For the second year in a row, Illinois State University has been named a “Great College to Work For” by The Chronicle of Higher Education. The “Great Colleges to Work For” report recognizes institutions that have created exceptional work environments. Illinois State is the only four-year public university in Illinois to be named to the list.
Illinois State also earned distinction in the survey as a 2016 Honor Roll institution because of high rankings in multiple categories. For the second year, the University is recognized for excellence in teaching environment and tenure clarity and process. Other distinctions this year include collaborative governance, confidence in senior leadership, respect and appreciation, and work/life balance.
“Illinois State University has long been recognized for the high quality of its academic programs and the emphasis its faculty members place on student learning,” said University President Larry Dietz. “This recognition by the Chronicle of Higher Education conveys to the wider public what our faculty and staff members already know, that Illinois State is more than a university, it’s a supportive and caring community that values the input and contributions of all students, faculty, and staff.”
The “Great Colleges to Work For” report for 2016 is based on a survey of 281 colleges and universities. In all, only 93 of the 281 institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition in at least one of the categories for their specific best practices and policies. Forty-two of the surveyed institutions earned Honor Roll recognition.
The results appear in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s annual report called “The Academic Workplace.” The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was employee feedback.
To administer the survey and analyze the results, the Chronicle worked with ModernThink LLC, a strategic human capital consulting firm that has conducted numerous “Best Places to Work” programs, surveying hundreds of thousands of employees nationwide. For more information and to view all the results of the survey, visit the Chronicle’s website.
