Western named among 'Great Colleges to Work For'

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 fifth annual report on the academic workplace, are based on a survey of nearly 47,000 employees at 294 colleges and universities. In all, only 103 of the 294 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 two categories:

• Teaching Environment (faculty members say the institution recognizes innovative and high-quality teaching).
• Tenure Clarity & Process (requirements for tenure are clear).

“Western is a great place to work because of exceptional employees who demonstrate unflagging dedication and professionalism. Western offers a campus culture of excellence for our students, a direct result of our exceptionally talented, caring faculty and staff,” said Western President Bruce Shepard.

Western is the only college or university listed in the state of Washington.

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.

“The Chronicle’s Great Colleges program provides readers with important information about the colleges and institutions we cover. The institutions that the Great Colleges program recognizes provide innovative educational experiences – while also offering their employees outstanding workplace experiences – and we are eager to help readers learn more about them,” said Liz McMillen, editor, The Chronicle of Higher Education.

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.

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 website.