Climate Survey
Gwynedd Mercy University will administer a campus-wide student and employee diversity climate survey which will run from October 15, 2025 through November 15, 2025.
This is an opportunity for the members of our campus community to anonymously provide feedback about belonging, connection, and inclusivity.
The results of these surveys will provide vital information that will help inform current and future GMercyU strategic initiatives and efforts, as well as allow us to examine how our campus climate has changed since we last administered this survey in 2022.
We have selected Viewfinder by Campus Climate Surveys in an effort to ensure that responses remain anonymous. No personal identifying information will be collected.
The survey will open on Wednesday, October 15 and close on Saturday, November 15.
How to Participate
GMercyU students, faculty, and staff will receive email invitations in your GMercyU email account. The email subject will read “Gwynedd Mercy University, Viewfinder Campus Climate Survey is Now Open!” The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete.
Check Your Inbox! Survey emails are scheduled to send on the dates below:
- Email #1: October 15
- Email reminders: October 22, October 29, November 5 and November 11
The final day to submit your response is November 15.
Giveaways
We are strongly encouraging EVERYONE to participate! We are offering the following incentives to encourage YOUR participation.
The earlier you complete the survey, the more chances you will have to win one of the weekly giveaways. When participants completes the survey, they will see a "Thank you for participating" page.
Clicking DONE at the bottom will redirect you to a form where you can input your contact information. This new form will be completely separate from your survey responses. Students that complete the survey during week one will remain in the drawings for subsequent weeks if they are not selected as a winner.
Students who complete the survey are entered to win for one of four (4) Apple AirPods 4.
Faculty and Staff who complete the survey are entered to win for one (1) Apple AirPods 4.
Week 1 Incentives: Drawing on Monday, October 27, 2025
Week 2 Incentives: Drawing on Monday, November 3, 2025
Week 3 Incentives: Drawing on Monday, November 10, 2025
Week 4 Incentives: Drawing on Monday, November 17, 2025
Questions
General questions about the survey can be directed to Tatiana Diaz, Assistant Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (diaz.t@gmercyu.edu)
Student Survey Accessibility: For students with survey accessibility questions, please contact Zack Hulings, Director of Student Accessibility Services 215-646-7300, ext. 21033 accessibilityservices@gmercyu.edu
Employee Survey Accessibility: For employees with survey ADA accommodation questions, Dianna Sofo, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources 215-646-7300, ext.21562 sofo.d@gmercyu.edu
FAQs
GMercyU will administer a university-wide climate survey to all students, staff, faculty and administrators from October 15 through November 15. This provides an important opportunity for everyone at the University to share their voices and experiences as we assess our progress and continually strive to foster a campus community where we all thrive and share a sense of belonging.
A climate survey assesses how different individuals and groups experience various environments at their university, including in the classroom, at social events, and in the surrounding community. The survey will provide evidence that helps us understand whether, how, and for whom GMercyU’s environments are inclusive as well as what can be done to improve these environments.
To ensure that survey participants remain anonymous, Viewfinder, a third-party vendor, will be distributing the Climate Survey to all faculty, staff, administrators, and students. Participation is voluntary.
When the survey launches on October 15, all faculty, staff, administrators, and students should expect an email from Viewfinder. Anyone not receiving this email should check their spam folder.
Many universities administer a campus climate survey every 3–5 years. The last University-wide climate survey for all students and employees was conducted at GMercyU in 2022. Climate surveys serve as a snapshot in time, allowing campus leadership to assess and compare perceptions of belonging over time and address needed areas of improvement and engagement.
Findings from the campus climate survey will be used to understand areas of growth and to identify needed improvements that will foster and promote more inclusive environments. Such changes will help to facilitate the success of our students, employees, and campus community.
The staff at Viewfinder will provide the anonymous data and a summary report to show overall averages, trends, and dashboards. The data will be disaggregated by demographics such as race and ethnicity; gender; and role (e.g., student, faculty, staff) among others. The AVP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will work with the Director of Institutional Research and Analytics and the Director of Assessment & Continuous Improvement to analyze results and provide additional reporting that highlights the implications of key findings within the GMercyU context. Findings will also shared through open presentations and discussions with the campus community, engaging the campus community in efforts to identify progress, areas to address, and next steps.
The Viewfinder staff and GMercyU staff recognize that employees or students may have unique combinations of characteristics or experiences that could make individuals identifiable even if a survey is anonymous. To ensure that all individual identities remain protected, dashboard and reported results will only be available to view in aggregate. For disaggregated data, results will not be visible if the number of respondents within a certain category is less than five. Qualitative data from open-ended comments will be reviewed, and any information that identifies the comment’s author or specific members of the campus community within the comment will not be shared.
Statement about the Campus Climate Survey from Vendor
Viewfinder. Viewfinder Campus Climate Surveys are designed to help colleges and universities measure and assess both their strengths and weaknesses around diversity and inclusion efforts for students, faculty, staff, and administrators. They provide insight into what shapes the experiences and perceptions of diverse individuals on campus to help institutions create an environment where everyone feels safe, welcome, valued, and respected. Viewfinder® was created by the only trusted source for diversity and inclusion information in higher education, INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, creator of the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award and the Diversity Champion recognition.” For additional information on our vendor, please visit Viewfinder's website: https://www.insightintodiversity.com/viewfinder/.