The Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education, or COACHE, based at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is a consortium of over 250 colleges and universities committed to making the academic workplace more attractive and equitable for all faculty. The core component of COACHE is a faculty satisfaction survey specially designed to provide information about the faculty experience at their institution.

Faculty Satisfaction Survey

At Iowa State University, the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost works with the Faculty Senate as well as the Office of Institutional Research and other work groups that comprise faculty and administrators to plan the COACHE survey. Since 2006, Iowa State has collaborated with COACHE to conduct this survey approximately every four years. Iowa State uses faculty responses to assess needs, develop action plans, and implement best practices to strengthen hiring, promotion, retention, and campus climate. In addition, the COACHE reports provide Iowa State leaders with a powerful tool to increase the quality of faculty work-life; advance a reputation as a great place for faculty to work; and generate ideas and initiatives from faculty that enrich and expand the range of possible improvements.

Continued participation in COACHE for more than 15 years has provided Iowa State leaders with a way to track institutional progress in key areas related to faculty satisfaction. To learn more, read COACHE Throughout The Years 2005 - Present (PDF). 

In 2021, 904 of 1527 eligible faculty responded to the survey, comprising a 56% response rate. The average survey completion time was 22 minutes. As Iowa State faculty work toward fulfilling the land-grant mission and meeting institutional strategic goals, COACHE data affords administrators and faculty an opportunity to examine data and explore within-campus differences for the overall faculty and across faculty subgroups. To learn more about the survey, response rates, and the COACHE benchmarks, read the Overview (PDF).

The COACHE data affords administrators and faculty an opportunity to examine data and explore within-campus differences for the overall faculty and across faculty subgroups. It is important to work together to enhance areas of strength and collaboratively address opportunities for growth. Results are used to guide and inform initiatives for improvement. To learn more, read Take Home Points, Next Steps, and Additional Resources (PDF).

Persons can request access to the COACHE data for research purposes. For more information, complete a COACHE Data Request form (Google doc).

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