While most students reported feeling valued at the University of Iowa, over 50 percent of faculty, staff, and postdocs reported seriously considering leaving the UI in the last 12 months, a campus climate survey revealed Thursday. 

According to the report released on Jan. 19, the survey identifies areas of change, gives a voice to the campus community, and provides direction to enact meaningful change. 

Liz Tovar, UI Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion executive officer and associate vice president, said in the report that the common findings will lead to a continued focus on unifying campus culture.

“To do this, we will continue to work with the strategic plan and campus leadership to build a common feeling of respect and accountability as outlined in our institutional mission and values,” she said in the report. 

UI faculty, staff, and postdocs consider leaving UI

Out of 5,729 survey respondents, 51 percent of faculty, staff, and postdocs reported seriously considering leaving the UI in the last 12 months, a 12 percent increase from 2018. The percentage included 55 percent of faculty, 50 percent of staff, and 57 percent of postdocs. 

The top reasons faculty, staff, and postdocs considered leaving the university included salary/better compensation, accounting for 62 percent of respondents, and primary workplace climate and culture, accounting for 59 percent.

Students of color report lower feelings of belonging 

The 2022 UI campus climate survey also reported that students of color feel less valued on campus. 

Out of 19,757 undergraduate students, 16 percent of students took the survey. 

Overall, 79 percent of undergraduate students said they felt valued at the UI: 

• 81 percent of Asian undergraduate and 71 percent graduate students said they feel valued. 
• 88 percent of international undergraduate and 92 percent of graduate students said they feel valued. 
• 78 percent of multi-racial undergraduate and 71 percent graduate students said they feel valued. 
• 73 percent of underrepresented minority students and 76 percent of graduate underrepresented minority students said they feel valued. 
• 80 percent of white undergraduate and graduate students said they feel valued.

The underrepresented minority classification includes Native American and Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, Black, and Hispanic or Latino students, according to the report. 

By gender, 82 percent of cisgender women report feeling valued, followed by 78 percent of cisgender men, and 68 percent of transgender and gender-nonconforming students. 

Of the 37 percent of graduate students who took the survey, 82 percent reported feeling valued in the survey. Broken down by race and nationality, students who feel valued include: 

By gender, 84 percent of cisgender women reported feeling valued, followed by  81 percent of cisgender men, and 50 percent of transgender and nonconforming gender students. Seventy-one percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer students reported feeling valued. 

Faculty, staff, and postdocs at the UI

Of the 19,290 UI faculty, staff, and postdocs, 30 percent responded to the survey. 

According to the report, 77 percent of faculty, staff, and postdocs reported feeling valued at the UI. The percentage of members feeling valued has declined since 2018:

• 71 percent of UI faculty, a 15 percent decline since 2018
• 79 percent of UI staff, a 6 percent decline since 2018
• 70 percent of UI postdocs, a 10 percent decline since 2018

Faculty, staff, and postdocs who are transgender and gender nonconforming had the lowest percentages of feeling valued, with 59 percent of respondents reporting they feel valued on campus.