Dear Colleagues,
I hope this message finds you well as we complete the second half of fall term. Results for the 2023 WSU Faculty and Staff Employee Engagement Survey are in, and I want to share a few of my takeaways now that I’ve had a bit of time to sit with the results. The Employee Engagement Survey is typically administered by WSU system HRS every-other year. We missed 2020 and 2022 because of the pandemic. The survey provides a valuable platform for our employees to express their experiences working at WSU.
For the 2023 survey, WSU Vancouver had a 48% response rate. Of these respondents, 34% identified as civil service, 43% identified as administrative professional, and 23% identified as faculty.
Upon reviewing the WSU Vancouver results, four key themes emerged:
- Salary: The average response to “I feel appropriately compensated for my level of position” was 2.52 out of 5. Your concerns have not gone unheard. I remain committed to advocating for fair salaries at both the WSU system level and with the Washington State Legislature. With 85% of WSU Vancouver’s budget allocated to salaries, I recognize the constraints we face. We are limited by the legislature in how much we can raise tuition to cover costs. In fall 2023, tuition went up 2.5%. I anticipate a 3% raise in tuition for fall 2024. I do not expect a significant increase in state appropriations. I will
persist in championing market-rate salaries and fully funded mass salary increases to attract, cultivate and retain an engaged workforce.
- Workload: Managing vacant positions without resorting to layoffs has presented challenges. We knew it would, but we also decided that protecting jobs would be our top priority. This practice is not strategic, and affects workflow and subsequently, workload. It also hasn’t been that long since Workday changed how we work. We need to address this as a community. Let’s collaborate to streamline vacancy management. Swiftly fill positions when we can through the work of efficient search committees, and timely screening and hiring of applicants. Turnover is inevitable, but turmoil is not. Embrace succession planning and develop robust onboarding and professional development practices. And when considering new initiatives, projects and assignments, consider employee capacity. What are some things
we are doing that are nonessential? Is there anything we can reduce or eliminate? I particularly look forward to working with the soon-to-be Staff Advisory Council on strategies we might employ.
- Morale: Salary and workload concerns understandably impact morale. To uplift spirits, we must foster a climate of competent and compassionate leadership, centered on equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. In times of high stress, we sometimes need to remind ourselves that we are a people-driven institution, and we need to look for opportunities to reduce stress rather than compound it. One area of focus next year will be to bring campus administrators together to focus on their development as leaders. I am excited to announce the launch of a leadership cohort for leaders of leaders. This monthly program, led by WSU HRS Training, will include meetings, readings and assignments to enhance leadership skills and teamwork. I am personally committed to attending every session as part of the
cohort.
- Leadership: Once again, in periods of stress it is natural to question the effectiveness of leadership. I appreciate that colleagues raised questions of leadership in their responses. Communication was a focus of several comments, and we are looking at opportunities to increase communication, including emails such as this one that address our challenges, along with raising the voices of students and staff through advisory councils.
The findings in the survey are not all negative. In the numerical data we have risen in some areas and declined others. Employee satisfaction on our campus tends to be as good or higher than it is on other WSU campuses. But the bottom line is that we want and need a workforce that is valued and feels supported. The
challenges we face can make that seem daunting.
In response to the survey findings and identified themes, I am collaborating with WSU Vancouver HRS to develop an action plan. This plan will be shared with WSU system HRS and integrated into my annual goals and review with WSU President Kirk Schulz.
I encourage you explore the results of the 2023 WSU Faculty and Staff Employee Engagement Survey online. To see WSU Vancouver-specific results, click on "comprehensive results for each college/area" and select WSU Vancouver from the list.
Finally, several of
you had the opportunity to bring these concerns directly to President Schulz during his visit over the last two days. He had meaningful and productive conversations with faculty and students, and I want to express my appreciation for your advocacy on behalf of our campus community.
Thank you for your dedication and invaluable contributions to WSU Vancouver. We still have significant challenges ahead of us, but every day I am so impressed with how our community moves forward to address the needs of students and other members of our community. I know we will emerge from these challenging times stronger.
Best regards,
Mel Netzhammer
Chancellor