Pitzer Campus Climate Survey 2025-26

Campus climate is defined as “the current attitudes, behaviors, standards and practices of employees and students of an institution that influence the access for, inclusion of and level of respect for individual and group needs, abilities and potential” (Rankin & Reason 2008).  Our campus climate has a profound effect on the ability of our community members to teach, learn, grow, and thrive.  

As an institution that values equity and social justice, Pitzer periodically conducts climate surveys for faculty, staff, and students.  We want to know your perceptions of the campus climate, whether you have experienced discrimination or harassment in your time at Pitzer, and how we can better support all community members.  We will use this information to work towards building a more inclusive and equitable environment for all.  

The Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS) is an organization of colleges and universities committed to sharing data, knowledge, and expertise to advance undergraduate liberal arts education, inclusive excellence, and student success.  The HEDS Campus Climate Survey asks students, faculty, staff, and administrators about their perceptions of their institution’s climate, how their institution supports different people and groups on their campus, and about their experiences with discrimination and harassment at their institution.  Since 2018, HEDS has administered its Campus Climate Survey to 320,000 staff, students, and faculty at over 400 institutions.

The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.  It will be open from February 2nd – 23th.  You will receive an email from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment with a link to the survey and your individual survey passcode.

Yes.  Neither Pitzer College nor HEDS can connect your responses to any information about you.  Pitzer’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) has assigned a random passcode to every student, faculty, and staff member.  We will send you this passcode by email.  We have sent HEDS a list of just these passcodes, without any identifying information.  HEDS will not include the passcode, or any other potentially identifying information (time and date, computer IP address, geolocation) in the responses they share with us.  

We have also agreed to HEDS’s strict requirements for maintaining the security, and confidentiality of the data and for how we report the results. The data will be securely housed in OIRA, and, following HEDS guidelines, Pitzer must maintain extremely limited access to the raw dataset. 

At the very end of the HEDS survey there will be a link to an online form where you can enter your email to be enrolled in the opportunity drawing.  Prizes include Apple Watches, JBL portable speakers, and various Pitzer swag.  Entering the opportunity drawing does not compromise your anonymity.  We will not be able to connect any information from the prize form to your survey responses.

The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment will analyze the results of this survey.  Pitzer will share the results through reports, college governance committees, information sessions, and other venues.  It will be used to make recommendations for policies and procedures to improve the campus climate for all community members.

The information you provide will be used to help build better support, policies, and practices for the Pitzer Community.  It will not be used to investigate specific individuals. Disclosing an incident on the survey does not constitute reporting the incident to Pitzer and will not result in any action, disciplinary or otherwise. Any names you include in your survey responses will be removed before we receive the data from HEDS.

Pitzer’s Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policies and Procedures [PDF] are available on our website.  

The following organizations can provide support if you experience an incident of discrimination or harassment:

• Monsour Counseling Center (MCAPS)
• Office of the Chaplains   
• The emPOWER Center  
• Office of Black Student Affairs
• Office of Chicano/Latino Student Affairs
• 7C Queer Resources Center
• Center for Asian Pacific American Students
• Pitzer Mental Health and Well-Being Support
• Pitzer Title IX & VI Office
• Pitzer Advocates

If you need to report an incident of discrimination or harassment, you may contact one of the people listed below, or Pitzer’s online reporting form.

• Christine R. Guzman, PhD, LCSW, Senior Director of Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Misconduct & Title IX Coordination Phone: (909)607-2958 E-mail: Christine_guzman@pitzer.edu
• Madeline Hisamoto, Title IX Deputy Coordinator Email: Madeline_Hisamoto@pitzer.edu
• Students: Affairs Andres Fernandez, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Scott Hall 123 Phone: (909) 607-7356 Andres_Fernandez@pitzer.edu
• Faculty: Chawne Kimber, Vice President for Academic Affairs & Dean of Faculty Phone: (909) 621-8218 E-mail: Chawne_Kimber@pitzer.edu
• Staff and Third Parties: Deanna Caballero, Associate Vice President of Human Resources and Payroll Services Phone: (909) 607-8533 E-mail: deanna_caballero@pitzer.edu
   

Your participation is voluntary. We are grateful for your cooperation and willingness to provide information that will help us better understand Pitzer’s campus climate. We are committed to ensuring that our campus has an inclusive, engaging, and supportive environment, and your participation in this survey will help us work toward this goal. To encourage participation, Pitzer is offering everyone who completes the survey the opportunity to enter a separate drawing for incentives.   

HEDS has obtained IRB approval of the survey instrument from Wabash College, HEDS’ home institution. Pitzer’s IRB committee was consulted and they deemed the survey exempt from additional approval.  Questions about IRB approval may be sent to irb@pitzer.edu.

Please contact Dr. Leeshawn Cradoc-Moore, Director of the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment at Leeshawn_CradocMoore@pitzer.edu