To Our Faculty and Staff,
Thank you for sharing your voices through our Faculty and Staff Experience Survey. Nearly 3,000 of you shared your valuable feedback, providing candid insights and helping to guide our next steps.
The results highlight many of the qualities that make our UCF faculty and staff exceptional. You take great pride in your work, you contribute to a community that values different perspectives, and you find meaning and purpose in what you do. As we look ahead, we are inspired by the spirit you bring to this institution, the impact that drives you, and the foundation of mutual respect you help to create.
With your feedback about what is working well and opportunities for improvement, we will chart a course of action to help us build a culture where everyone feels heard, supported, and empowered to do their best work.
We are a university built to move the world forward. Through our shared effort and commitment, we foster an environment where potential is realized and innovation flourishes. Your perspectives matter deeply and are critical in helping us boldly invent what’s next.
Thank you for all you do for UCF and for your belief in the future we are building together.
Charge On!
Survey Background
The 2024 Faculty and Staff Experience Survey was administered in October and November by a third-party vendor, ModernThink, to evaluate faculty and staff perceptions about topics such as job fit, employee well-being, professional development and communication.
The survey, which generated a 51% response rate, highlights both strengths to build upon and areas where we will focus additional attention. Examples of both are in the section below.
References to positive responses include strongly agree and agree. Negative responses include strongly disagree and disagree. Participants also had the option to select neutral.
Survey Results
Your Perception About Our Strengths
Job Fit
Faculty and staff shared how they feel about their work and connection to UCF.
- Pride in their role: 75% said they are proud to be part of the institution, 7% are not, and 18% were neutral.
- Mission-driven work: 86% understand how their job supports UCF’s mission, 4% indicated they do not, and 10% were neutral.
- Meaningful contributions: 85% feel the work they do is meaningful, 4% do not feel that way, and 11% were neutral.
- Using their strengths: 76% believe their job makes good use of their skills and abilities, 7% disagree, and 17% were neutral.
Faculty and staff are proud of their work, see how it connects to the mission and believe they are making meaningful contributions.
Well-Being
When asked about their overall well-being, 73% of faculty and staff gave positive feedback.
- Supervisors make a difference: 77% said their supervisor/department chair shows real interest in their well-being, 9% disagreed, and 14% were neutral.
- Work–life balance matters: 79% agreed their supervisor/department chair supports efforts to balance work and personal life, 8% disagreed, and 13% were neutral.
- Access to support: 72% know where to go at UCF for mental or emotional health resources, 13% indicated they do not know, and 15% were neutral.
Overall well-being is strong, with faculty and staff feeling supported in their work and personal life. At the same time, increasing awareness of mental and emotional health resources could be an area for growth.
Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness
Faculty and staff shared their experiences with supervisors and department chairs, with an overall positive rating of 72%.
- Clear expectations: 76% said their supervisor/department chair makes expectations clear, 9% reported they did not, and 15% were neutral.
- Fair and consistent: 74% agreed supervisors/department chairs are consistent and fair, 10% gave negative responses, and 16% were neutral.
- Helpful feedback: 70% reported receiving feedback from their supervisor/department chair that helps them improve, 12% disagreed, and 18% were neutral.
Supervisors/department chairs are viewed positively overall, but 12% of faculty and staff said their ideas are not actively sought. Creating more opportunities for input and collaboration could strengthen communication.
Suggested Opportunities for Improvement
Professional Development
Faculty and staff shared their perspectives on opportunities for growth, career advancement, and onboarding. Overall, professional development received a 61% positive rating.
- Skill development: 67% said they are given opportunities to develop their skills, 13% said they are not, and 20% were neutral.
- Career advancement: 60% reported they understand the requirements to advance their career, 20% said they do not, and 20% were neutral.
- Onboarding: 51% agreed that onboarding prepares new faculty and staff to be effective, 21% said it does not, and 28% were. neutral.
Professional development is a priority for faculty and staff. Feedback highlights that clarity on career advancement and stronger onboarding support is needed.
Communication and Collaboration
Faculty and staff shared their views on communication and collaboration, with overall positive ratings of 56% for communication and 52% for collaboration.
- Open dialogue: 68% said their supervisor actively seeks their suggestions and ideas, 12% disagreed, and 20% were neutral.
- Ideas considered: 61% felt their ideas are actively considered when submitted, 16% said their ideas are not, and 23% were neutral.
- Respectful discussion: 47% agreed that issues are discussed and debated respectfully, 23% disagreed, and 30% were neutral.
- Department decisions: 59% felt they have opportunities to contribute to important decisions in their department, 17% did not, and 24% were neutral.
- Institutional planning: 35% reported sufficient opportunities to participate in institutional planning, 32% disagreed, and 33% were neutral.
Communication and collaboration are areas where faculty and staff see opportunities to grow. While many feel heard, some are looking for more chances to share ideas and be part of decision-making.
Resources
Faculty and staff shared their views on the tools, staffing, and support available to do their jobs effectively.
- Workspace needs: 68% said their classrooms, offices, and laboratories meet their needs, 13% disagreed, and 19% were neutral.
- Staffing levels: 38% felt their department has enough faculty and/or staff to achieve its goals, 39% said it does not, and 23% were neutral.
- Workload: 57% reported their workload is reasonable, 20% said it is not, and 23% were neutral.
- Compensation: 33% agreed they are paid fairly for their work, 45% said they are not, and 22% were neutral.
Feedback on resource needs highlights opportunities for improvement with staffing, workload, and compensation.
What’s Next
In the coming year, UCF will:
- Conduct focus groups with faculty and staff to better understand the perceptions of our people and how collaboratively we can foster a best place to work culture.
- Enhance internal communication and collaboration to ensure that faculty and staff feel well-informed about university priorities and that they are valued contributors to our trajectory.
- Evaluate opportunities to strengthen professional development for faculty and staff, including leadership development for department chairs and directors.
- Support colleges and divisions as they engage in their own action planning informed by their specific data.
We will update this website with more information about next steps when it becomes available.
Timeline
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Phase I: Planning
July 2024
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Phase II: Communications
September 2024
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Phase III: Survey Deployment
October 2024
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Phase IV: University-Wide Survey Results Shared
Fall 2025
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Phase V: Action Planning
Fall 2025 – Ongoing
About the Survey
UCF partnered with ModernThink LLC, a trusted leader in higher education surveys, to conduct the Faculty and Staff Experience Survey. The web-based survey was open from Monday, Oct. 28 through Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, with faculty and staff receiving unique access links via their @ucf.edu email addresses. ModernThink securely administered the survey and collected responses directly into their database, ensuring that UCF did not have access to individual survey submissions.
To protect confidentiality, the survey did not ask for names, and any identifying information such as emails and passwords was used only for secure access and stored safely by ModernThink. No individual responses were shared with UCF employees or managers; instead, results were aggregated to guarantee complete anonymity.
Participation was voluntary, and only ModernThink had access to individual-level data. ModernThink’s national benchmark data will provide valuable context to help UCF leadership understand how the university compares to peer institutions.
FAQs
Purpose and Timing of the Survey
We are seeking your insights to guide us in making meaningful decisions by helping us focus on what matters most to you, our faculty and staff. It is an opportunity for you to share your thoughts, observations, and ideas on how we can continue fostering an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to do their best work.
Collecting this feedback is crucial for recognizing effective practices and addressing areas that need attention. Your voice matters, and your participation in this confidential, anonymous survey is essential to supporting UCF’s strategic plan to become a leading institution for work and learning in Central Florida — a goal that requires collective effort.
ModernThink LLC is a nationally recognized organization with expertise in conducting surveys for higher education institutions. Their extensive experience in supporting universities to improve work and learning environments ensures that they will provide us with reliable and relevant data to guide our decision-making. Additionally, the higher education benchmark data provided by ModernThink will offer valuable insights into how UCF compares to other universities across the nation.
No, this survey will not replace the COACHE survey. The COACHE survey captures faculty sentiment on various aspects of the academic workplace, such as teaching, service, research, tenure and promotion, departmental engagement, and collegiality. In contrast, the faculty and staff experience survey aims to understand the experiences of all campus members in support of our strategic plan. This broader survey gathers, summarizes, and synthesizes feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, helping leaders identify key themes, trends, and patterns to make informed, data-driven decisions.
While the formal timeline for the next survey is not yet established, UCF is committed to establishing a regular cadence for collecting feedback from faculty and staff and has contracted with ModernThink to administer multiple surveys. This year’s results will provide us with important baseline data, allowing us to track and assess our progress over time.
Confidentiality and Anonymity
The purpose of the survey is to get honest feedback. UCF is using an external partner (ModernThink) to administer the survey. It is web-based and automated with a secure internet connection.
Each faculty and staff member will receive an email invitation from ModernThink to participate in the survey. Once you click on the survey link, you will go directly to ModernThink’s website. UCF has no access to this website. Your responses will be submitted directly to ModernThink’s database, and all processing will be done by ModernThink. You will not be asked your name on the survey. The email will include unique password information for each user. This information is stored on the ModernThink server. This information is for access only and will not be linked to your individual survey responses.
At no point will your manager or any other UCF employee see your individual survey results; they are combined and only reported back to UCF in the aggregate/grouped format. No one at UCF will know if or how you personally responded.
Yes, the survey includes pre-loaded job-related data for specific demographic categories such as:
- Job category
- Years of service
- Campus location
- Employment status (i.e., full time/part time)
- Supervisory status
- Bargaining unit (if applicable)
- Academic role (for faculty)
- Tenure status (for faculty)
However, it’s important to note that self-identifying information like gender identity, age, and race/ethnicity is not included in the survey. The pre-loaded data helps provide meaningful insights, while ensuring that sensitive personal information is not part of the survey process.
No. The survey will be completed on ModernThink’s private server. The email address is only used to access the survey and to ensure that only one survey is completed per faculty and staff member. Emails are purged from ModernThink’ s system once the survey project has been completed.
Participation and Eligibility
Your participation as a valued member of our UCF community is essential. Higher response rates improve the accuracy of the survey results, providing a clearer picture of UCF. This opportunity allows you to contribute your ideas, opinions, and solutions through the survey and the subsequent action planning. Your involvement is critical in demonstrating our collective commitment to continuous improvement.
Yes, participation in the survey is completely voluntary but strongly encouraged.
Faculty and staff (A&P and USPS) of UCF are invited and encouraged to participate in the survey. Adjuncts and OPS employees, as well as students, are not eligible to participate.
How the Survey is Structured
A steering committee, along with a comprehensive advisory group that included faculty and staff of all levels from across various colleges and units, diligently worked on the design and implementation of the survey in collaboration with our partner, ModernThink. ModernThink assisted in customizing and administering the survey, ensuring confidentiality, and aiding in the dissemination of the results.
The survey statements solicit feedback on a broad range of topics focused around the following themes:
- Access and Belonging
- Collaboration
- College/Unit Leadership
- Communication
- Confidence in Senior Leadership
- Faculty & Staff Well-being
- Job Satisfaction & Support
- Mission & Pride
- Performance Management
- Professional Development
- Supervisors/Department Chair Effectiveness
The university would like to see as high a response rate as possible. Average response rates for ModernThink surveys typically range between 40% and 65%.