Community and Culture Assessment

Results presentations 

On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, results from the campus climate survey were presented to the campus community. You may view the presentation slides for a closer look at key findings and next steps.

Final report

For a comprehensive look at survey results, please view and download Rankin Climate’s full report, which is based on the analysis of the data from the survey.

When President Williams arrived here in April 2022, she made it a priority to learn how the people who make up our campus community experience RISD. Listening sessions and informal conversations have provided a broad sense so far, but to ensure this is a place where everyone thrives, we need nuanced, sophisticated data to better understand the aspects of living, working and learning at RISD that are going well and the areas in which we can improve.

Toward this end, we are conducting a campus-wide climate assessment. A climate assessment looks at the attitudes and behaviors of the members of a campus community as well as institutional policies and procedures. Taken together, these influence the level of respect for individual needs, abilities and potential.

Our climate assessment began with focus groups in spring 2023, and was followed by an all-campus survey that was open from Sep 19–Oct 29 for all students, faculty and staff. Information gleaned from the focus groups and the survey will allow us to accurately articulate our challenges and strengths and identify meaningful opportunities to make RISD a place where everyone thrives.

With the survey now complete, responses will be analyzed and results presented to the campus community in spring 2024. Participants’ input will inform how we go forward together, not only in how we enhance and replicate programs and policies that support our community, but also in how we develop new programs and policies and implement strategies to grow inclusivity where needed.

To help lead the 1.5-year long effort, we have partnered with Rankin Climate, LLC, which has conducted more than 250 campus climate assessment projects over the last 22 years. A working group of RISD students, staff and faculty will work with Rankin to develop and implement the assessment. The working group’s co-chairs are Tony Johnson, associate dean for student social equity and inclusion and interim assistant vice president for social equity and inclusion, and Jennifer Roberts, executive director of accreditation and institutional effectiveness.

If you have any questions about the climate assessment, please email climate@risd.edu.

Learn what you need to know about our collaborative, community-based climate assessment initiative and how your contributions can help shape the future of RISD for years to come.