The results of campus climate surveys conducted at the seven NSHE teaching institutions have been compiled and released by the NFA, showing a growing level of dissatisfaction among employees over issues such as compensation and relationships with senior administrators. This trend is more concerning when TMCC is compared to the average for all NSHE institutions.
While most of the respondents from across NSHE are dissatisfied with their overall compensation, the rate of TMCC respondents who are dissatisfied exceeds the NSHE average by 10 points. The same trend is true when faculty compare their compensation with peers across the nation.
At 81%, low salary is the reason most frequently cited by TMCC respondents who said they have considered leaving their position in the past two years. Limited advancement opportunity is the next highest reason, but a distant second at 59%, and the unwelcoming campus climate coming in third.
Like their NSHE counterparts, TMCC respondents ranked regular cost of living adjustments and annual salary step increases as the most important changes that could be made to the compensation structure.
On average, NSHE faculty are evenly split on their satisfaction with employee health care benefits. The number of TMCC respondents who are unsatisfied, however, exceeds the number who are satisfied by 25 points.
The one bright spot in terms of compensation regards the employee retirement plan. A large majority of NSHE respondents, including TMCC employees, expressed satisfaction with their retirement benefits.
More faculty respondents agree than disagree that the relationship between administrators is mutually cooperative. The number of TMCC employees who disagree with the statement is 9 points higher than the NSHE average.
A large majority of TMCC respondents indicated that faculty largely determine education policy, curriculum design and review, and academic standards, exceeding the NSHE average by 6 points.
Similarly, majorities of both TMCC respondents and the NSHE average had positive opinions about faculty input into the evaluation and tenure processes, as well as faculty search committees. A smaller majority agreed that faculty recommendations influence administrative hires.
Although majorities of both groups stated that academic freedom is protected, the number of TMCC respondents who disagreed was 14 points higher than the NSHE average.
TMCC faculty respondents indicated that they find fulfillment and fellowship among their peers in their assigned departments. Over 80% of TMCC respondents expressed being comfortable within their department, exceeding the NSHE average by 9 points.
In terms of the broader campus climate, the number of TMCC respondents who find the overall climate to be comfortable is almost evenly split with those who don’t. The number who find the campus climate uncomfortable exceeds the NSHE average by 17 points.
Significant majorities of respondents from across the system believe that the campus climate has deteriorated in the last two years, but the number of TMCC respondents who felt this way was 14 points higher than the average and the highest of all institutions. Over 60% of TMCC respondents feel the climate has deteriorated, while only 18% believe it has improved.
Consistent with these results, are attitudes of TMCC respondents toward President Hilgersom’s leadership. While the number of respondents from across NSHE who believe their institution leader affirms the principle of shared governance exceeds the number who don’t by a margin of 15 points, the number who felt that way about the TMCC President was 17 points lower than those who felt she is not supportive of shared governance.
Fewer respondents at TMCC believe the president’s administration adheres to the agreements of our contract than respondents from CSN and WNC who also have contracts.
The survey was administered by NFA through Survey Monkey from mid-November to early December 2022. Fifty-five percent of the 237 TMCC recipients responded to the survey, the highest response rate in the system. The margin of error for TMCC is 5.7%
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