SURVEY OF STAFF. Prepared by Russell L. Smith, PhD. Director, School of Public Administration University of Nebraska at Omaha

Transcription

1 SURVEY OF STAFF Prepared by Russell L. Smith, PhD Director, School of Public Administration University of Nebraska at Omaha For the UNMC Executive and Steering Committees, NCA Accreditation January 2006 UNMC s Mission Statement: To improve the health of Nebraskans through premier educational programs, innovative research, the highest quality patient care and outreach to under-served populations. University of Nebraska Medical Center Accreditation Self-Study Higher Learning Commission/North Central Association

2 BACKGROUND FOR THIS ACCREDITATION REPORT UNMC is preparing for re-accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). NCA accredits UNMC as a whole, and NCA accreditation complements our many accreditations by specialized accrediting bodies. Our preparation for the accreditation team site visit in January 2007 is being led by Dr. John Benson, supported by Dr. John Adams, Dr. David Crouse and Mary Helms, serving as an executive committee, and by the members of the Steering Committee. Their task is to prepare a comprehensive Self-Study report for submission to NCA in October One component of the overall study process is a survey of UNMC faculty, staff and student impressions of our efforts toward various accreditation criteria. This report presents major findings from the survey of UNMC staff. Although self-studies require a great deal of time and effort, I am confident UNMC will benefit from the process and that we will achieve re-accreditation without qualifications. The guiding principles that we have adopted and the process that we are following are set forth below. Harold M. Maurer, M.D. Chancellor UNMC S GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR ACCREDITATION UNMC will benefit from its Self-Study for the NCA. We will: Become even more learning-centered. Enhance our quality indicators. Strengthen strategic planning. Deepen our understanding of ourselves. Expand institutional data sets and analysis. Achieve re-accreditation with no qualifications. The integrating themes for the Self-Study are: Future orientation Learning focus Connectedness to the community Distinctiveness of UNMC 2

3 SURVEY INTRODUCTION This report summarizes the results of a survey of UNMC staff. Separate surveys were also conducted of UNMC faculty and students. The survey asked staff to provide their impressions of UNMC s strengths and unmet needs. Each respondent was presented with a series of statements describing UNMC s efforts in areas critical to preparing for the accreditation review by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). These efforts focus on five criteria and several "core components" of those criteria. Generally, the criteria involve UNMC s: Mission and integrity in carrying out its mission Focus on the future Student learning and effective teaching Research enterprise Community service Survey findings are being used by the individual Task Forces of the NCA Accreditation Steering Committee (i.e., Mission; Planning; Learning; Research; Service). Complete information on the NCA accreditation process and related efforts taking place at UNMC are provided at: 3

4 SURVEY METHODOLOGY The staff survey was developed in consultation with the UNMC Accreditation Self-Study Executive and Steering Committees. As noted above, each respondent was presented with a series of statements describing UNMC s efforts in areas critical to preparing for the accreditation review by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). After discussion, a web-based survey was selected as the preferred approach to gathering data. Two factors weighed most heavily in this decision. First, a primary goal of the survey was to foster broad participation from UNMC staff. The survey was thus seen as an opportunity to give each individual staff member a chance to provide feedback and comments on UNMC and its re-accreditation effort. A secondary factor was that almost all UNMC staff members have university-provided accounts and computer access. 1 The survey instrument was developed in consultation with the UNMC accreditation Self-Study Executive and Steering Committees. A draft version was pre-tested using members of these committees. A letter from UNMC Chancellor Harold Maurer was ed to every staff member on August 24, 2005 (see Attachment A). The letter highlighted the purpose and importance of the survey, and encouraged participation. Staff members were told that an would be sent to them providing a link to the survey site. On August 29, 2005 all full-time UNMC staff received an from the consultant, Dr. Russell L. Smith, asking them to click on a web-based link provided in the (see Attachment B). Safeguards were in place to allow only one completed survey per UNMC staff member. The survey remained open to staff response until October 10, Two messages were sent to nonresponding staff to remind them to participate in the survey. The survey contained two sections (see Attachment C for the complete survey in html format). The first section asked staff to respond to a series of statements tied to the five accreditation criteria used by the Higher Learning Commission. For each criterion, a short statement was provided for background information. The background statement was followed by several statements about the criterion. Participants were asked to respond to each statement using one of five response options: (1) Strongly Agree; (2) Agree; (3) ; (4) Disagree; and (5) Strongly Disagree. The first section of the survey also asked staff members to provide individual comments about UNMC s accreditation efforts. The second section of the survey asked respondents to respond to several 1 Approximately 100 UNMC staff did not have addresses. For these individuals, Chancellor Maurer s letter and the survey were mailed to the person s UNMC work address. 4

5 demographic questions for tabulation and reporting purposes. Anonymity was promised in reporting results. 5

6 PROFILE OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS AND LIMITATIONS A total of 2,506 invitations were ed to staff approximately 5 days after Chancellor Maurer s informational letter. Altogether, 1,755 staff members completed surveys. This represents a 70.0 percent response rate. Table 1 summarizes the percentage of staff members responding for each of several categories of demographic characteristics. The table also reports the percentage of all staff respondents with the selected demographic characteristics. Based on a comparison of staff survey respondents to all full-time staff members at UNMC, no serious areas of response bias were identified. Survey respondents are generally reflective of the full-time UNMC staff. Several areas of higher/lower response rate do warrant mention: Business and Finance, College of Medicine, and Pharmacy staff members are somewhat under-represented Chancellor s Office, Munroe Meyer Institute, University Medical Associates, and Vice Chancellor for Research staff members are somewhat over-represented Male staff members are somewhat under-represented White, Non-Hispanic staff members are somewhat under-represented Staff members with 2 years or fewer service at UNMC are underrepresented by quite a bit Staff members with years of service, and staff with more than 20 years at UNMC are somewhat over-represented. This survey of staff has a maximum confidence interval of approximately 1.3 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. Thus, if the proportion of survey respondents selecting a particular response option is 50 percent, the actual percentage that would be found if all UNMC staff members were surveyed would be between 48.7 and 51.3 percent. Responses with a larger proportion of staff members selecting the option would have a smaller confidence interval. For example, if 80 percent selected a given response option, the confidence interval is +/- 1.0 percent. 6

7 Table 1 Characteristics of UNMC Staff Survey Respondents Number Responding Pct of Category Staff Responding Pct of All Staff Respondents Characteristic Primary Appointment Unit Academic Affairs Business and Finance Chancellor s Office College of Dentistry College of Medicine College of Nursing * 3.6 College of Pharmacy Eppley Institute Information Technology Services Munroe Meyer Institute * 7.7 School of Allied Health Professions University Medical Associates * 3.2 Vice Chancellor for Research Not Reported 26 ** 1.5 Total Primary UNMC Campus Omaha Lincoln Kearney * 0.5 Scottsbluff * 0.3 Not Reported/Elsewhere 15 ** 0.9 Total Race/Ethnicity White/Non-Hispanic Other Race/Ethnicity Not Reported -- ** -- Total Gender Female Male Not Reported 19 ** 1.1 Total Years at UNMC 2 years or fewer years years years More than 20 years Not Reported 8 ** 0.5 Total *More staff respondents selected the category for demographic reporting purposes than was contained in the Academic Affairs/HR database. **All staff members have a report in the Academic Affairs/HR database. Hence, there is no proportion to compare to for this group. 7

8 STAFF ASSESSMENT OF ACCREDITATION CRITERIA UNMC staff members were asked to read and respond to statements about each of the five NCA-Higher Learning Commission accreditation criteria. These criteria address: UNMC s mission and integrity in carrying out its mission; UNMC s focus on the future; student learning and effective teaching at UNMC; the research enterprise; and UNMC s community service. Five response options were used: (1) Strongly Agree; (2) Agree; (3) ; (4) Disagree; and (5) Strongly Disagree. Staff responses to criterion items are discussed in separate sections below. The analysis utilizes graphical summaries of staff agreement with the accreditation statements. The figures shown in this section depict only the percentage of staff responding "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" to the accreditation statements. The balance of staff survey respondents fell into one of three groups: "Neither Disagree ;" "Disagree" and "Strongly Disagree. Figure 2 shows that 76.9 percent of staff responded "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" with Question #7, The resource base supports UNMC's plans for maintaining and strengthening quality in the future. The balance of staff did not all disagree with the statement. The percentage saying, was 19.1 percent, and the percentage saying Disagree/Strongly Disagree was 3.9 percent. Detailed information on the proportions of staff in these response groups is provided in Attachment D. The focus of this analysis is on the percentage of staff agreeing with the 23 accreditation statements. Criterion 1: Mission and Integrity in Carrying Out Mission Figure 1 displays the percentage of staff saying they either Strongly Agree or Agree with each of the five mission and integrity statements. As can be seen, almost 9 out of 10 responding staff agree UNMC s mission is clear (89.9%); UNMC upholds and protects its integrity (89.4%); and that the mission statement recognizes the diversity of learners, constituencies and society (87.8%). There is quite a bit less agreement with the statements dealing with internal decisionmaking and administrative structures. The average for the five statements in this criterion is 78.7 percent. 8

9 Fig. 1 Staff Agreement with Criterion 1:Mission and Integrity Q1-UNMC's mission is clear Q5-UNMC upholds and protects its integrity as an institution. Q2-Mission statement recognizes diversity of learners, constituencies, and society Q3-UNMC internal decision-making processes promote participation and collaboration that assist my unit mission Q4-UNMC administrative structures promote effective leadership Percent of Staff Responding "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" with Statement Criterion 2: Preparing for the Future Staff members were next asked to respond to 4 items addressing UNMC s preparation for the future. Preparation for the future incorporates the organization s allocation of resources and whether its processes for evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its education, and respond to future challenges and opportunities. As can be seen in Fig. 2, staff agreement was highest Fig. 2 Staff Agreement with "Preparing for the Future" Statements Q6-UNMC realistically prepares for a future shaped by multiple trends Q7-Resource base supports UNMC plans for maintaining and strengthening quality Q9-Planning activities in my unit align with UNMC's mission Q8-Evaluation and assessment processes guide improvement in my unit Percent of Staff Responding "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" with Statement 9

10 for the statement that UNMC realistically prepares for a future shaped by multiple forces (82.8%). Agreement was lowest for the statement that evaluation and assessment processes guide strategies for improvement (54.6%). The average percent of staff members indicating Strongly Agree or Agree with the statements on preparing for the future is 70.8 percent. This is the lowest average among the five sets of statements about the NCA-HLC accreditation Criteria. Criterion 3: Student Learning and Effective Teaching The third NCA-HLC Criterion dealt with student learning and teaching effectiveness. The focus of this criterion is whether UNMC provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its mission. Figure 3 summarizes staff agreement with the five statements dealing with student learning and teaching effectiveness. Agreement is highest with the statement, UNMC s resource base supports educational programs (83.1%). Agreement is equally high for the statement, UNMC promotes faculty, staff and student learning across the institution (82.0%). Agreement is lowest for the statement, UNMC supports creation of effective learning environments in my unit (68.0%). The average proportion of staff agreeing with the student learning and teaching statements is 77.1 percent. Fig. 3 Staff Agreement with Criterion 3: Learning and Teaching Q10-UNMC's resource base supports educational programs Q14-UNMC Promotes faculty, staff and student learning across the institution Q11-UNMC objectives for student learning outcomes clearly stated for my program. Q12-Values and resources of UNMC support effective teaching in my unit Q13-UNMC supports creation of effective learning environment in my unit Percent of Staff Responding "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" with Statement Criterion 4: Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge Four statements addressed the criterion, Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge. Statements included: UNMC demonstrates that it values research; At UNMC intellectual inquiry is integral to its educational programs; UNMC demonstrates that it uses valid current evidence for best patient care; UNMC assesses 10

11 the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society; and Staff, students and staff are supported by UNMC to acquire, discover and apply knowledge responsibly. The percentage of staff members agreeing with each of these research-focused statements is portrayed in Figure 4. Staff agreement is highest for the statement, UNMC demonstrates that it values research (93.2%). Agreement is lowest for the statement, UNMC assesses the usefulness of curricula to students (72.6%). The average proportion of staff saying either Strongly Agree or Agree is higher for this set of items than for any other set of accreditation criteria (82.4%). Criterion 5: Engagement and Service The fifth criterion presented to UNMC staff dealt with Engagement and Service. The supporting statement read, As called for by its mission, the organization identifies its constituencies and serves them in ways both value. Four statements addressed different facets of engagement and service. Fig. 4 Staff Agreement with Criterion 4: Research Q15-UNMC demonstrates that it values research Q16-At UNMC intellectual inquiry is integral to educational programs. Q19-Faculty, staff, students supported by UNMC to acquire, discover and apply knowledge responsibly Q17-UNMC demonstrates use of valid current evidence for best patient care Q18-UNMC assesses the usefulness of curricula to students Percent of Staff Responding "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" with Statement As can be seen in Fig. 5, staff agreement with the four statements is highest for the statement, UNMC has a commitment to engage with its identified constituencies and communities (80.6%). The item addressing constituencies valuing UNMC services was second in rank for proportion of staff agreeing with the statement (77.7%). Lowest agreement was expressed with the statement, UNMC learns from its constituencies to determine their needs (71.3%). The average agreement of 76.2 percent for the four criteria was the second lowest level observed among the five accreditation criteria. 11

12 Fig. 5 Staff Agreement with Criterion 5: Engagement and Service Q22-UNMC has a commitment to engage with constituencies and communities Q23-Internal and external constituencies value UNMC services Q20-UNMC analyzes its ability to meet needs and expectations of constituencies Q21-UNMC learns from its constituencies to determine needs Percent of Staff Responding "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" with Statement Summary of Staff Assessment of Accreditation Criteria Agreement with Individual Statements A majority of UNMC staff responded either Strongly Agree or Agree to each of the 23 accreditation statements. Agreement levels are summarized in Table 2 for five different percentile groups (from highest to lowest agreement level within each group). Over 9 in 10 responding staff agreed that UNMC demonstrates that it values research. Agreement was lowest for the evaluation and assessment statement. At the other end of the continuum of agreement, approximately 5 in 10 responding staff (54.6%) agreed that evaluation and assessment guide institutional strategies for improvement in their unit. Also showing lower agreement levels were four additional statements: Planning activities in my unit align with UNMC s mission, thereby enhancing our capacity to fulfill the mission ; UNMC supports the creation of an effective learning environment in my unit ; UNMC s internal decision-making processes promote participation and support collaboration that enables my unit to fulfill its mission ; and UNMC s administrative structures promote effective leadership. 12

13 Table 2 Staff Agreement with Accreditation Statements 90 Percent or More Strongly Agree or Agree UNMC demonstrates that it values research Percent Strongly Agree or Agree UNMC s mission is clear UNMC upholds and protects its integrity as an institution dedicated to social good The UNMC mission statement recognizes the diversity of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater society it serves At UNMC intellectual inquiry is integral to its educational programs Faculty, students, and staff are supported by UNMC to acquire, discover and apply knowledge responsibly UNMC s resource base supports its educational programs UNMC realistically prepares for a future shaped by multiple societal and economic trends UNMC promotes faculty, staff and student learning across the institution UNMC has a commitment to engage with its identified constituencies and communities Percent Strongly Agree or Agree UNMC demonstrates that it uses valid current evidence for best patient care Internal and external constituencies value the services UNMC provides The resource base supports UNMC s plans for maintaining and strengthening quality in the future UNMC s objectives for student learning outcomes are clearly stated for my educational program s goals and make effective assessment possible The values and resources of UNMC support effective teaching in my unit UNMC analyses its ability to meet the needs and expectations of its constituencies UNMC assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society UNMC learns from its constituencies to determine their needs Percent Strongly Agree or Agree Planning activities in my unit align with UNMC s mission, thereby enhancing our capacity to fulfill the mission UNMC supports the creation of an effective learning environment in my unit UNMC s internal decision-making processes promote participation and support collaboration that enables my unit to fulfill its mission UNMC s administrative structures promote effective leadership Percent Strongly Agree or Agree Evidence from UNMC s evaluation and assessment processes guide institutional strategies for improvement in my unit and programs Average Agreement Levels by Accreditation Criterion Looking at the five accreditation criteria, average agreement was highest for statements in the research criterion, Acquisition, Discovery and Application of Knowledge. Next highest in agreement was the criterion, Mission and Integrity (78.7%). Staff agreement was lowest for statements in the Preparing for the Future criterion (see Figure 6). 13

14 Fig. 6 Staff Agreement with Accreditation Criteria Criterion 4: Acquisition, Discovery and Application of Knowledge 82.4 Criterion 1: Mission and Integrity 78.7 Criterion 3: Student Learning and Effective Teaching 77.1 Criterion 5: Engagement and Service 76.2 Criterion 2: Preparing for the Future Percent of Staff Responding "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" with Criterion Statements 14

15 DIFFERENCES IN STAFF ASSESSMENT OF ACCREDITATION CRITERIA Several analyses were conducted to search for possible differences in staff assessment of statements regarding the five HLC-NCA accreditation criteria. First, contingency tables were examined for several important staff characteristics identified by the Executive Committee. These characteristics included Gender, Principal Job Activities, Years at UNMC, and Primary Appointment Unit. Chi-Square statistics were computed for each table and examined. Nominal and ordinal measures of association were also examined. For simplicity in reporting, Gender, Principal Job Activities, Years at UNMC, and Primary Appointment Unit are summarized in separate tables (Tables 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D, respectively). Table 3B reports staff results for several categories of Principal Job Activities. These categories were drawn from NU Values categories. Staff were provided categories (without definitions) and asked to self-select which of the principal job activities applied to them. As a result, there may be some mismatch between the job categories staff identified with for survey reporting purposes and their actual job category. This limitation, of course, applied to other demographic characteristics reported in the previous section. Each table provides mean scores for each of the accreditation statements for each of the different analysis sub-groups, as well as all UNMC staff respondents. Two variable relationships with significant Chi-Square statistics are denoted. Several items do show differences in response distributions that are not likely to have occurred by chance. All highlighted relationships have a Chi-Square statistic that is significant at the.05 level or less. It must be noted that while the Chi-Square statistic does show statistically significant differences in response patters across some of the analysis sub groups, measures of association show weak relationships in every case. In interpreting this information, it is important to remember that lower mean scores indicate stronger agreement with the statement (Strongly Agree=1; Agree=2; Neither Disagree =3; Disagree=4; Strongly Disagree=5). Thus, the mean score of 1.5 for Females on Question 15, UNMC demonstrates that it values research, is more positive than the 1.6 mean score for Male staff (see Table 3A). Criterion 1: Mission and Integrity in Carrying Out Mission A review of the two-variable contingency tables highlighted several differences within the category variables for several different accreditation items. For the Mission and Integrity criterion, Questions 3 and 4 show significant differences across the independent variables. Specific findings are summarized below: 15

16 Question 3 UNMC s internal decision-making processes promote participation and support collaboration that enables my unit to fulfill its mission. o Education-Outreach, Healthcare, and Research staff more positive (see Table 3B) o Staff employed 0-5 years more positive (see Table 3C) o Nursing, Monroe Meyer Institute, School of Health Science Professions, and University Medical Associates staff more positive (see Table 3D) Question 4 UNMC s administrative structures promote effective leadership. o Education-Outreach, Healthcare, and Research staff more positive (see Table 3B). o Staff employed 0-5 years and more than 11+ years more positive (see Table 3C) o Nursing, Pharmacy, Monroe Meyer Institute, School of Health Science Professions, and Vice Chancellor for Research staff more positive (see Table 3D) Criterion 2: Preparing for the Future Items associated with this criterion show several interesting differences across Primary Appointment Unit and Years at UNMC. Specific differences that are statistically significant include: Question 7 The resource base supports UNMC s plans for maintaining and strengthening quality in the future. o Healthcare staff more positive (see Table 3B) Question 8 Evidence from UNMC s evaluation and assessment processes guide strategies for improvement in my unit. o Healthcare staff more positive (see Table 3B) o Staff with 0-5 years service more positive (see Table 3C) o Nursing, Pharmacy, Monroe Meyer Institute, School of Health Science Professions, University Medical Associates, and Vice Chancellor for Research more positive (see Table 3D) Question 9 Planning activities in my unit align with UNMC s mission, thereby enhancing our capacity to fulfill the mission. o Staff with 6-10 years of service at UNMC less positive (see Table 3C) o Nursing, Eppley Institute, Monroe Meyer Institute, School of Health Science Professions, University Medical Associates, and Vice Chancellor for Research more positive (see Table 3D) 16

17 Table 3A Accreditation Statement Mean Scores for All Staff and Gender Gender Higher Learning Commission Criteria and Survey Items All Respondents Females Males Criterion 1 -- Mission and Integrity Question 1: UNMC's mission is clear Question 2: The UNMC mission statement recognizes the diversity of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater society it serves. Question 3: UNMC's internal decision-making processes promote participation and support collaboration that enables my unit to fulfill its mission. Question 4: UNMC's administrative structures promote effective leadership Question 5: UNMC upholds and protects its integrity as an institution dedicated to social good Criterion 2 -- Preparing for the Future Question 6: UNMC realistically prepares for a future shaped by multiple societal and economic trends Question 7: The resource base supports UNMC's plans for maintaining and strengthening quality in the future Question 8: Evidence from UNMC's evaluation and assessment processes guide institutional strategies for improvement in my unit. Question 9: Planning activities in my unit align with UNMC's mission, thereby enhancing our capacity to fulfill the mission. Criterion 3 -- Student Learning and Effective Teaching Question 10: UNMC's resource base supports its educational programs Question 11: UNMC evaluates student learning Question 12: UNMC Supports the creation of an effective learning environment in my unit Question 13: UNMC evaluates teaching effectiveness Question 14: UNMC promotes faculty, staff and student learning across the institution Criterion 4 Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge Question 15: UNMC demonstrates that it values research 1.5* Question 16: At UNMC intellectual inquiry is integral to its educational programs Question 17: UNMC demonstrates that it uses valid current evidence for best patient care Question 18: UNMC assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society. Question 19: Faculty, students, and staff are supported by UNMC to acquire, discover and apply knowledge responsibly. Criterion 5 Engagement and Service Question 20: UNMC analyzes its ability to meet the needs and expectations of its constituencies Question 21: UNMC learns from its constituencies to determine their needs Question 22: UNMC has a commitment to engage with its identified constituencies and communities Question 23: Internal and external constituencies value the services UNMC provides Total Number of Staff *Indicates statistically significant differences in agreement with the Accreditation Criterion across Gender groups; Chi Square <.05 17

18 Higher Learning Commission Criteria and Survey Items Criterion 1 -- Mission and Integrity Table 3B Accreditation Statement Mean Scores for All Staff and Principal Job Activities All Staff Admin. & Business Education- Outreach Principal Job Activities Healthcare Info. Tech. Research Question 1: UNMC's mission is clear Question 2: The UNMC mission statement recognizes the diversity of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater society it serves. Question 3: UNMC's internal decision-making processes promote participation and support collaboration that 2.4* enables my unit to fulfill its mission. Question 4: UNMC's administrative structures promote effective leadership. 2.4* Question 5: UNMC upholds and protects its integrity as an institution dedicated to social good Criterion 2 -- Preparing for the Future Question 6: UNMC realistically prepares for a future shaped by multiple societal and economic trends. Question 7: The resource base supports UNMC's plans for maintaining and strengthening quality in the future. Question 8: Evidence from UNMC's evaluation and assessment processes guide institutional strategies for improvement in my unit. Question 9: Planning activities in my unit align with UNMC's mission, thereby enhancing our capacity to fulfill the mission. Criterion 3 -- Student Learning and Effective Teaching Question 10: UNMC's resource base supports its educational programs. All Others * * Question 11: UNMC evaluates student learning Question 12: UNMC Supports the creation of an effective learning environment in my unit. 2.1* Question 13: UNMC evaluates teaching effectiveness Question 14: UNMC promotes faculty, staff and student learning across the institution. Criterion 4 Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge Question 15: UNMC demonstrates that it values research 1.5* Question 16: At UNMC intellectual inquiry is integral to its educational programs. Question 17: UNMC demonstrates that it uses valid current evidence for best patient care. Question 18: UNMC assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society. Question 19: Faculty, students, and staff are supported by UNMC to acquire, discover and apply knowledge responsibly. Criterion 5 Engagement and Service Question 20: UNMC analyzes its ability to meet the needs and expectations of its constituencies. Question 21: UNMC learns from its constituencies to determine their needs. Question 22: UNMC has a commitment to engage with its identified constituencies and communities. Question 23: Internal and external constituencies value the services UNMC provides. 1.9* * * Total Number of Staff *Indicates statistically significant differences in agreement with the Accreditation Criterion across Principal Job Activities groups; Chi Square <.05 18

19 Table 3C Accreditation Statement Mean Scores for All Faculty and Years at UNMC Years at UNMC Higher Learning Commission Criteria and Survey Items All Staff 0-5 Yrs 6-10 Yrs 11+ Yrs Criterion 1 -- Mission and Integrity Question 1: UNMC's mission is clear Question 2: The UNMC mission statement recognizes the diversity of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater society it serves. Question 3: UNMC's internal decision-making processes promote participation and support collaboration that 2.4* enables my unit to fulfill its mission. Question 4: UNMC's administrative structures promote effective leadership. 2.4* Question 5: UNMC upholds and protects its integrity as an institution dedicated to social good Criterion 2 -- Preparing for the Future Question 6: UNMC realistically prepares for a future shaped by multiple societal and economic trends Question 7: The resource base supports UNMC's plans for maintaining and strengthening quality in the future Question 8: Evidence from UNMC's evaluation and assessment processes guide institutional strategies for 2.5* improvement in my unit. Question 9: Planning activities in my unit align with UNMC's mission, thereby enhancing our capacity to fulfill 2.2* the mission. Criterion 3 -- Student Learning and Effective Teaching Question 10: UNMC's resource base supports its educational programs Question 11: UNMC evaluates student learning Question 12: UNMC Supports the creation of an effective learning environment in my unit. 2.1* Question 13: UNMC evaluates teaching effectiveness Question 14: UNMC promotes faculty, staff and student learning across the institution. Criterion 4 Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge Question 15: UNMC demonstrates that it values research Question 16: At UNMC intellectual inquiry is integral to its educational programs. Question 17: UNMC demonstrates that it uses valid current evidence for best patient care. Question 18: UNMC assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society. Question 19: Faculty, students, and staff are supported by UNMC to acquire, discover and apply knowledge responsibly. Criterion 5 Engagement and Service Question 20: UNMC analyzes its ability to meet the needs and expectations of its constituencies. Question 21: UNMC learns from its constituencies to determine their needs. Question 22: UNMC has a commitment to engage with its identified constituencies and communities. Question 23: Internal and external constituencies value the services UNMC provides * Total Number of Faculty *Indicates statistically significant differences in agreement with the Accreditation Criterion across Years at UNMC groups; Chi Square <.05 19

20 Table 3D Accreditation Statement Mean Scores for All Staff and Primary Appointment Unit Primary Appointment Unit Higher Learning Commission Criteria and Survey Items Criterion 1 -- Mission and Integrity Question 1: UNMC's mission is clear. 1.8 All Staff Academic Affairs Business Finance Chancellor Office College of Dentistry College of Medicine College of Nursing College of Pharmacy Eppley Inst. Info Tech Services Monroe Meyer Inst School of Health Sci Univ Med Assoc V.C. for Research Question 2: The UNMC mission statement recognizes the diversity of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater society it serves Question 3: UNMC's internal decision-making processes promote participation and support collaboration that enables my unit to fulfill its mission. Question 4: UNMC's administrative structures promote effective leadership. Question 5: UNMC upholds and protects its integrity as an institution dedicated to social good. 2.3* * Criterion 2 -- Preparing for the Future Question 6: UNMC realistically prepares for a future shaped by multiple societal and economic trends. Question 7: The resource base supports UNMC's plans for maintaining and strengthening quality in the future Question 8: Evidence from UNMC's evaluation and assessment processes guide institutional strategies for improvement in my unit. Question 9: Planning activities in my unit align with UNMC's mission, thereby enhancing our capacity to fulfill the mission. 2.5* * Criterion 3 -- Student Learning and Effective Teaching Question 10: UNMC's resource base supports its educational 1.9 programs. Question 11: UNMC evaluates student learning Question 12: UNMC supports the creation of an effective learning environment in my unit Question 13: UNMC evaluates teaching effectiveness. Question 14: UNMC promotes faculty, staff and student learning across the institution *Indicates statistically significant differences in agreement with the Accreditation Criterion across Primary Appointment Unit groups; Chi Square <.05 20

21 Table 3D (cont.) Accreditation Statement Mean Scores for All Staff and Primary Appointment Unit Primary Appointment Unit Higher Learning Commission Criteria All and Survey Items Staff Criterion 4 -- Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge Question 15: UNMC demonstrates that it values research. 1.5 Academic Affairs Business Finance Chancellor Office College of Dentistry College of Medicine College of Nursing College of Pharmacy Eppley Inst. Info Tech Services Monroe Meyer Inst School of Health Sci Univ Med Assoc V.C. for Research Question 16: At UNMC intellectual inquiry is integral to its educational programs Question 17: UNMC demonstrates that it uses valid current evidence for best patient care. Question 18: UNMC assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society Question 19: Faculty, students, and staff are supported by UNMC to acquire, discover and apply knowledge responsibly Criterion 5 -- Engagement and Service Question 20: UNMC analyzes its ability to meet the needs and expectations of its constituencies. Question 21: UNMC learns from its constituencies to determine their needs Question 22: UNMC has a commitment to engage with its identified constituencies and communities. Question 23: Internal and external constituencies value the services UNMC provides Total Number of Staff *Indicates statistically significant differences in agreement with the Accreditation Criterion across Primary Appointment Unit groups; Chi Square <.05 21

22 Criterion 3: Student Learning and Effective Teaching One of the five items used for this criterion showed differences. Specific differences include: Question 12 UNMC supports the creation of an effective learning environment in my unit. o Healthcare staff more positive (see Table 3B) o Staff with 0-5 years service at UNMC more positive (see Table 3C) Criterion 4: Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge Primary appointment unit was again the primary variable where statistically significant differences were found across sub-groups on the accreditation items. Question 15 UNMC demonstrates that it values research. o Male staff less positive (see Table 3A) o Administration and Business more positive (see Table 3B) Question 16 At UNMC intellectual inquiry is integral to its educational programs. o Administration and Business staff, Education and Outreach staff, and Healthcare staff more positive (see Table 3B) Question 17 UNMC demonstrates that it uses valid current evidence for best patient care o Healthcare staff more positive (see Table 3B) Question 18 UNMC assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society. o Staff with 6-10 years service more positive (see Table 3C) Question 19 Faculty, students and staff are supported by UNMC to acquire, discover and apply knowledge responsibly o Administration and business, Education and Outreach, and Healthcare staff more positive (see Table 3B) Criterion 5: Engagement and Service No significant differences were found for any of the analysis sub-groups for items in this criterion. 22

23 STAFF COMMENTS ABOUT ACCREDITATION AND UNMC After responding to the 23 accreditation statements covering the five NCA-HLC accreditation Criteria UNMC is reviewing for re-accreditation, staff respondents were able to provide comments. Question 24 read, Please provide any additional comments you might want to make about how UNMC addresses the accreditation criteria provided in the statements above. A total of 178 (10.1%) UNMC staff members provided qualitative comments. These comments were reviewed and coded to provide summary information. Figure 7 presents summary information on individual staff member comments. As can be seen, approximately 1 in 4 staff took the time to say they had no additional comment. Approximately 1 in 5 (19.1%) provided a comment indicating they were happy and that they were satisfied with UNMC. Illustrative comments include the following: The accreditation committees that have been set up have attempted to be inclusive with participation from a variety of faculty and staff. I believe that UNMC is always on top of the most current technology to serve their patients, students, and assist research to be at the top of the game. I have been employed by UNMC for less than 1 year, but I am impressed by the level of expertise, commitment and responsibility to the community. My unit s faculty and residents go beyond 100% in teaching our students with dedication and excellence. Fig. 7 Summary Categories for Staff Comments on UNMC Accreditation Efforts No Comment/Nothing Additional 27.5 Everything OK/Happy/Satisfied 19.1 Suggestion to Improve UNMC Work Life/Salary/Processes 15.7 Comment About Leadership/Management/UNMC Mission Hard to Answer/Not Involved Enough Comment About Survey Value More Areas/Appreciate More Than Research Need to Better Connect to Communities/Special Pop Concerns UNMC Supports Professional Development Help Students More/Value Teaching and Education More Other/Misc Comment Percent of Staff Making Comments 23

24 Next in frequency of mention were comments about things that could be done to improve the quality of UNMC staff members work life, salaries, and work/decision processes. Just less than 16 percent (15.7%) of staff provided comments addressing this area. The following comments are illustrative: UNMC continues to stay competitive in every way except in salaries that compete with cost of living increases and the increases of health insurance. All of this growth is for nothing if we cannot maintain quality employees across the board on all levels. A program for teaching Research Professors how to better manage and lead their research staff would be an excellent idea. Many seem to be lacking in basic management and people skills. This often leads to conflicts between PIs and staff. I think that there needs to be more of a focus on higher education for employees and then apply incentives to reach those goals. This could be in the aspect of a degree (undergraduate/graduate) or just in continuing credits. Approximately 1 in 10 staff members (10.7%) providing open-end comments focused on the UNMC leadership, management, and mission. Illustrative comments follow: UNMC does a great job of aligning its resources with the strategic plan and of holding people accountable for achieving the plan. Also for setting stretch goals that help stretch faculty and staff to be innovative in thinking about how they can reach these goals. I have observed, over the past several years, that UNMC has a lack of capable managers that will make the tough decisions as to holding support staff to a high standard to maintain quality of service and support. Make the mission statement more widely known. Other open-end comments reflected a concern that the respondent didn t have all the information necessary to respond to certain survey items (8.4%); other comments were about some aspect of the survey (5.1%). 24

25 Attachment A Letter Sent Via * to UNMC Staff Receiving the Accreditation Self-Study Survey August 24, 2005 Address Dear : I am writing to request your participation in a web-based survey of all UNMC staff members. The survey is a part of UNMC's preparation for re-accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). The Executive and Steering Committees for the accreditation self-study have designed this survey to determine your knowledge and attitudes about UNMC's strengths and needs in the context of the North Central accreditation process. The NCA encourages broad campus participation in the self-study process, and your input will enhance the self-study report. Major campus needs identified by the survey will be addressed before the report is submitted. The survey is being conducted by an external agency, and only summary information will be reported. Your anonymity will be protected. Within the next ten days you will receive an notice providing a link to a web page established for the survey. The web-based survey will also provide you with a link to our UNMC accreditation self-study web site if you want to learn more about the accreditation process. Thank you for your support of UNMC by helping prepare for re-accreditation. Thank you, Harold M. Maurer, MD Chancellor *An adaptation of this letter was also sent to the staff members without addresses. 25

26 Attachment B Text of Message Inviting Staff to Participate in UNMC Staff Accreditation Survey Date: August 29, 2005 To: From: Subject: <individual staff addresses here> Russell L. Smith, Ph.D. IMPORTANT-- Participate in the UNMC NCA Accreditation Self-Study Survey of Staff On August 24th you received a letter from Chancellor Maurer asking you to complete a survey of all UNMC staff. Please take a few minutes to click on the enclosed link and complete the short survey. This information will be used by the Executive and Steering Committees preparing UNMC's self-study report for the Higher Learning Commission- North Central Association. Thank you in advance for your survey participation and feedback. Please click the link below to begin the survey: <survey link located here> 26

27 Attachment C UNMC Staff Accreditation Survey Online Version UNMC Accreditation Self-Study Survey The University of Nebraska Medical Center is preparing for its accreditation review by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). To maximize the opportunity to prepare for the self-study process, the Executive and Steering Committees seek your impressions of UNMC's strengths and unmet needs. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential. The survey is being conducted via a third-party contract. The survey has two sections. Section I asks you to respond to a series of statements tied to the five accreditation criteria used by the Higher Learning Commission. For each criterion, a short statement is provided for background information. This statement is followed by several statements about the criterion. Most items ask for your opinion regarding UNMC, although several do ask you to respond regarding your unit or program. Please respond to each statement by selecting the response that best reflects your answer. For each statement there are five response options: (1) Strongly Agree, (2) Agree, (3), (4) Disagree, and (5) Strongly Disagree. Section II asks you to respond to several demographic questions used for tabulation and reporting purposes. 27