Our Continued Commitment to Campus Climate
Dear Members of the University Community,
Santa Clara conducted its first comprehensive Campus Climate Survey in Winter Quarter 2018. In Spring and Summer 2018, Rankin & Associates analyzed the extensive survey data and produced a detailed report. They presented the findings to the SCU community one year ago. After consultations with students, faculty, staff, and administrative leaders, ten core priority areas were identified for follow-up work. Since then, substantial progress has been made on many of the Campus Climate Priority areas. While there is clearly much more to do, many concrete steps – big and small – have been taken to address important concerns voiced by our community in the survey. We are very grateful to Elsa Chen, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, for leading so many people across campus in this critical climate work.
As your new President and Interim Provost, we want to affirm our strong commitment to continued progress in these priority areas and highlight just a few representative examples of excellent work that is taking place. We are deeply grateful to the many community members across campus who designed and implemented the Campus Climate study, generously volunteered to serve as priority area coordinators, and stepped up with energy, enthusiasm, optimism, and hard work in a collective effort to promote and sustain positive changes to our campus climate. We invite all of you to join in to ensure that Santa Clara continues to make progress in our efforts to build a welcoming and inclusive campus culture where all students, staff, and faculty can thrive.
For more information and many more examples of great progress, please visit the SCU Campus Climate website, where updates will continue to be provided as further progress occurs.
Kevin O’Brien, S.J. Lisa Kloppenberg
President Interim Provost
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 | The Faculty Development Program, led by Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development Eileen Elrod, has implemented several new initiatives in response to data that indicated that students of color, first-generation students, students representing minority viewpoints, and students who experience other kinds of difference feel less welcome on campus, including in the classroom, than we would like them to. Please see Dr. Elrod’s message to the SCU Faculty on September 30 for more information about inclusive teaching events this quarter. Read more here. |
 | Dr. Elaine Scott officially started in her role as Dean of the School of Engineering on August 1. She immediately got to work learning about campus climate issues in the School of Engineering, including concerns that were raised by a student committee, the SoE’s own Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and the Campus Climate Survey. By the start of this academic year, work had already begun to engage the faculty and staff in collaborative work to strengthen a sense of community and build a culture of respect. Read more here. |
 | Efforts to enhance our campus climate are our collective responsibility, and we can all contribute meaningfully. Recent initiatives to advance the Campus Climate priority of honest, open, and respectful engagement across differences, led by Denise Krane, Director of the HUB Writing Center, demonstrate this clearly. Read more. |
 | Newly Renamed Office of Accessible Education Supports Community Members with DisabilitiesThe Campus Climate Survey called for “support strategies that allow students and employees with disabilities to experience success and inclusion at SCU.” In response, the Disabilities Resources Office has changed its name to the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). The name change conveys the office’s mission and purpose to ensure students with disabilities have equal access to all aspects of University life while being sensitive to the experience of the students served by the OAE team, led by director Maude Nazaire. |
 | The Campus Climate Survey uncovered a need to develop and support opportunities for honest, open and respectful engagement about difficult topics and across differences, and to create and sustain a community of belonging. In response, the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, Office of the Provost, and Campus Climate Study Follow-up Team are co-sponsoring “Community Conversations,” a monthly series of opportunities for faculty, staff, students, and administrators to connect with each other in structured but informal dialogue. We encourage you to join these conversations! Read more. |
 | The Office of the Provost and the Office of the Vice President for Finance and Administration have been working with various groups on campus to create fair, equitable, and sustained solutions to salary and housing challenges that have been raised by our faculty and staff in the Campus Climate Survey and other forums. Read more. |
 | As part of our continued commitment to diversity and inclusion, one of the Campus Climate priority areas, SCU has implemented several initiatives honoring Native American history and culture. Our university sits on the land of the Ohlone and the Muwekma Ohlone people. It is important for all of us to understand the long-standing history that has brought us to reside, study, and work on this land, and to remember, honor and express our gratitude and respect for the Ohlone people, past and present. Read more. |
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