In April and May 2014, as part of the preparation for contract negotiations, the WMU-AAUP conducted a survey of the Board-appointed faculty at Western Michigan University.

The survey addressed various topics and issues, including faculty priorities for negotiations as well as their perceptions about university leaders, campus initiatives and priorities, and the availability and allocation of institutional resources. Faculty members were also asked about cultural, climate, and aspirational issues. The survey was sent by U.S. mail to the 877 members of the Board-appointed faculty in early April 2014. A digital option was made available as well.

A total of 250 respondents returned the completed survey by mail or completed it electronically, for a rate of return of 28.5%. While a larger rate of return is obviously preferable, the results provided the WMU-AAUP leadership and negotiation team with interesting and useful insights into the perceptions and perspectives of a substantial number of WMU faculty members. Additionally, the trends suggested in the survey data largely correspond with perspectives that have been widely articulated in formal and informal discussions with and among faculty members across disciplines, colleges, and departments leading up to last summer’s contract negotiations.

Although the data was collected primarily for the WMU-AAUP negotiation team to use as they prepared to bargain the 2014-17 contract, and therefore much of it was not intended to be made public, we are releasing the information below in light of recent events on campus, including Provost Tim Greene’s decision not to renew the contract of College of Arts and Sciences Dean Alex Enyedi.

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