The Data Governance model is borrowed from the healthcare industry to help with transparency and constituent agency. The idea here is that any survey that is done internally or externally that gathers data that affects constituents should allow for their voice in the process. There are three major components to the process are data communication, data analysis, and data governance. Each of these has a corresponding committee that addresses the items below.
The process is iterative rather than linear. For example, as we prepare for our next COACHE survey, we can:
Survey Communication
Help to prepare our faculty for what’s coming on the survey
Data Analysis
Determine how this data intersects with other survey data we have and may gather
Data Communication
Communicate about what was operationalized after the last time
Data Governance
Anticipate who we will disseminate the data to, in what form, and with what protections in place
This model and process doesn’t take away from operational duties or outside vender responsibilities but instead aids in the process for the benefit of our faculty. It increases trust, cultural buy-in, and leverages what we can do with efforts already in place. New projects will flow in and between the data analysis, governance, and communication committees. The governance of data access and communication will be faculty-led to assure transparency of both the process of the data presentation as well as how it will be used to address faculty-designated issues and needs across campus. Access to the survey data as well as how to navigate the data as presented will be addressed to develop an ethos of openness and trust. If you have any questions or requests around data access and interpretation, please contact the COACHE Executive Committee.
COACHE Survey Administration Data and Anonymity
COACHE collects data confidentially, only using identifiable data such as emails to send reminders to non-respondents, which are not revealed to DU.
The COACHE team at Harvard analyzes the data and provides DU’s Data Analysis Committee, part of our Shared Data Governance Model, with a preview report.
Mike Furno, Assistant Vice Provost, Institutional Research & Analysis, is the data administrator for this project at DU and receives the data in de-identified form, which can be shared with the committee. These records are held securely and no one in a supervisory or evaluative capacity has access to individual responses. The Data Analysis Committee can do analysis of the individual-level observation data (still de-identified), but only aggregate results are shared with administrators and faculty, and only when there is a sufficient number (at least 5) of responses to protect the anonymity of respondents. The de-identified data could be used for future research at DU without additional consent from participants. Please reach out with any additional questions to the Office of Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs and COACHE Executive Committee.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will my responses to the Faculty Satisfaction Survey be used by DU?
DU is fully committed to using this data to improve the workplace for faculty. COACHE is a joint project between Faculty Senate and the VPFA. The survey is only the first step in a multi-year process designed to transform data into actionable policies and practices. With the results in hand, we will be sharing findings broadly and working with you to build concrete action plans for leveraging areas of strength and for improvement. The data governance process (link) guides how data are used and interpreted.
DU’s Institutional Research & Analysis can also do analysis of the individual-level data, but only aggregate results are shared with administrators and faculty, and only when there are a sufficient number (at least five) of responses to protect the anonymity of respondents. This allows DUto run nuanced reports, in addition to the summaries provided by COACHE.
The COACHE Faculty Satisfaction Survey will be administered every three years so that we can learn to what degree the actions we have taken have influenced your experience as faculty. Our goal is to make DU the best place for faculty that it can be.
Who will take the survey & when will it be administrated?
All full-time, appointed faculty in all series will have the opportunity to complete the survey between early Feburary and April of 2023.
How will my responses to the Faculty Satisfaction Survey be used by Harvard COACHE?
In addition to providing DU with survey reports, Harvard COACHE works with faculty and institutions across the country to answer broader research questions about faculty and campus culture issues. To learn more, please visit https://coache.gse.harvard.edu/research.
How long does the survey take to complete?
The survey takes 20-40 minutes to complete. We recognize that your time is extremely valuable; please be assured that your investment in completing this survey will help DU identify what you might need to do your best work at DU. Data from the COACHE study will be meaningful only if we have broad participation.
How will my data be protected?
COACHE collects data confidentially, only using identities to send reminders to non-respondents, which are not revealed to DU. Data are analyzed by the COACHE team at Harvard and the DU COACHE Leadership Team receives the institutional summary report with aggregate findings to be shared with the campus community. The Institutional Research & Analysis leadership are data administrators for this project at DU and receive the data in de-identified form. These records are held in IR and no one in a supervisory or evaluative capacity will have access to individual responses.
For additional information, please visit the Harvard COACHE Faculty FAQ page.
I’m really interested in the survey results. Can I see the data?
Only Institutional Research & Analysis will have access to the individual level, de-identified data.
The DU COACHE Leadership Team will receive the institutional summary report with aggregate findings in the summer following the spring administration of the survey. Beginning in the next academic year, results will be shared and the leadership team will engage faculty and academic leadership in the interpretation of the findings and to create action plans to address concerns identified by COACHE findings.
If you’d like to make a data request, please email the COACHE Executive Committee.
What will the summary report look like? How much information is included?
The report will be a digital dashboard of the summary data, with responses disaggregated by academic area, tenure status, and more. The dashboard also includes comparison to national results and DU’s peer institutions. See an example at: https://coache.gse.harvard.edu/reporting
Will the responses be a summary of the entire university or sorted by school/college?
The COACHE data includes a Benchmarks Dashboard that offers a summary of all responses sorted by “divisional analysis,” which is the school/college. However, the Benchmarks Dashboard is organized by broad disciplinary categories, which may or may not perfectly align with a school/college. IR will create school/college reports that will be shared with each of the deans and their leadership teams.
IR may accept requests for specific analyses on a limited basis. Please contact Mike Furno to learn more.
How is this different from the Modern Think Employee Engagement survey?
The COACHE Faculty Satisfaction Survey is different from the Modern Think Employee Engagement survey, administered in Spring 2022. The COACHE survey questions are grounded in faculty-specific work-life themes, such as tenure and promotion, resources and support, departmental quality and collegiality, shared governance, interdisciplinary work, mentoring, appreciation and recognition, and more. The COACHE analysis also includes comparisons to peer institutions, so we learn how DU is doing in relation to other universities who complete the survey.
The Modern Think survey is written to measure engagement in work life, in addition to asking about your general well-being, inclusion, and flexible and remote work. The survey is for the entire DU community of faculty and staff, full-time and part-time.
Both the COACHE Faculty Satisfaction Survey and the Gallup FSE Survey are tools to identify and celebrate areas of success across DU and provide guidance on areas for growth.
Question not answered?
Please visit the Harvard COACHE Faculty FAQ page or email Faculty Affairs and Development.
COACHE Timeline
