As part of its efforts to embrace diversity and promote a culture of inclusion, the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Task Force agreed that rigorous assessments of campus climate should occur. It therefore recommended that NYU conduct a campus climate assessment to evaluate the living, learning, and working environment at NYU. The assessment will allow NYU to improve its campus climate by addressing the challenges and seizing the opportunities identified in the assessment. The Task Force created a working group to oversee the project to ensure:

  • The development process will be consultative and transparent.
  • Outcomes will be shared broadly.
  • The results will help benchmark progress as the University works to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Assessment Administration

After reviewing similar efforts at other institutions, the working group found that using an independent, outside agency to administer the assessment would likely yield higher response rates and provide more credible findings. The working group chose Rankin & Associates, a well-regarded consultant, to assist with the assessment.

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Privacy Design for the Being@NYU Assessment

Rankin & Associates led the Being@NYU assessment working group through the process of developing the questions that are included on the assessment. We also engaged an independent third party, Helios Labs, to administer and secure the assessment. Rankin & Associates will analyze the results and report university-level findings to the NYU community.

Campus Climate

According to Dr. Susan Rankin of Rankin & Associates, campus climate consists of the "current attitudes, behaviors, standards and practices of employees and students of an institution." The climate is often shaped through personal experiences, perceptions and institutional efforts.

Why is it important?

Dr. Rankin’s research maintains that positive personal experiences and perceptions of campus climate generally equate to successful outcomes, such as healthy identity development and experiences for students, productivity and sense of value for faculty and staff, and overall well-being for all.

History of the Project

In 2015, against the backdrop of nationwide student activism surrounding issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity, NYU held a Listening Session for students to share their experiences at the university. In response to concerns raised by students in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai, University leadership took action.

The University created the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Task Force. From February 2016–April 2017, the Task Force worked to assess the University's challenges and opportunities around inclusion, diversity, belonging, and equity (IDBE).

In April 2017, The Task Force submitted its final report along with two primary recommendations: (1) hire a Chief Diversity Officer to centralize and elevate IDBE work across NYU's global network; (2) launch an assessment of what it means to live, work, and learn at NYU, with a focus on the areas of IDBE. The University hired an external consultant, Rankin & Associates, to lead the assessment.

In January 2017 the assessment working group—comprised of students, faculty, administrators, and staff—developed the assessment.

NYU hired Dr. Lisa Coleman as Chief Diversity Officer in late 2017. One of her first priorities was promoting the assessment across NYU's network.

The assessment was open from November 14 through December 15, 2017. In that time, 21,699 NYU community members completed the assessment, a 31.1% response rate.

Being@NYU Today

Being@NYU Committees 

During the spring 2019 semester, four committees (below) were created to review and assess the Being@NYU results from various perspectives. They were also tasked with making recommendations that would help cultivate a more diverse and inclusive university community.

  • Global Inclusion Student Advancement Committee
  • Global Staff and Administrative Inclusive Excellence Committee 
  • Global Inclusion Academic Affairs, Faculty, and Pedagogy Committee 
  • Inclusion Officers Committee

Committees' Tasks

  • Create shared goals to advance inclusion, diversity, belonging, and equity for faculty, students, staff, and administration across NYU's global network.
  • Determine how best to promote and enhance existing effective teaching, programming, research, and other activities.
  • Design and launch Leadership Development Programs across the University.
  • Develop comprehensive IDBE training and educational program strategies that are aligned across the University.
  • Enhance mentorship and pipeline programs for students from underrepresented populations.
  • Partner with school- and office-based IDBE groups.
  • Promote a culture of universal design based in design thinking.
  • Identify potential initiatives that require further study.

Where We Are Now 

The committees have submitted their recommendations and they are currently being reviewed by the Office of Global Inclusion. Additional information will be shared as these recommendations are considered by institutional leaders and partners. 

Themes from Being@NYU

The Office of Global Inclusion identified the 12 themes that emerged from the school-level Being@NYU data. These themes, listed below, will inform the programming and next steps that NYU implements.

  • Mentoring and Professional Development
  • Internal Mobility, Leadership, and Promotions
  • Pedagogy and Teaching
  • Peer to Peer Unfair Treatment
  • Socio-economics/Socio-educational
  • Community and Belonging
  • Communication, Transparency, and Trust
  • Transgender/Non-Binary/Gender Non-Conforming (GNC)
  • Disability Inclusive Culture
  • Race and Ethnicity (specific attention to Womxn of Color)
  • Gender Equity & Parity
  • Islamophobia, Anti-Muslim, and Anti-Semitic Sentiments