Climate Survey Proposal

Proposal for Recurring Climate Survey

The DEI Committee has discussed the possibilities and mechanisms of a potential Keck Climate Survey. Each of our three Colleges is currently completing a climate survey, and so we want to be sensitive to that cycle and to “survey fatigue”, especially for populations facing systemic barriers. We are therefore interested in feedback from faculty and staff of Keck Science on three possible models of climate survey, with the idea that it would be carried out in approximately three years (2025), as both Scripps and Pitzer completed surveys in 2022.

The first and (to our mind) most attractive model would be to encourage Pitzer and Scripps to synchronize their next Climate Survey, agree to use the same survey firm and questions, and agree to allow us to add Keck/science-specific questions about climate, a sense of belonging, etc. While this would not include our CMC students, it would establish a regular pattern of surveys, give us synchronized data, and allow us to get information that we prioritize asking about as a department. It would also be paid for by the Colleges, obviously. 

The second, slightly less attractive model, would be if Scripps and Pitzer would agree to synchronize, even if they didn’t work with the same firm or questions, but would be willing to incorporate Keck/science-specific questions about climate, a sense of belonging, etc. This would give us data from both student bodies (again, excluding CMC), but it would probably be up to future DEI committees to merge and analyze the raw data, and there is a possibility that the execution of different surveys by different firms might create some asymmetries in the way the data is collected and who participates. 

The third, and least attractive option (in our minds), would be a Keck-only survey, developed and administered by the Keck DEI committee. This would give us the greatest local control, would enable the inclusion of CMC students, but would require substantial labor and funding from the Department, would exacerbate “survey fatigue”, and would require IRB approval from the Colleges. This would also exclude current students who don’t happen to be taking classes at Keck when the survey is administered. Another disadvantage is that it would be necessary to set up a system to keep the survey recurring every 3 years despite the changing membership of the DEI committee, and this would require more work from future committee members than would the first two options. 

We seek feedback from Departmental members on the desirability of a climate survey to get at Keck-specific issues, the strengths and weaknesses of these models, and whether there is a consensus in the direction the Department would like the DEI committee to pursue and push for. 

Examples of possible question types: 

• Specific Keck classes

• Feeling of belonging at Keck

• Identity as a scientist

• Access to research opportunities