Earlier this week, University of Kentucky officials unveiled preliminary data from the campus-wide Campus Attitudes Toward Safety (CATS) student survey. Today, they have begun working with other colleges and universities in Kentucky and beyond to conduct similar surveys while instituting a statewide consortium on campus safety.
The Campus Climate Consortium opportunity was announced to conference attendees who represent all eight of Kentucky’s public colleges and six private institutions. A representative from the Southeastern Conference is also in attendance. This consortium will offer these colleges and universities the opportunity to utilize UK’s survey instrument, electronic survey platform, and data management and analysis systems. The goal is to build upon UK’s successful model by employing the same data-rich process to identify key strategies for improving campus safety at other universities while creating a statewide data collection.
“This is an opportunity for colleges and universities in Kentucky to lead in improving safety on their campuses by utilizing our shared expertise,” said Diane Follingstad, Women’s Circle Endowed Chair and Director of the UK Center for Research on Violence Against Women.
Over the last year, the UK Center for Research on Violence Against Women developed a research-based instrument to determine a baseline understanding of UK’s campus climate. This five-year CATS survey initiative is a confidential tool that measures social and cultural environments at UK, consisting of several sections that ask questions about students’ beliefs, opinions, and knowledge of campus safety, as well as assesses their adverse experiences over the past year.
“The national dialogue on sexual assault and personal violence on college campuses has grown over the last 16 months: media coverage; congressional hearings and potential legislation; a White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault; the It’s On Us” campaign; and various public, private and higher education leaders have honed our national focus on this important issue,” said UK President EliCapilouto. “But these important campus issues cannot be addressed without a coordinated effort from departments, personnel and partners who are guided by data-driven decision making.”
From UKNow