Lebanon, Ill. — McKendree University has not only been recognized by The Chronicle of Higher Education as one of its 2009 Great Colleges to Work For®—it also made the Honor Roll.
The Great Colleges to Work For® program recognizes small groups of colleges, based on enrollment size, for specific best practices and policies in 26 categories related to work environment, institutional policies, pay and benefits.
McKendree was one of just 39 institutions named to the Honor Roll, which highlights the top 10 four-year colleges and the top three community colleges in three size groupings, based on their number of selections in individual categories. As one of 10 medium-size campuses with 3,000 to 9,999 students, McKendree is the only Illinois institution named to the Honor Roll in any category and one of two in the Midwest in the medium-size institution category.
McKendree’s faculty and staff commented favorably on topics related to work environment, specifically collaborative governance, job satisfaction, healthy faculty-administration relations, supervisor-department chair relationships, and teaching environment.
Employees gave McKendree high marks for its institutional policies, noting confidence in senior leadership; professional-career development programs; connection to the institution and pride; internal communications; perception and confidence in fair treatment; policies, resources and efficiency; respect and appreciation; and work-life balance. In the pay and benefits category, they cited the university’s housing assistance programs, and vacation or paid time-off policy.
One employee liked "the fact that the provost and president are approachable." In its survey summary, The Chronicle noted that McKendree employees and their families are eligible for free undergraduate tuition.
“These survey results validate the positive faculty-staff-administration relationship for which McKendree is known,” said Dr. Christine Bahr, provost. “It is gratifying to work for an institution that values open dialogue, collaborative problem-solving, and shared governance, and where employees take pride in the institution. We are especially honored to be recognized among the top ten medium-size institutions in the country as a great place to work.”
“It is exciting for McKendree University to be named at the top in so many categories. I was very pleased with the number of employees who responded to the survey,” added Shirley Rentz, director of human resources. “It really does show that our employees are happy here and that we do feel like it is a great place to work.”
In 2009, more than 300 four- and two-year colleges signed up for the Great Colleges to Work For® program and nearly 41,000 employees on 247 campuses participated in the entire survey process. This was triple the number of participants from 2008, making this the second-largest workplace-recognition program in the country after Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.”
“Despite the down economy, colleges are still hiring,” said Jeffrey J. Selingo, editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education. ”Through this program, The Chronicle is able to provide more information to job seekers about the colleges that are leading innovators when it comes to providing a rewarding place work environment.”
The Great Colleges survey included a two-part assessment process: a survey administered and analyzed by ModernThink LLC to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff; and an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies and practices from each institution. Employee feedback collected from the faculty and staff was the primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition.
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