We are pleased to announce our next steps in the COACHE survey process. This process has reflected the university’s commitment to engage and support our faculty, who are the backbone of our university. Today, we are releasing the complete COACHE report on a webpage hosted by the Office of the Provost, as well as plans described below for further steps. The COACHE survey, a national faculty survey conducted by Harvard University, provides insights into our institutional strengths and opportunities. This feedback has informed rich conversations this semester and will help implement informed changes to enhance faculty success and satisfaction. 

Acting Provost Drake and Vice President Bernal would like to express sincere appreciation to all COACHE Steering Committee members for their ongoing diligence and thoughtful work, with special thanks to Senior Associate Vice President Ed Aboufadel for chairing both Steering Committees. To date, the Committee has shaped the original communications to the faculty regarding the survey, facilitated the release of the Preview Report and subsequent conversations, and listened to faculty reactions to the preliminary findings. Following the COACHE Steering Committee’s recent recommendation, the full report with open-ended responses is now available, reflecting the university’s commitment to transparency and collaboration, ensuring that we all have access to this critical information. 

With the release of the full report, it is essential to have a clear plan for the next steps. The need for significant engagement between faculty and senior leaders is evident and warranted—emphasizing dialogue rather than debate. The Senior Leadership Team recognizes the importance of deepening understanding of faculty insights and experiences and is eager to foster meaningful collaboration.  

The next step is to launch a co-design process involving the COACHE Steering Committee, currently elected faculty leaders, the Provost’s Cabinet, and the Senior Leadership Team. This collaborative effort between administrators, tenure track, and affiliate faculty will focus on creating an engagement framework. To ensure a constructive and impartial approach, we will pursue a facilitated process determined collaboratively. 

In addition to establishing venues for engagement, the planning process will identify key focus areas for discussion and action. These focus areas will be informed by the previous COACHE faculty listening sessions as well as the discussions held by the COACHE Steering Committee with the Provost’s Cabinet and the Senior Leadership Team. An initial outline of a plan is provided below; a finalized engagement plan will be shared in early January.  

This approach reflects a commitment to collective effort and community strengthening, ensuring that the path forward is inclusive, collaborative, and impactful. Here is the expected timeline: 

Working with the COACHE Steering Committee, we have identified a list of possible focus areas for discussion and action based on COACHE findings. This is not an exhaustive list.  

Concurrently, faculty will be working with appropriate administrative support to address two other areas of concern in the report, specifically Nature of Work: Teaching, Nature of Work: Service, and DEI related matters, recalling that the original impetus to participate in the COACHE survey was the work of the Network of Advisors. 

Together, we are ready to work on these opportunities and demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement through reflection and action. The goal is to create a more inclusive, collaborative environment that enriches our academic community. We look forward to co-designing an engagement and action plan with members of the COACHE Steering Committee as well as representatives from Faculty Senate, the Provost’s Cabinet and the Senior Leadership Team. This process will be informed by diverse perspectives as we align on priorities and amplify our support for the university community. 

Thank you for your continued engagement and dedication. 

Sincerely, 

Acting Provost and Executive Vice President Jennifer Drake 
Vice President Jesse Bernal 
The COACHE Steering Committee