Exploring the Terrain of U.S. Colleges and Universities
for Faculty and Families

National Survey

This survey concerns how faculty meet their work, family and personal responsibilities, and takes approximately five minutes to complete.   By family, we refer to people to whom you are committed, whether you are legally married or living with someone in a committed relationship, and whether any children you care for are biological or adopted, or stepchildren.  Most of the questions can be answered by anyone, regardless of family structure.

Section I: Work/Life Decisions

Below is a list of decisions that academics sometimes make.   Please check the box for yes if you have in the past or are likely to make this decision in the near future. Please check the box for no if you have not made this decision or if it is irrelevant to you.



Yes No
Delayed starting my academic career in order to start a family  
Stayed single because I did not have time for a family and a successful academic career 
To achieve academic success, I had fewer children than I wanted to have 
Did not ask for a reduced teaching load when I needed it for family reasons, because it would put an undue burden on others 
Did not ask for a reduced teaching load when I needed it for family reasons, because it would lead to a heavier load later 
Did not ask for a reduced teaching load when I needed it for family reasons, because it would lead to adverse career repercussions 

IF YOU ARE NOT A BIOLOGICAL OR ADOPTIVE PARENT, PLEASE SKIP TO SECTION II.  

  Yes No
Had one child, but delayed considering another until after the tenure decision
Did not ask for parental leave even though it would have helped me to take it 

Did not ask to stop the tenure clock for a new child even though it would have helped me to take it 

Missed some of my children’s important events when they were young, because I did not want to appear uncommitted to my job 
Came back to work sooner than I would have liked after having a new child because I wanted to be taken seriously as an academic 
Tried to time new children to arrive during the summer break 
Did not bring children to the office during their school breaks because I worried that other faculty would be bothered 
Adopted one or more children 

Section II: Department Chair & Workplace

Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding your immediate supervisor using the following scale.

     Disagree                   Somewhat Disagree                    Neutral                    Somewhat Agree                    Agree

   AT MY INSTITUTION:

     D       SD          N          SA        A
There is an unwritten rule that you cannot take care of family needs during working hours                                
Faculty who put their family or personal needs ahead of their jobs are not looked on favorably                                
If you have a problem managing your work and family responsibilities, the attitude is: “You made your bed, now lie in it!”                                

   MY DEPARTMENT CHAIR OR IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR:

     D       SD          N          SA        A
Listens to my problems                                
Shares ideas or advice                                
Is understanding or sympathetic                                
Helps me to figure out how to solve problems                                
Shows resentment of the needs of working parents in the Dept.                                
Is critical of how some faculty combine work and family                                
Schedules courses and committee meetings to accommodate faculty's family needs                                
Juggles his or her own duties to help faculty meet their family needs                                
Holds faculty's family responsibilities against them                                

 Section III: DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: 

Gender 

 Female       Male

Number of Children at home

(click in box and type number)

Year youngest child living at home was born

(click in box and type number)

Married or living with someone in a committed relationship for at least the last six months

 No            Yes

Responsible for the care of an elder or disabled person for at least 3 hours per week? 

No            Yes

Country of origin (i.e. where you spent most of your childhood)

(Click in box and type name of country)

Status at main academic institution of employment: 

Year you were born

 (click in box and type year - 4 digits)

Year completed highest degree obtained 

 (click in box and type year - 4 digits)

Year tenured (if you are now tenured)

 (click in box and type year- 4 digits)

 

We will send a $2 donation to your choice of charity as a token of our thanks for your participation.  Please choose one (or elect to email your charity information):

The American Red Cross

The United Way
National Coalition for Literacy
Save the Children
I will email the name and contact information for my preferred non-profit organization to Bob Drago at drago@psu.edu

Thank you for completing the Survey.  Please "click" on the SUBMIT button below to include your perspectives in our study.

You have contributed to our understanding of the institutional environment of faculty and their families.

All of your responses are anonymous, and your answers to this survey cannot be traced to you.

 

 

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