Alexandra Nisenoff

Students walking in the Quad.

Provost Katherine Baicker released preliminary results from the 2023 Campus Climate Survey conducted in spring quarter in an email sent to the campus community on Monday, December 18.

According to the email, fewer survey respondents reported that they perceived the climate on campus as racist or sexist than the previous one in 2016, but members of minority or marginalized groups continued to report experiencing greater levels of bias on average than their peers did. Baicker’s email also said that some groups on campus reported “a lower sense of belonging” and were “more likely to experience instances of harassment.”

Full results of the survey, which intends to inform future diversity and inclusion initiatives on campus, are set to be released in February 2024.

Baicker’s email reported an overall response rate of 30 percent, with responses from 41 percent of faculty, 21 percent of students, and 42 percent of staff members. According to the email, these rates were nearly identical to those for the 2016 survey.

The survey was a joint effort between the Office of the Provost, the Climate Survey Advisory Committee, and the Office of Institutional Analysis.

The Climate Survey Advisory Committee is made up of faculty and administrators from across the University’s divisions as well as two undergraduate students and two graduate students. The committee was formed to advise on the development and implementation of the survey.

The questionnaire asked UChicago students, faculty, and staff about their perceptions of the University’s climate and their attitudes and experiences with racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of bias.

The survey was open throughout May, and the survey committee compiled and analyzed the results over the summer. The full results release in February is set to occur alongside a university-wide town hall hosted by the Office of the Provost.

The 2023 survey looked to build on the 2016 survey, with the goal of measuring changes in experiences and perceptions over time. This year’s survey added questions about perceived ageism, perceived tolerance or intolerance of diverse political views, national origin, socioeconomic background, and gender expression. The results from the 2016 survey are available on the Office of the Provost’s website.

Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion Waldo Johnson Jr., who chaired the Survey Advisory Committee, told The Maroon about the survey when it was launched in the spring.

“Administering this survey is a crucial step towards understanding and improving the campus climate at UChicago,” he said. “The survey results will provide a baseline against which to measure improvements and track the impact of future efforts, helping the University allocate its resources most effectively to create a welcoming environment where everyone can participate fully in campus life.”

According to Baicker’s email, discussions about the survey results will be held in smaller groups and within academic units during winter quarter. These conversations, the survey results, and additional information collected about the campus climate will be used to inform a new strategic plan for the University’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, she wrote.