Baylor University Named a ‘2016 Great College to Work For’ by The Chronicle of Higher Education

July 25, 2016
Great Colleges 2016

University receives elite Honor Roll designation for the sixth consecutive year

Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-710-6275

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WACO, Texas (July 25, 2016) – For the sixth consecutive year, Baylor University has attained elite Honor Roll status as a “2016 Great College to Work For,” according to a new survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education, a top trade publication for colleges and universities.

The results, released July 18 in The Chronicle’s ninth annual report on The Academic Workplace, are based on a survey of 281 colleges and universities.

Only 93 institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition, with 42 named to the Honor Roll as the standouts in their size categories. Baylor is included in the large university category with 10,000 or more students.

Baylor was cited in 11 categories this year:

  • Collaborative Governance: Faculty members are involved appropriately in decisions related to academic programs.
  • Compensation and Benefits: Pay is fair, and benefits meet employees’ needs.
  • Confidence in Senior Leadership: Leaders have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience for institutional success.
  • Facilities, Workspaces and Security: Facilities adequately meet needs, the appearance of the campus is pleasing, and the institution takes steps to provide a secure environment.
  • Job Satisfaction and Support: Provides insight into the satisfaction with job fit, autonomy and resources.
  • Professional/Career-Development Programs: Employees are given the opportunity to develop skills and understand requirements to advance in their careers.
  • Respect and Appreciation: Employees are regularly recognized for their contributions.
  • Supervisor or Department-Chair Relationship: Supervisor makes expectations clear and solicits ideas.
  • Teaching Environment: Faculty members say the institution recognizes innovative and high-quality teaching.
  • Tenure Clarity and Process (four-year colleges only): Requirements for tenure are clear, faculty members say.
  • Work/Life Balance: Policies give employees the flexibility to manage their personal lives.

“Baylor University’s mission challenges us with a call to excellence,” said Baylor Interim President David E. Garland. “The Baylor family of faculty and staff commits its time and talents creating a caring community dedicated to leadership, service, academic excellence and Christian commitment. Beyond the privilege of educating men and women to be leaders and servants throughout the world, employees enjoy an active community, stability, investments in employee success and outstanding benefits – all of which make Baylor a Great College to Work For.”

“Nine years in, The Chronicle’s Great Colleges to Work For program is well known as a mark of a college or university that puts thought and effort into serving the needs of its faculty and staff,” said Liz McMillen, editor of The Chronicle. “The colleges and universities that make the list are highly rated by their employees for creating great working environments, an important achievement that helps them recruit top academic and administrative talent.”

The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators and professional 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’s easier to be a great workplace during good times, but it’s when times are tough that the commitment to workplace quality really gets tested,” said Richard K. Boyer, principal and managing partner, ModernThink LLC. “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 with whom they compete for talent.”

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 https://www.chronicle.com/article/great-colleges-to-work-for-2016/#id=big-table.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

The Chronicle of Higher Education is the top professional source for news, jobs, and information for college and university administrators and faculty. The Chronicle provides institutions with multiple paths to effectively communicate and engage with the largest audience and most influential decision makers in higher education in print and online.

ABOUT MODERNTHINK LLC

As a research and consulting leader in workplace issues, ModernThink has supported a wide variety of “Best Place to Work” initiatives. Through these programs, the firm has gained substantial survey and industry expertise, including specific insight into higher education. ModernThink knows what it takes to build a great place to work and shares that know-how with its clients. The ModernThink team of organizational development experts is dedicated to helping colleges follow through and capitalize on feedback from employees and benchmark data from peers to drive meaningful change at their institutions. Learn more at www.modernthink.com.