A Chance to be Heard

By Mike Porter

For the next two weeks, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to offer feedback on VCU’s work environment.

A brief, online survey, which can be filled out anonymously, has been launched as part of the Great Place Initiative, created last year to focus on the human element at VCU.

The survey asks several dozen questions of faculty and staff to help university leaders gain a better understanding of what VCU is doing well and to guide university leaders in considering new efforts to improve the work experience.

In a Jan. 29 email message to faculty and staff, VCU President Michael Rao called for maximum participation to make the survey a success.

“All responses will be anonymous, so please be candid and honest,” Rao wrote. “If we are doing well, tell us. If we can do better, help us.”

Employees will be able to skip a question they are uncomfortable with, except for a few required questions, or they can select the option “would rather not say” as a response.

The university hired an external vendor, Stan McKnight and Associates Inc., to administer the survey and collect and analyze the results.

The survey can be reached through this link: http://www.zipsurvey.com/LaunchSurvey.aspx?suid=61286&key=EA289C0D  

“The Great Place Initiative is a game-changing project for VCU, and this survey is its vital first step,” Rao wrote.

Additional opportunities will be available later in the spring semester for faculty and staff to offer opinions and feedback during focus group and town hall sessions.

Those who participate in the survey will be eligible to win an iPad mini.

 

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