August 7, 2012
Dear Colleague:
For the second straight year, Old Dominion University has been named one of the best colleges in the nation to work for by The Chronicle of Higher Education!
The honor, which was announced yesterday in The Chronicle's fifth annual report on The Academic Workplace, is a result of a survey of nearly 47,000 employees at 310 colleges and universities. In all, only 103 of the 310 institutions achieved "Great College to Work For" recognition for specific best practices and policies.
I am also proud to say that ODU was selected as one of this year's Honor Roll schools. This is additional recognition given to those colleges and universities that are identified as excelling in at least four of the 12 evaluation categories.
We received recognition in an impressive eight of the 12 categories: Collaborative Governance; Professional/Career Development Programs; Teaching Environment (Faculty Only); Job Satisfaction; Work/Life Balance; Supervisor/Department Chair Relationship; Respect and Appreciation; and Diversity. We received the top score among all large schools (10,000 or more students) in the Diversity category.
We were one of only 10 large, four-year colleges to make the 2012 Honor Roll, joining schools such as Baylor University and the University of Notre Dame. A complete list of colleges surveyed, including exceptional performers in The Chronicle's 2012 Honor Roll, is available on the Chronicle website.
This recognition by The Chronicle is, indeed, a great honor for Old Dominion University, but frankly, it is recognition for the many faculty, staff and administrators who work their hardest to make this institution great.
Our commitment to creating and maintaining a dynamic learning community with a rich mix of cultures and experiences is a huge part of who we are as a university. The Chronicle recognition further underscores the importance of that approach.
The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback.
With your encouragement, I have made a commitment to sustaining a campus culture where two-way communication, meaningful participation by all and respect and appreciation of a myriad of ideas are the norm. Without you - our outstanding faculty and dedicated staff - this institution would not have achieved the astounding advances it has.
I want to thank every member of our faculty and staff for your daily contributions to making Old Dominion University one of the best workplaces in the nation!
Sincerely,
John R. Broderick
President