criteria regarding tenure and/or promotion are congruent with the policy in the Faculty Handbook with respect to:          
                                        (a)  Teaching
                                        (b)  Scholarship
                                        (c)  Service

 
Please respond to each item by selecting one response using the following scale:
4 = Strongly Agree 3 = Agree 2 = Disagree 1 = Strongly Disagree  0 = Unable to respond/NA
  4 3 2 1 0
     (13)  The following people trust me to do my job competently and professionally:          
                                        (a)  my department chair
                                        (b)  my dean
                                        (c)  my provost
                                        (d)  my president
     (14)  My colleagues are tolerant of my approach regarding:          
                                        (a)  teaching
                                        (b)  scholarship/creative pursuits
     (15)  SU administration is tolerant of my approach regarding:          
                                        (a)  teaching
                                        (b)  scholarship/creative pursuits
     (16)  I believe that there is tolerance at SU:          
                                        (a)  among faculty for differences of opinion
                                        (b)  among faculty for administration opinion that differs from their own
                                        (c)  among administration for faculty opinion that differs from their own
     (17)  There are constraints on my ability to determine the content of the courses I teach that are          
                                        (a)  external to SU
                                        (b)  internal to SU
     (18)  There are constraints on my ability to determine what courses my department teaches or requires for our programs that are          
                                        (a)  external to SU
                                        (b)  internal to SU
     (19)  SU administration protects my academic freedom          
                                        (a)  from external controls
                                        (b)  within the university
     (20)  SU administration protects my intellectual property rights.
     (21)  I believe there is uniformity across the four schools regarding academic and intellectual freedoms. 
     (22)  I believe there is uniformity across the four schools in terms of providing resources for academic and intellectual freedoms.
     (23)  Input from faculty committees becomes part of academic policy at SU.
     (24)  I know the procedures to address concerns about academic freedom at SU.

  

 

Please respond to each item by selecting one response using the following scale:

 

4 = Completely Aware 3 = Mostly Aware 2 = Somewhat Aware 1 = Completely Unaware
  4 3 2 1
     (25)  How knowledgeable are you of SU's vision for the future with regards to:        
                              (a) Academic eminence                                                                                              
  (b) Student access
  (c) Community engagement
  (d) Diversification of resources
  (e) Diversity
  (f) Enrollment growth
  (g) Graduate programs
  (h) International programs
  (i) Quality of academic programs
  (j) Strategic change
  (k) Student credentials/quality

(26) Using the following scale, rate the following individuals or SU groups according to your perception of their part in establishing a shared sense of institutional vision. 

5 = Essential 4 = Very Important 3 = Important 2 = Not Important 1 = Unnecessary
      5 4 3 2 1

                    

(a) Academic Deans                                                                                                                
  (b) Department Chairs
  (c) Directors/Managers
  (d) Faculty Senate
  (e) Individual faculty
  (f) Individual staff
  (g) President
  (h) Staff Senate
  (i) Student Government Association
  (j) Students (Individually)
  (k) University Forum
  (l) Vice Presidents

 

Please respond to each item by selecting one response using the following scale:

 

 5 = Always  4 = Frequently  3 = Occasionally  2 = Seldom  1 = Never
  5 4 3 2 1
     (27)  Your opinions influence the positions of your governance group.
     (28)  Your opinions inform or influence the directions taken by the University.
     (29)  Your governance group informs and/or influences the directions taken by the University.
     (30)  In your opinion, do you think the President and Vice Presidents have established a shared sense of institutional vision.  
     (31)  In your opinion, do you think your Academic Dean has established a shared sense of vision for your School.  

      (32) Using the following scale, please provide YOUR opinion of the management approach used to allocate resources AMONG Salisbury University departments/divisions:

5)  Completely Impartial - (Decisions are based exclusively on objective criteria)

4)  Balanced - (Decisions are based primarily on objective criteria with some consideration given to important subjective measures)

3)  Some Partiality - (Decisions are based primarily on subjective criteria and personal preferences with some consideration given to important objective measures)

2)  Blatant Favoritism - (Decisions are based exclusively on subjective criteria and personal preferences )

1)  No opinion

    5 4 3 2 1
  Academic Space
  Administrative Space
  Computers
  Departmental Budgets
  Faculty Office Space
  Faculty Positions
  Salary Increases
  Staff Positions
               Starting Salaries

 

If you have any additional comments you wish to make regarding any of your responses to the previous items, please feel free to include them below:

 

            

 

 

 

 

 

Note:  Survey items are based on the self-study review objectives of three SU Self-Study Working Groups.  The Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, & Accountability is not responsible for the scope of their reviews.

 

Created by Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, & Accountability
Copyright © 2005 [Salisbury University Office of Institutional Research]. All rights reserved.
Revised: May 11, 2006