ACM'S MULTI-CAMPUS STUDY
In today’s rapidly evolving higher education landscape, the success of any college hinges not only on the achievements of its students but also on the engagement and sense of belonging felt by its employees. Leaders from the fourteen ACM member campuses recognize the importance of fostering an environment where faculty and staff feel valued, connected, and invested.
When employees feel a true sense of belonging, their commitment deepens, leading to a more resilient, dynamic, and thriving academic community. This need feels more urgent than ever against what some perceive as a worsening “faculty-staff divide” and increasing resource scarcity on small private campuses.
As a consortium of small residential colleges, the ACM is well-poised to collect data that will help us better understand and address our campus-level and shared challenges. In partnership with the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS), ACM will facilitate the administration of the HEDS Sense of Community Survey during the 2024-25 academic year, conduct employee focus groups in the Fall of 2025, and lead conversations and future programming about ways small colleges can positively support a sense of community among faculty and staff.
PROJECT GOALS
This multi-campus study will:
- Aid ACM campus leaders in better understanding the experiences that promote or diminish employees’ sense of community;
- Provide data comparing individual ACM campuses and all participating campuses;
- Identify promising, low-cost practices that enhance employees’ sense of community; and
- Seed future conversations about how ACM members can address shared challenges together to promote a sense of community for faculty and staff.
INVITING CONSORTIAL COLLABORATION
ACM colleges can voluntarily opt into this multi-campus data collection and dissemination project. Participating colleges commit to administering the Sense of Community Survey to their faculty and staff. The survey is voluntary and anonymous; personal information, such as name, email address, student or employee identification number, or IP address, will not be included in the data shared with ACM or its campuses.
With the support of its Board of Directors, ACM has committed operating funds to support this priority project and to limit the costs of participation to member colleges. All member institutions will receive a report of responses and trends.
SUPPORTING DATA DISSEMINATION AND SENSEMAKING
Once data have been collected and analyzed, ACM will develop resources that campuses can use to discuss results and develop strategies to promote and enhance a sense of community for faculty and staff. This may include written materials, explanatory slide decks, discussion guides, virtual webinars, and online or in-person discussions.
In addition to leading sessions describing common themes and findings from the multi-campus survey, ACM will engage stakeholders to consider how the findings can productively inform future ACM programming in 2025 and beyond.
WANT MORE INFORMATION?
ACM is happy to answer any questions you might have about this project or direct you to the right point of contact at HEDS for more technical questions. Contact [email protected].
