St. Cloud State University

Executive Summary

Introduction

Nichols and Associates, Inc., a behavioral science firm specializing in the areas of cultural diversity and organizational development, was recruited and contracted by St. Cloud State University (SCSU) to conduct a cultural audit or cultural assessment. Phase I included qualitative data collection including conducting focus groups and individual interviews. Phase II included survey development, survey administration, data analysis, and final report compilation.

Purpose

The ultimate goals in conducting the cultural audit were to identify barriers--both real and perceived--to achieving career successes at SCSU. In addition, Nichols and Associates, Inc. provides recommendations to break down and dissolve the identified barriers. We had five specific objectives:

To understand the attitudes of administrators, faculty, and staff at SCSU.
To identify barriers to individual success at SCSU.
To give direction to SCSU Administration enabling faculty, staff, and students to reach their full potential.
To establish benchmarks and baseline measures for future surveys.
To measure SCSU's progress in meeting three basic strategic goals-

Goal 1: Provide leadership and a working environment that enables all employees to reach their full potential.

Goal 2: Position diversity initiatives at center stage in SCSU.

Goal 3: Establish a continuous learning environment to adapt to change strategically.

Methodology

The cultural audit consisted of the following methodological steps: (a) Focus Groups and Individual Interviews, (b) Instrument Development, (c) Pilot testing of the Survey Instrument, (d) Administration of the Survey Instrument, (e) Data Analysis and (f) Final Report compilation including recommendations.

Two survey instruments were developed from the Phase I data collection. The instrument administered to students consisted of 118 items (including demographic items) and eight topical areas: student perceptions, cultural values, student experiences, student opinions and attitudes, satisfaction with student life, students' interpersonal relationships, anti-Semitic attitudes, and anti-African American attitudes. The instrument administered to faculty, staff, and administration consisted of 133 items (including demographic items) and nine topical areas: experiences in the workplace, job experiences, staff opinions and attitudes, communications, coworker and mentoring relationships, job satisfaction, and staff interpersonal relationships, anti-Semitic attitudes, and anti-African American attitudes.

A total of 401 respondents submitted web-based surveys. Additionally, our process included on-the-spot interviews with SCSU personnel, scheduled interviews with SCSU management, SCSU staff, and administrative staff as well as observations.

Findings

Administrators, faculty and staff noted more major job satisfiers than dissatisfiers; likewise, students indicated more positive perceptions than negative perceptions. Some of the faculty and staff satisfiers included co-worker and mentoring relationships, opportunities for training and career development, supportive and non-defensive communication climate, effectiveness of their Union, level of professional trust and interpersonal relationships with various groups. Some of the students' positive perceptions included involvement in many social activities on campus, excellent faculty, SCSU support of cultural activities and interpersonal relationships with various groups.

Results across survey scales indicated several general areas of concern and/or dissatisfaction: attitudes of racism, sexism, anti-Semitism and homophobia, taunting and/or harassment on and off campus, quality of relationships between minority and white students, experiences of discrimination, promotion processes and job security, formal job performance feedback, resistance to diversity, inadequate services/equipment for students with disabilities and the prospect of having higher numbers of Jewish and African-American faculty and staff on campus. Each of these areas is reflected in the Recommendations section below.

Recommendations

Leadership. Strong, unequivocal, proactive leadership is vital to manage and cultivate the evolving/dynamic racial and gender (i.e., diversity) changes at SCSU.
Communications. Data revealed that although communications are "fair to good," there should be greater transparency to improve communications across all SCSU levels.
Diversity. Future action plans must include current information in brochures, newsletters, calendars, posters, and pamphlets to update employees on the university's diversity initiatives and future actions. For some respondents diversity is still auxiliary to the function of the SCSU. Workstations throughout the SCSU where one may obtain information on job openings, promotions, diversity materials, awards, and suggestions, as well as a chat room site, should also be established by university Information Technology (IT) department. Diversity performance and equal opportunity practices should be linked to performance evaluation and compensation.
Establish an Office of Minority Affairs or an Office of Diversity Affairs. Establish and empower an office to ensure recruitment and retention of students and staff of color as well as promote cultural diversity. These areas have been cited in the literature as critical issues in the area of minority/multicultural student affairs. In general, the literature points to the three most important qualifications for a director of multicultural affairs: sensitivity toward minority students, an understanding of under-represented populations, and an ability to deal with conflict and problems. The staffing of the proposed office should include SCSU staff.
Review and emphasize university diversity efforts. Develop and implement a strategic diversity plan in congruence with other university polices governing recruitment of minority students, hiring of minority faculty and staff and the support of those groups. Input to this effort should come from a cross-section of all university personnel.
Promote Racial Harmony. If the differences in perception and attitudes toward racial and ethnic discrimination are to be reduced, it appears that some intensive effort will need to be applied. The combined attention by the student government, university administration, and faculty, and the community could bring about the needed changes.
Benchmarking. When organizations want to improve their performance, they use the activity of benchmarking. They compare and measure their policies, practices, philosophies and performance against high-performing organizations (or universities). The process of benchmarking is used to identify useful business practices; innovative ideas, effective operating procedures and winning strategies that can be adopted by an organization to accelerate its own progress by ensuring quality, productivity and overall improvements. In this case, benchmarking involves investigating how programs/processes are performed at other similar universities to ascertain whether a SCSU could adapt the processes of another organization to improve their own processes. True benchmarking includes searching for, studying and implementing the best practices of world-class companies outside the education industry.
Human Resources. In order to improve upon the effective SCSU communication climate, HR functions should enhance its focus on workgroup effectiveness particularly across departments and offices as well as across various racial, ethnic, and special interests groups.
Standardize hiring practices. There is a perception among the SCSU employees that hiring practices are biased and non-standardized. Standardizing the information and memberships of search committees and selection criteria would enhance the university's climate. The personnel who have served on search committees reported that these committees vary in operations. Faculty and staff members recommend standardizing all search committee processes and procedures. Establish criteria (and diversity) for committee membership, committee precepts, formal guidelines and reporting procedures, stated candidate qualifications and background, candidate application management, etc. Transcending these perceptions requires greater transparency in hiring practices.
Organizational Study Follow-up. Follow-up on studies designed to assess or diagnosis the university climate. Many participants are aware of at least four assessments or organizational studies, but have not received any feedback or recommendations on rectifying organizational challenges.
Cultural Audit Survey. Within 12 months after the implementation of an action plan, to ascertain progress, an assessment and re-evaluation should be considered.

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