2021 Faculty Climate Survey

As an important component of the Belonging at Yale initiative, a comprehensive effort launched by President Peter Salovey in 2020 to enhance diversity, support equity, and promote an environment of inclusion and respect at the university, Yale conducted a university-wide faculty climate survey between October 2021 and December 2021 (during the Delta and Omicron waves of the COVID-19 pandemic). A total of 6,266 Yale faculty (across all ranks and tracks) were invited to take the confidential survey, which was administered by Yale’s Provost’s Office in partnership with MIT’s Office of Institutional Research.

This survey will be repeated every two years and is an important step in advancing the goals of the Belonging at Yale initiative and heightening the culture of equity and inclusion at the university. The intention of the survey is to identify both areas of strength and opportunities for improvement in Yale’s campus culture. The survey results will inform subsequent initiatives and collaborations.

Response rate
The survey had a 30% overall response rate with the following breakdown by category:

  • 44% ladder faculty response rate
  • 18% instructional faculty response rate
  • 13% research faculty response rate

2021 Faculty Survey Results

Climate in the University

Climate in the Department, Section, or Professional School

Respect

Belonging

Mentoring and Advocacy

How Yale Will Address the Survey Results

  • As a part of the Belonging at Yale initiative, all schools and/or academic units have recently developed five-year action plans focused on improving their local climate to enhance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) for all faculty. These plans are updated annually and will be adjusted to address areas for improvement found in the survey.
  • Each school and/or academic unit will convene gatherings to discuss the results of the survey as well as how the DEIB plans can be modified to better address the survey’s takeaways.
  • The Provost’s Office and Deans will assist schools and departments in developing localized mentorship plans aimed at skill-building and enhancing inter- and intradepartmental partnerships to support collaboration.
  • With the support of the Provost’s and President’s Offices, Deans will organize community building activities and events within academic units and across academic fields and demographics.

If you have questions about the results of the survey or your unit or school’s DEIB action plans, please reach out to your Dean’s office. You may also submit questions or comments to the Provost via provost@yale.edu.