WWU named a '2011 Great College to Work For'

July 25, 2011

Paul Cocke

Western Today staff

Honor by The Chronicle of Higher Education puts Western in Elite Company

Western Washington University is one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to a new survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The results, released today in The Chronicle’s fourth annual report on The Academic Workplace, are based on a survey of nearly 44,000 employees at 310 colleges and universities. In all, only 111 of the 310 institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies. Results are reported for small, medium, and large institutions, with Western included among the large universities with 10,000 or more students.

Western won honors in four categories:

  • Collaborative Governance;
  • Teaching Environment;
  • Confidence in Senior Leadership;
  • Tenure Clarity & Process.

“Western is a campus community that values and emphasizes collaboration and respect among all employees. Individuals – the people of Western – make this a great place to work for, with their strong commitment to serve our students, community and state,” Western President Bruce Shepard said.

The Chronicle is the nation’s most important source of news about colleges and universities. 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 support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the 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.

“It is easier to be a great workplace during good times but it’s when times are tough that commitment to workplace quality really gets tested. And those institutions that measure up during times of economic hardship reinforce their already strong cultures and put even more distance between them and their peer institutions for whom they compete for talent,” said Richard K. Boyer, principal and managing partner of ModernThink LLC.

Great Colleges to Work For is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. For more information and to view all the results of the survey, visit The Chronicle’s Web site at http://www.chronicle.com/section/Great-Colleges-to-Work-For/537/.