Elyssa Sanders
September 23, 2021
An employee engagement survey reflected high job satisfaction and sense of inclusion among faculty and staff.
Texas Tech University is one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to a new survey by the Great Colleges to Work For® program, one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. The results, released Friday (Sept. 17) in a special insert of The Chronicle of Higher Education, are based on a nationwide survey of 196 colleges and universities.
Two other universities within the Texas Tech University System – Angelo State University and the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) – also were honored this year. Texas Tech and Baylor University were the only institutions in the Big 12 Conference to receive the Great Colleges to Work For® designation in 2021. Texas Tech was previously recognized in 2014 and 2015.
“Family and community are central to our mission at Texas Tech,” said Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec. “We continually strive to build an environment that is conducive to student and employee success, so to be recognized among the Great Colleges to Work For® is a gratifying and humbling testament to our efforts. Our faculty and staff consistently go above and beyond to support the personal and professional development of our students and one another.”
Texas Tech earned recognition in four categories this year:
- Job satisfaction and support
- Compensation and benefits
- Professional development
- Diversity, inclusion and belonging
“I am elated to share the Great Colleges to Work For® designation with our employees,” said Jodie Billingsley, associate vice president for Human Resources. “I believe the areas where we earned recognition are reflective of Texas Tech's culture of community and the commitment we have to our colleagues and our students.
“With the competition for talent at an all-time high, the additional exposure gained through the Great Colleges to Work For® designation will not only enhance Texas Tech's ability to recruit new employees but also retain those exemplary leaders, faculty and staff we already have who are dedicated to making Texas Tech a great university.”
The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captures employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators and professional support staff. The primary factor in determining whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback.
“As a faculty member, Texas Tech has always felt like home,” said Todd Chambers, an associate professor and associate dean for undergraduate affairs in the College of Media & Communication. “I grew up as part of a cotton-farming family and I always knew that no matter what, we were going to be there for each other. I have the same feeling about working at Texas Tech – we genuinely care for each other and want the absolute best for our students.”
The employee survey underwent a number of changes this year, including the addition of 11 new survey statements, some of which are related to new survey themes around diversity, inclusion and belonging, as well as faculty and staff well-being. New survey demographics related to gender identity and remote work also were included this year.
tags: Academics, Achievements, Faculty, Feature Stories, General, Staff, Stories, TTU Features, provost
Texas Tech University System
Established in 1996, the Texas Tech University System is one of the top public university systems in the nation, consisting of five universities –Texas Tech University,Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center,Angelo State University,Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso andMidwestern State University
Headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, the TTU System is a nearly $3 billion enterprise focused on advancing higher education, health care, research and outreach with approximately 21,000 employees and 63,000 students, nearly 400,000 alumni, a statewide economic impact of $16.4 billion and an endowment valued at $1.7 billion. In its short history, the TTU System has grown tremendously and is nationally acclaimed, operating at 26 academic locations in 22 cities (20 in Texas, 2 international).
The TTU System is one of only nine in the nation to offer programs for undergraduate, medical, law, nursing, pharmacy, dental and veterinary education, among other academic areas.
Texas Tech University
A new era of excellence is dawning at Texas Tech University as it stands on the cusp of being one of the nation's premier research institutions.
Research and enrollment numbers are at record levels, which cement Texas Tech's commitment to attracting and retaining quality students. In fall 2020, the university achieved a goal more than a decade in the making, reaching a total student population of more than 40,000. In 2018, the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education againplaced Texas Tech among its top doctoral universitiesin the nation in the “Very High Research Activity” category. Texas Tech is one of 94 public institutions nationally and 131 overall to achieve this prestigious recognition.
Quality students need top-notch faculty. Texas Tech is home to a diverse, highly revered pool of educators who excel in teaching, research and service. The university strives to foster an environment that celebrates student accomplishment above all else.Texas Tech is large enough to provide the best in facilities and academics but prides itself on being able to focus on each student individually.
The momentum for excellence at Texas Tech has never been greater.
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