What Would Make OU a Better Place to Work

Summary

• 817 responses (75% of participants).
• Sentiment: 53% negative, 15% neutral, 32% positive.
• Top improvement areas: compensation, transparency, leadership accountability, collaboration, infrastructure, and culture alignment.

Themes & Dimensions

Job Satisfaction & Support (58%)

• Compensation: Widespread calls for cost-of-living adjustments, merit raises, and equity.
• Benefits: Concerns about healthcare costs and retirement contributions.
• Remote Work: Requests for consistent policies and support for flexible arrangements.
• Infrastructure: Need for updated facilities, technology, and teaching spaces.
• Faculty concerns: Inadequate research support, unclear tenure expectations, inequity among special lecturers.

Confidence in Senior Leadership (17%)

• Need for improved trust, transparency, and communication.
• Faculty express dissatisfaction with adversarial contract negotiations.
• Concerns about administrative silos and “empire building.”
• Desire for unified direction and ethical, accountable leadership.

Performance Management (15%)

• Requests for streamlined processes (HR, purchasing, grants).
• Strong desire for enhanced employee recognition and equity in rewards.
• Concerns about administrative bloat and resource imbalance between leadership and front-line units.

Professional Development (13%)

• Staff seek internal promotion opportunities within roles.
• Faculty seek clarity in tenure/research expectations.
• Requests for leadership and management training, cross-training, and certification reimbursement outside of Oakland.

Collaboration (13%)

• Desire for stronger cross-unit cooperation and shared goals.
• Calls for leaders to model collaboration and unity in strategic priorities.

Inclusion, Belonging & Community (11%)

• Divergent perspectives on DEI: some call for expansion, others for reevaluation.
• Requests for clearer, unified institutional messaging.
• Concerns about inconsistent accountability for inappropriate or dismissive behavior.
• Emphasis on deeper community engagement with Pontiac and Detroit.

Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness (11%)

• Calls for improved training, communication, and accountability.
• Concerns over inconsistent policy enforcement and favoritism.
• Requests for reinstating or expanding OU’s Leadership Academy.

Mission & Pride (11%)

• Employees cite identity tension: teaching-intensive vs. research-focused.
• Requests for clearer institutional priorities and better resource alignment.
• Faculty emphasize student success and realistic workload expectations.

Communication (8%)

• Concerns about poor information flow and inconsistent updates.
• Desire for transparent decision-making, inclusive consultation, and regular feedback loops.
• Requests for better onboarding communication and on going professional development opportunities. .

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