ATU-AAUP
Faculty Survey of Administrators

SUMMARY REPORT

AAUP

The American Association of University Professors is an organization that is open to college and university faculty members, administrators, graduate students, and the general public. Founded in 1915, AAUP defends scholarship, academic freedom, tenure, advocates collegial governance, and develops policies ensuring due process.
 
 

Rationale for Survey

ATU-AAUP is concerned with what faculty think. This survey is the first in a series of assessments planned by ATU-AAUP. The first step in collecting quality organizational data is to determine what people think is "going on" and how they feel about it.
 
 

Assessment Design
The survey was constructed by members of ATU-AAUP.
 

Data Collection

The surveys were hand delivered to all full-time members of the ATU faculty or their campus mail box. A total of 83 surveys (out of 188 delivered- 44% return rate) were returned to J. Cody Hunnicutt, Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology.
 

Results

Questionnaire responses were analyzed in four separate fashions. First, a t-test was conducted on the overall mean for each item to determine if the mean departed significantly from the neutral point on the rating scale. Second, the responses of tenured versus non tenured faculty were compared to determine if any differences in perception existed between the two groups. Third, responses of faculty who have been at ATU from 1-5, 6-11, and 12 plus years were compared to determine if any differences in perception existed between the three groups. Fourth, the frequency counts associated with each response was determined for each item (i.e., the percentage of individuals who strongly agreed, agreed, neutral, etc.)
 
 

Overall Mean Analysis.

The overall mean for each item was determined for both the President, Dr. Brown and the Vice President, Dr. Robinson. Each mean was then tested to determine if it departed from the neutral point on the rating scale. An alpha level of .01 was adopted in order to control for spurious significance effects. The results from this analysis are found in Table 1. All items which were significant (e.g., one would not expect the finding by chance) are in the direction of disagreement with the statement.  The averages below are based on responses of 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree)
 

Table 1

Vice President
Mean
T
T Prob>T
1
3.63
4.27
0.0001
2
3.75
5.49
0.0001
3
3.51
3.26
0.0017
4
3.38
2.59
0.0115
5
3.51
3.33
0.0013
6
3.19
1.34
ns
7
3.64
4.32
0.0001
8
3.25
1.77
ns
9
3.50
3.55
0.0007
10
3.89
6.75
0.0001
11
3.32
2.18
ns
12
3.75
5.21
0.0001
13
3.40
2.74
0.0076
14
3.55
3.73
0.0004
15
3.82
5.63
0.0001
16
3.85
5.81
0.0006
17
3.51
3.58
0.0006
 
President
Mean
T
T Prob>T
1
3.88
6.02
0.0001
2
4.00
7.68
0.0001
3
3.59
3.74
0.0003
4
3.48
3.31
0.0014
5
3.68
4.43
0.0001
6
3.42
2.28
0.0060
7
3.65
4.50
0.0001
8
3.21
1.511
ns
9
3.62
4.50
0.0001
10
3.97
7.56
0.0001
11
3.41
2.69
0.0086
12
3.92
6.56
0.0001
13
3.40
2.98
0.0039
14
3.64
4.53
0.0001
15
3.93
6.92
0.0001
16
4.00
7.44
0.0001
17
3.67
5.44
0.0001
 
 
 
 

Tenured Versus Non tenured Faculty Comparison.

The mean response for each item was computed separately for tenured versus non tenured faculty. Each pair of means was then compared to determine whether or not the difference was statistically significant. In this case, if a mean is not significantly different then both tenured and non tenured faculty were responding the same. If the means are significantly different then tenured and non tenured faculty are responding differently (i.e., have different beliefs/perceptions regarding the issue associated with a particular item). The analysis indicates that tenured and non tenured faculty significantly differed on 2 of the 17 items for the Vice President and 1 of 17 items for the President. This difference was not in kind, but in degree. Both tenured and non tenured faculty responses were consistent with the overall responses reported previously. It was simply on these items one of the two groups more strongly disagreed.
 
 

Years of Service Comparison.

The mean response for each item was computed separately for faculty who had 1-5, 6-11, and 12+ years at ATU. The three means were then compared to determine whether or not any significant differences existed between the means. Like the previous analysis if the set of means is not statistically significant then individuals from all three groups were responding the same. However, if the set of means is significantly different then individuals with varying years at ATU responded differently to that particular questionnaire item. Analysis indicated that the three groups differed on 5 of the 17 items for the Vice President and 1 of the 17 items for the President. As above, this difference was not in kind, but in degree. The responses of three groups were consistent with overall responses reported previously. It was simply that, for these two items the groups differed in the strength of their disagreement.
 
 

Percentage of Responses for Questions 1-17
The overall percentages associated with each item’s response were tabulated and are reported in Table 2.
 
 

Table 2

Per cent responses for Vice President Robinson and President Brown
 
 

Vice President President
Strongly Agree 7.9 1.4
Agree 9.2 4.3
No Comment 38.2 52.9
Disagree 13.2 17.3
Strongly Disagree  31.6 32.9

ATU-AAUP makes no interpretation or recommendations with regards to these findings. This information is being provided as a potential springboard for discussion on issues which are equally important to both the administration and faculty of Arkansas Tech University.
 
 

Questionnaire

ATU-AAUP FACULTY SURVEY OF ADMINISTRATORS

The following survey of department heads, deans, Vice President Robinson and President Brown is intended to be anonymous. Please do not put your name on it or on the return envelope. If you prefer not to evaluate any one individual, simply write 3 in the blank. The results will be posted on the ATU-AAUP web site.

 Based on everything you have seen, read, or observed, would you assess each of the following as:
(1) Strongly Agree, (2) Agree, (3) No comment, (4) Disagree, (5) Strongly disagree.
 

1. Solicits Faculty Recommendations
2. Implements Faculty Recommendations
3. Upholds the Principles of Tenure
4. Adheres to Principles of Academic Freedom
5. Seeks to Provide Equitable Salary Distribution
6. Encourages and Supports Faculty Development
7. Grants Tenure Equitably, Based on Universal Performance Standards
8. Actively Promotes Program Development
9. Informs Faculty About Important Information on a Regular and Timely Basis
10. Refrains From Unilateral Decisions
11. Makes Decisions in the Best Interests of the University
12. Creates a Sense of Community
13. Communicates Assessment and Outcomes of Current Strategic Plan
14. Refrains From Arbitrary Punitive Actions
15. Encourages Open Discussion and Debate
16. Supports Shared Governance
17. Is an Advocate for the Departmental Faculty to Higher Level Administrators

How do you assess the following statements:

 1. Department Heads Should Be Elected by Department Faculty _________
2. Department Heads Should Be Rotated Regularly _________
3. Only Full Time Faculty Should Be on Faculty Elected Committees _________
4. Departmental Peer Review Committees Should be Elected by the Faculty _________
5. Promotion and Tenure Committee Members Should Be Elected by the Faculty _________
6. Collective Bargaining Is Needed at ATU _________
7. ATU has Adequate Classroom Space _________

The following questions are OPTIONAL. The answers to them are to be used to assess the statistical validity of this evaluation while maintaining individual anonymity.

 a. Are you Tenured __________ or Non tenured __________
b. Years at ATU: 1-5 _______ 6-12 _______ Over 12 _______
c. Department head:

THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO RESPOND TO THIS SURVEY.
Please return by hand or by mail by Friday, April 14, to Cody Hunnicut, Behavioral Sciences.
Please feel free to type any additional comments on this or a separate sheet.