Survey Findings
Below you will find data from Columbia’s inaugural Employee Climate and Engagement Survey. The survey was administered in fall 2025, jointly sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Human Resources.
This survey was designed to help us understand the experiences and perceptions of our faculty, researchers, staff, and administrators, and how we might improve workplace climate to foster an environment where everyone thrives.
Additional information about the survey can be found in Frequently Asked Questions. To share thoughts about the climate survey or its results, email [email protected]. Please note that questions and comments submitted will not be associated with your name or identity to the extent possible.
The Columbia Employee Climate and Engagement Survey is a centrally administered assessment tool developed in partnership with Rankin Climate, a national firm with decades of experience conducting campus climate studies, and a Climate Study Working Group of Columbia faculty, researchers, staff, and administrators.
Rankin Climate (now Interwoven Insights) developed a repository of questions validated through administering numerous climate surveys at higher education institutions across the United States, including many peer institutions. The Climate Study Working Group adapted the instrument and questions for Columbia’s context.
On September 9-25, 2025, all faculty, researchers, staff, and administrators at Columbia University (~29,000 individuals) were invited to participate in the survey via email from Provost Angela Olinto and Chief Human Resources Officer Daniel Driscoll.
Once respondents logged in using their UNI credentials, they were taken to Rankin’s Qualtrics instance to complete the survey anonymously (without names or identifying information recorded). Columbia did not receive any identifying information about individual participants. (Read a detailed description of the privacy practices.) With the exception of three screening questions at the beginning of the survey, respondents were not required to respond to individual questions.
Response rates were lower than those Rankin Climate had observed for employee climate and engagement surveys at comparable institutions in 2022-2025 (averaging ~34% for faculty and ~46% for staff). This was likely due to a combination of factors including limited time to prepare campus for the survey, and administering the survey at the start of fall term.
Staff, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Manhattanville, White identified, tenured faculty, and select schools and units were over-represented in the survey responses, while CUIMC was under-represented. Among staff, support staff were also under-represented relative to other employee types. Results at the University level should be interpreted with this in mind.
*79 respondents did not identify their home campus.
Key Resources and Support
The following initiatives support faculty and staff engagement and connection.
Programs that support an inclusive workplace, strengthen communication, and foster mutual respect across differences.
Supporting immediate and long-term workplace well-being at CUIMC through mental health resources, strengthened organizational practices, community building, and training.
Provides free or discounted services to support faculty, staff and their families with everyday challenges.
The Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement supports faculty advancement and success across all career stages.
Hosted by the Trust Collaboratory, these facilitated discussions bring together members of the Columbia community to exchange perspectives and generate ideas on complex topics.
Fosters the well-being of the Columbia community and its people in their pursuit of meaningful and productive academic, personal, and work lives.
Established to engage broadly, gather feedback, and propose ways to strengthen academic freedom and open inquiry in support of the University’s academic mission.
Provides resources that help faculty build classroom environments grounded in trust, constructive dialogue, and productive disagreement.