Eastern the Only Four-Year Public University in New England Named a 'Great College to Work For'
Willimantic, CT (07/19/2018) — Eastern Connecticut State University has been named a "Great College to Work For" by The Chronicle of Higher Education, a top trade publication for colleges and universities. Released on July 16, the results are based on a survey of 253 colleges and universities. This is the ninth time Eastern has received "Great Colleges" distinction since it first began participating in the program in 2009.
Only 84 of the institutions that applied for the program achieved "Great College to Work For" recognition this year. Eastern was also named to the national Great Colleges "Honor Roll," one of only 42 institutions named to this exclusive club. This is the fourth year in a row that Eastern has been named to the honor roll. Eastern was the only public four-year university or college in New England to gain "Great Colleges" distinction.
The Chronicle's Great Colleges to Work For survey is the largest and most comprehensive workplace study in higher education. Now in its 10th year, the program recognizes colleges that get top ratings from their employees on workforce practices and policies.
The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was employee feedback.
Eastern won honors in seven survey categories this year: Collaborative Governance; Compensation and Benefits; Facilities, Workspaces, and Security; Confidence in Senior Leadership; Teaching Environment; Professional/Career Development Programs; and Tenure Clarity and Process.
"It is gratifying to know that our employees continue to value the positive working environment we have at Eastern," said Eastern President Elsa Núñez. "The 'Great Colleges to Work For' recognition not only symbolizes the common purpose shared by our faculty and staff, it also represents the welcoming and supportive environment that our students experience every day.
"To know that Eastern has consistently received this honor - winning 'Great Colleges' recognition in each of the nine years we have participated - is proof that our dedication to working together on this campus is a lasting value firmly rooted in our culture."
To administer the survey and analyze the results, The Chronicle worked with ModernThink LLC, a strategic human capital consulting firm that has conducted numerous "Best Places to Work" programs, surveying hundreds of thousands of employees nationwide.
"It's easier to be a great workplace during good times, but it's when times are tough that the commitment to workplace quality really gets tested," said Richard K. Boyer, principal and managing partner of ModernThink LLC. "Those institutions that measure up during times of economic hardship reinforce their already strong cultures and put even more distance between them and their peer institutions for whom they compete for talent."
Written by Ed Osborn
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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving more than 5,300 students annually at its Willimantic campus and satellite locations. In addition to attracting students from 163 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 26 other states and 20 other countries. A residential campus offering 40 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal art foundation grounded in an array of applied learning opportunities. Ranked the 25th top public university in the North Region by U.S. News and World Report in its 2018 Best College ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review eight years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.
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Business Administration Professor Sukeshini Grandhi presents at a Faculty Scholars Forum, a lunchtime program in which faculty members can present their scholarship to fellow Eastern staff and faculty.