Mission and Core Work
Student Life Research encourages and supports a culture of inquiry throughout Student Life through the systematic assessment of student learning, experiences, and usage of resources and services.
By partnering with and serving as a resource for all Student Life units in the development of assessment tools, data collection, and the analysis and dissemination of results, the Research Office helps the Division of Student Life engage in data-informed decision making and understanding its impact across the Division and University.
Our core work is seeking a nuanced understanding of all facets of the student experience through centralized assessment and research efforts. We support the continuous improvement of student programming, resources, and services, by conducting Student Life unit-based analysis.
We serve as a resource for Student Life units in the development of assessment tools, data collection, and the analysis and dissemination of results.
And finally, we tell the story of the student experience as well as Student Life’s and the University’s impact on student growth and development.
Student Life Staff Climate Study
Student Life Research is excited to engage our division in a qualitative study of staff climate across all units of Student Life. The goal is to understand how staff feel heard, welcomed, included, and supported within their units and within the division of Student Life. The study is focusing on actionable items that can be implemented in the short and long term to improve the quality of life and the workplace environment for all Student Life staff.
FAQs
How do I participate?
You will get an email from your unit director with a link to sign up. Depending on your unit, you might get an invite to a focus group, a conversation, an interview, or a combination of those things.
If you have any questions about how to sign up or what you are signing up for, please reach out to Wendy Lawrence at [email protected].
How will I know I am anonymous?
All results will be reported anonymously–your name and position will not be tied to opinions or ideas you state during the interviews.
How do I know what I’m agreeing to?
We have a doc for that! Before you participate, we will go over the project and also ask that you read and sign either a paper or online (through SignNow) agreement form. The form protects research participants by holding researchers to specific standards (such as making sure our study results are anonymous and storing your data safely). It also clearly outlines what you are agreeing to. You can revoke your agreement at any time, even in the middle of an interview. Forms are stored securely online or in a file cabinet and will be destroyed when the project is over.
Why do you record the conversations?
Because while we type fast, we sometimes miss things. Recording allows us to automatically generate a transcript and to go back and listen again when we aren’t sure what was said. It’s the best way to make sure we capture your true voice.
What happens to the recordings?
Video recordings are saved in a password-protected Zoom account until the transcript and audio file can be downloaded onto qualitative coding software on a password-protected account, then the recordings will be deleted from Zoom cloud storage and only the audio and transcripts will be kept in the coding software in a secure file.
Why aren’t the study activities identical across all units?
Because this study is both broad (aiming to engage and hear the voices of over 1000 employees across 27 units in the division) and specific (hoping to understand particular challenges and successes within a single unit), it may look different in different units. However, there is similarity in the overarching structure: all units will engage in at least one type of shadowing or observation research (such as a researcher coming to a staff meeting or a researcher following around an electrician) and all units will engage in a collaborative conversation such as a focus group, two-person dialogue, or individual interview.