Hello!
In spring quarter 2023, The Chicago Maroon conducted its first-ever staff survey, which we hope to make an annual tradition for the paper. We asked our staff their demographics to (1) track the diversity of our staff and (2) gather specific information about our staff’s years at The Maroon, majors, and interests. These goals serve a dual purpose: to hold The Maroon accountable in its diversity efforts and to share more about ourselves to those outside our organization.
Additionally, this information will be used to the benefit of future Maroon leaders and for recruiting events.
All questions asked were reviewed by The Maroon’s DEI Board and were completely anonymous. Participants could also forgo answering many of them.
What are your major(s)?
Though one might assume The Maroon solely consists of people majoring in journalism-related fields, The Maroon staffers study a multitude of subjects. These subjects span the College and the University’s professional and graduate schools.
What are your minor(s)?
The Maroon is typically thought of as a bastion of journalism-related minors, but, as our data shows, we actually have a wide variety of academic disciplines represented.
What region of the United States was your high school located?
In addition to our ethnic diversity, The Maroon wanted to know the geographical diversity of our staffers who went to high school in the United States. We asked this question because we’re acutely aware that we are shaped by whom we know and our previous environments.
What is your gender/gender identity?
Diversity and inclusion does not just stop at ethnic and geographical background, but includes how we express ourselves in terms of gender and sexuality.
How would you describe The Maroon in one word?
What is your sexuality identity and orientation?
Similar to the earlier question, The Maroon wanted to know the makeup of our staff’s gender and sexuality in order to be a more inclusive place for our LGBTQ+ community. To this end, we also gave participants the option to not disclose their gender identity or sexuality.
How much financial aid, if any, do you receive?
Socioeconomic status might dictate how much time a staffer might be able to dedicate to The Maroon. This question not only informs which groups we should be making ourselves more accessible to, but also how we can best support them through possible grants or work-study.
Do you identify as First Generation Low Income (FGLI)?
Another critical aspect of a person’s identity is their socioeconomic status. Though it does not define them, The Maroon asked for this information, giving staffers the opportunity not to disclose, to better understand how we can make this organization more accessible to all.
What is your reported family income?
Similar to many of the other questions we asked about staffers’ backgrounds, knowing how much someone’s family makes colors their experiences pre-, during, and post-college. We at The Maroon want to know this information to see how we can be more inclusive socioeconomically.
How well would you say being on The Maroon has helped you on applications (internship or otherwise)?
As college students, many of us care where we spend our time in order to benefit us in internships and future job applications. As such, The Maroon wanted to know just how helpful it was getting its staffers the jobs and positions they want.
How many other recognized student organizations (RSOs)/major commitments are you a part of?
Being a part of any organization is a significant time commitment, and The Maroon is no different. We wanted to know how much time staffers spend on other co-curricular and extracurricular activities.
How many years have you been on The Maroon?
Though The Maroon has consistently brought engaging stories to the University and Hyde Park communities for many years, internally, the paper changes slightly from year to year with new leadership. Knowing how many years someone has been on The Maroon impacts their individual experiences.
Are you a voting-eligible member of The Maroon? That is, did you apply for the position you hold?
Members of The Maroon who were successful applicants to their positions have a lot of power in how their votes shape the direction of the paper in significant matters like electing the paper’s leadership. Because of this, knowing who is voting-eligible is critical for us internally.
