Appendix B: Survey Description and Screenshots (CoRe Project: Phase 1 Report)
- Full Report (pdf)
- Executive Summary (pdf)
- Appendix A: Listening Tour Staff Representation
- Appendix C: Advisory Team (A-Team) Participants
- Appendix D: Initial Research
- Appendix E: Summary of the Updates to the University Community
- Appendix F: A Team Factors Analysis
- Appendix G: Top Survey Activities for Inclusion in Analysis
The Process Improvement Office conducted The New School Activities Inventory Survey, part of Phase 1 of the Common Challenges Research Project (CoRe) in September of 2018 in order to compile an inventory of all of the administrative activities we do across the entire university along with a sense for how easy/frustrating each activity is to accomplish. The results of this survey will be used to determine what process(es) we should work to improve first in Phase 2 of CoRe (target - 2019).
This anonymous survey (built in Qualtrics) was sent to staff (full-time and part-time) and faculty (full-time and part-time) and requested optional demographic data (primary role, additional role(s), union membership, hourly/salary, number of years at TNS, manager of staff/students). The survey questions were presented as five groups of “high level” questions related to administrative activities performed at the University.
For each “high level” question answered in the affirmative, the survey displayed a list of activities related to that topic and provided a scale to assess how the respondents felt about the process of doing each activity or the impact that activity had on his/her work. The scale comprised the following: “I do this and doing this is . . .
- Easy, Quick, Simple
- Manageable, Tolerable, Acceptable
- Bothersome, Tedious, Annoying
- Frustrating, Convoluted, Causing Me Concern
If none of these applied, respondents could choose:
- I have a workaround (Click here if you perform the activity differently than you are 'supposed to' in order to make it easier, for whatever reason)
- I don’t do this but I should
- N/A
The survey included both transactional and non-transactional (e.g., problem-solving, advising others) activities and also allowed for respondents to add more activities, as necessary. There was also a field for general comments both within each “high level” activity grouping and at the end of the survey.
Important notes included in the instructions were:
- Please answer the questions with your initial reaction - don't overthink!
- "N/A” is the default answer to reduce clicks; please change it on each activity that you do.
- Choose the category with the most appropriate adjective; no need for all adjectives in a category to apply.
- Some activities may involve multiple parts. For those, please select the adjective that best describes the majority of the parts.
- Click “I have a workaround” if you perform an activity differently than you are “supposed to” in order to make it easier (no judgment!).
- Click “I don’t do this but I should” if you feel you should be doing an activity but you cannot, for whatever reason (again, no judgment!).
We recognized that everyone interprets questions differently, has differing levels of involvement in a given activity, and performs activities differently and asked that staff/faculty respond based on personal experience or the impact of that activity on ability to do your job within the last year. Also, we requested that staff/faculty use their best judgment, keeping in mind that the results of this survey will be used to improve processes and work experience at the University.
High Level Questions
Group 1
- Do you ask for days off for yourself or approve days off for others (student workers, faculty, staff)?
- Do you track the hours you work (on a timesheet of any kind), or, do you approve hours worked for others?
- Are you involved in a review (e.g., annual performance reviews, reappointment reviews, etc.) for yourself or for others?
- Have you enrolled or changed your benefits, or changed your personal or contact information on record with The New School?
- Are you involved in hiring or on-boarding/initial appointment of faculty, student workers or staff (in any way and including both recruitment and retention activities)?
- Are you involved in hiring or paying temporary employees, independent contractors (incl. professional services), or guest speakers/honorarium?
- Are you involved in activities involving employee salary increases, promotions, disciplinary actions, leaves, retirements, or other voluntary or involuntary employment terminations?
- Do you work on developing, maintaining, or delivering any training (or faculty/staff development) to anyone for your group/department/college/university as a whole?
- Do you manage union employees and/or are you involved in any activities related to unionized employees (e.g., part-time faculty, 1205, etc.)?
Group 2
- Do you collect/submit receipts or expense reports for yourself or others?
- Do you travel or coordinate travel for others?
- Do you purchase anything on behalf of your research, department, or The New School, or approve purchase requests from others?
- Do you answer questions from third parties with which the university does business including guest speakers, vendors, contractors, consultants, software providers, auditors, clients, etc.?
- Are you involved in budgeting of any kind (e.g., operating, grant, capital, others) in any way?
- Do you work with contracts?
- Do you generate invoices or wage checks/pay cards or collect money on behalf of The New School?
- Do you regularly monitor or assess anything at all (financial and/or non-financial, formally or informally)?
- Are you involved in any compliance (formally or informally) with rules/laws and/or risk management activities (including accreditation, classroom, security, etc.)?
- Do you participate in audits (internal or external)?
Group 3
- Do you maintain information outside of MyDay or Banner (in a system/database or in some other way) for any reason?
- Do you work with or seek out service/get help from other departments/groups at The New School?
- Do you request, approve and/or implement approved access to systems, data or university-issued credit card for yourself or on behalf of others?
- Do you maintain and/or install software, equipment or hardware?
Group 4
- Do you (as faculty or staff) answer questions from student workers, faculty or staff on any topic?
- Do you perform job-related counseling or mediation with employees (formal or informal)?
- Do you schedule meeting rooms, classrooms or rooms for events/performances?
- Do you prepare/send/publish anything official on behalf of The New School?
- Do you write/send any communications of any kind to students/faculty/staff (including group/department as well as broader communications)?
- Are you involved in mailing/messenger activities, including sending mass mailings (not email) to students, alumni, faculty, staff, clients, etc.?
Group 5
- Do you write/edit/run reports (including narrative, system generated and/or from data extracted from one or more systems) for anyone on any topic?
- Do you analyze any data?
- Do you keep abreast of any topics in support of or related to your job (either formally or informally)?
- Do you keep abreast of any rules and regulations?
- Do you provide guidance on any topic (i.e., are you a "Go To" person for any topic)?
- Do you report anything to leadership (e.g., managers, Directors, Deans, Chiefs, President, Board of Trustees) or outside agencies?
- Do you develop/revise or contribute to any policies, practices or procedures?
- Do you perform any specialty financial activities?
- Are you involved in any business continuity or emergency response planning or activities?
- Are you involved with long term strategy/strategic planning (including group, department, university as a whole)?
