Periodically, outside consulting groups study what key associations arise in people’s minds when they think of Georgetown. It is common that five attributes arise: academic excellence, Jesuit and Catholic animation, global orientation, District of Columbia location, and community.
These efforts often do not directly seek information on how the students, staff, and faculty think about these issues. We’re attempting to learn how members of Georgetown perceive and evaluate their “community.”
In 2020, the University conducted a student cultural climate survey. The survey data have been instrumental in helping the University to identify areas of strength and areas of concern for student inclusion and belonging in our community. For example, the survey led to the decision to attempt to improve the classroom participation and engagement of all groups. That survey successfully documented the thoughts of the student population, but did not provide insights regarding those of staff and faculty.
Georgetown is now in the middle of mounting another survey — the first-ever Faculty and Staff/AAP Cultural Climate Survey.
The survey instrument was developed by the National Institute for Transformation & Equity for higher education institutions. It was customized for Georgetown faculty and staff/AAPs in partnership with faculty and staff representatives on the Cultural Climate Advisory Committee.
No supervisors, no co-workers, no subordinates will ever learn the answers given in the survey. The Office of Assessment and Decision Support team, led by experts in survey design and confidentiality, is using best-practice confidentiality protections. You will never be associated with your responses in any analysis or reports from this study. The de-identified survey data will be maintained in digital form on a secured, password protected site. The results will be presented in summary form so no individual can be identified.
If you received a request to respond to the survey, but have not yet done so, it’s important to try to respond.
A high response rate is crucial for reliable results. We are looking for the most robust and representative data. Both those deeply interest in the cultural climate and those uninterested should respond. Both those with only praise of the Georgetown community’s culture, and those with concerns should respond. We want our results to reflect all faculty, staff and academic administrative professionals, and their respective experiences at Georgetown.
Please consider taking just 20 minutes to complete the survey (link is in your email inbox) by November 9 to contribute to this effort. This is our chance to share our notions of key features of the Georgetown community.
“Cura personalis” was not in our vocabulary in 1964, but we had TJ O’Donnel, S.J., for medical ethics when such a course was rare in our country. During my internship at McGill I met my future wife who had been a nurse on the cardiac unit at Georgetown having trained elsewhere. She observed that there was a kinder atmosphere at Georgetown University Hospital in 1966 than in her training hospital. I was told as a freshman that if any of us failed out the school considered that it was its failure to appropriately select, guide and teach its students. I think we lost one of about 110. I had always presumed I was my brother and sister’s keeper. At six my mother wanted my help with my younger siblings. Her training helped make medicine seem natural and easy for me. I worry about the current burnout among healthcare workers. Retired I miss the challenge, privilege and joy of caring for my patients. Burnout tells me our system is broken, lacking in “caritas” for our patients and each other. Marriage and parenthood gave me greater insight into the strengths and weakness of myself and of others teaching me to depend on our diversity so that the whole would be greater than the sum of the parts. I hope that the expansion of “cura personalis” will continue not only at Georgetown but through our community and country.
I appreciate your posts. Thank you for them and your service.
Important. Hope all asked do it!