During the fall semester of 2022, Montclair State University engaged SOVA Solutions to conduct a survey of students and employees to gather information on their experiences and attitudes about the University. The information will be used to assess Montclair State University’s policies and practices regarding inclusion and equity, as well as to help the University develop new policies and practices to further support individual needs, abilities, and potential. Participation in the survey was voluntary and all individual responses were confidential. Survey data will be reported only for an entire group or subgroup, and no individual will be identified based on responses. Questions can be directed to campusclimate@montclair.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CECE?
The Culturally Engaging Campus Environments (CECE) model and survey are provided by The National Institute for Transformation and Equity (NITE). NITE works with colleges and universities to cultivate culturally engaging campus environments where diverse students thrive. They aim to create and utilize tools to support institutions to examine, understand, and improve their campus environments and maximize success among diverse student populations.
The CECE model acknowledges that external influences and precollege inputs shape college success.The CECE model access to culturally engaging campus environments is directly and indirectly related to a greater likelihood of persistence. Some of these include family, finances, employment, demographics, initial academic dispositions, and academic preparation, as well as features of campus environments that shape student success
What is the CECE Survey?
The Culturally Engaging Campus Environments (CECE) Survey is designed to measure the 9 CECE indicators that represent the characteristics of optimally inclusive and equitable campus environments.
- 5 cultural Relevance indicators:
- Cultural Familiarity
- Culturally Relevant Knowledge
- Cultural Community Service
- Meaningful Cross-Cultural Engagement
- Cultural Validation
- 4 Cultural Responsiveness indicators:
- Collectivist Cultural Orientations
- Humanized Educational Environments
- Proactive Philosophies
- Holistic Support
The CECE Survey will be used to assess the current attitudes, behaviors, standards, and practices of students and employees of the University. Through a variety of questions, participants will have the opportunity to provide feedback on institutional policies, procedures, and practices they have been impacted by at the University.
The CECE Survey measures several variables, including demographics (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, family income, parents’ education), precollege factors (e.g., academic preparation), academic dispositions (e.g., motivation, self-efficacy, intent to persist), sense of belonging, academic performance, and learning outcomes.
Survey participants will select staff, faculty, or 4-year students in order to access the appropriate survey as determined by their affiliation with the university.
In order to gain a broad understanding of the undergraduate student experience, additional student survey modules will measure participation in high-impact practices that meaningfully engage their communities and issues of diversity, and experiences with faculty and staff who make efforts to provide holistic, proactive, and humanized support. Additional student survey modules include:
- The Culturally Relevant High-Impact Practices Module
- The Culturally Responsive Support Systems Module
Employees of the University will share additional feedback which measures perceptions of institutional diversity, representation of marginalized groups, and experiences within the campus climate through The Institutional Diversity Module.
Why are we doing the CECE Survey?
The Campus Climate Assessment is designed to gather information on the experiences of students, faculty and staff and their attitudes about the University. The information will be used to assess Montclair State University’s policies and practices regarding inclusion and equity as well as help the University develop new policies and practices to further support individual needs, abilities and potential.
Who can participate in this survey? Is participation required?
- All undergraduate students and employees of Montclair State University will have an opportunity to participate in the CECE Survey.
- Participation is voluntary. You should not feel pressured to participate.
- You may skip any questions and/or stop taking the survey at any time.
- Participants will be entered into a prize drawing at random for participating.
Remember – You are a volunteer and may withdraw from any study in which you are enrolled at any time. You may do so without penalty. You have the right to be fully informed and given ample time to make a reasoned decision to participate.
When is this happening and how long will it take?
The survey will launch mid-November and remain open for four (4) weeks until mid-December.
The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
How will I receive the survey?
You will receive an email invitation from Montclair State University where you will access the survey.
You do not need to be on campus or to use VPN to take the survey.
Are my responses confidential?
The responses shared through the survey will be combined into broader categories in order to maintain the confidentiality of respondents.
Identifiable information will be removed from any method of sharing results.
Questions about CECE Survey confidentiality may be addressed to campusclimate@montclair.edu
What will Montclair State University do with this survey?
Our survey consultant partners will provide a final report in late Spring 2023 with high-level summaries of the findings and themes found in the data.
The results from the study will be presented to various stakeholders across campus regarding areas of strength and areas that present an opportunity for improvement.
The results from the survey will also be used in combination with other activities to inform data-driven actions to enhance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and strategic action planning.
How are winners for the prize drawing selected?
Participants are entered into a prize drawing. Names are drawn at random for bookstore gift cards, Montclair State University swag, and more!
Where can I get more information?
If you have questions about the survey, you may visit the soaring together website.
Any other questions can be directed to campusclimate@montclair.edu