Published: July 07, 2009 07:50 am      

EKU recognized as one of best colleges to work

Eastern Kentucky University is among 122 four-year colleges and universities nationally recognized in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s 2009 Great Colleges to Work For program, according to the results of the second annual survey announced in a special supplement of The Chronicle.

The program recognizes small groups of colleges — based on enrollment size — for specific best practices in areas such as compensation and benefits, work environment and institutional policies.

Among four-year colleges and universities with enrollment of at least 10,000, EKU ranked in the top 10 nationally for Tuition Reimbursement (tuition waivers for eligible employees, their spouses and dependents) in the Pay/Benefits category and for Professional/Career Development Programs (employees are given opportunities to develop skills, and understand requirements to advance in their careers) in the Institutional Policies category.

“Obviously, I am very pleased that the responses to the Chronicle’s survey by our faculty and staff have resulted in this distinction for Eastern,” said EKU President Doug Whitlock. “It reflects a sense of pride and appreciation of place among our community members that is gratifying and will be very helpful as we seek to attract other individuals to join us.

“But the most significant thing, in my mind, is that this recognition is truly a reflection of the excellence and dedication of the Eastern faculty and staff. I believe your colleagues are the single most important factor in the quality of the workplace experience,” he said.

The Chronicle program is modeled after Fortune Magazine’s popular “Best Companies to Work For” issue, but does not rank institutions in one comprehensive list. Instead, schools are recognized in the special Chronicle supplement.

“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 the leading innovators when it comes to providing a rewarding work environment.”

To administer the survey and analyze the results, The Chronicle turned to ModernThink LLC, a strategic human capital consulting firm that has conducted numerous “Best Places to Work” programs, surveying hundreds of thousands of college and university employees nationwide. The Great Colleges survey included a two-part assessment process: a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff (the ModernThink Higher Education Insight Survey) and an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies and practices from each institution. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was feedback collected from faculty and staff.

“Leaders within higher education are facing tough challenges on many fronts,” said Richard K. Boyer, principal and managing partner of ModernThink. “The opportunity for national recognition draws institutions that are looking for a competitive edge in recruiting, retention and even research dollars. In addition, leaders are thirsty for reliable data that can help them make better decisions, prioritize scarce resources, and improve morale. As expected with a more established recognition program, the number of participants wasn’t the only thing that went up. We also saw a commensurate jump in the caliber of the field.”

View the entire Chronicle report at chronicle.com/indepth/academicworkplace.