UNT aspires to emerge as an exceptionally diverse and inclusive institution dedicated to generating knowledge and innovations that will profoundly influence the future and cultivate excellence in the next generation of scholars and leaders. We acknowledge the pivotal role faculty members play in realizing this vision and are dedicated to ensuring that every faculty member feels included and valued.
In pursuit of continuous improvement, UNT actively engages in surveys to gauge faculty satisfaction. Among the comprehensive surveys we have undertaken, the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey is one of the most impactful initiatives in our journey toward enhancing the academic experience.
Since receiving our COACHE 2024 survey results in late summer, the COACHE Steering Committee developed a three-pronged engagement process that places relevant data with stakeholders who can act on the results. This includes:
Community feedback and dialogue will occur between November 2024 and February 2025. Please get in touch with a faculty member involved in a focus area if you are interested in joining this work.
The COACHE Steering Committee will compile a comprehensive report in late spring 2025 informed through all three feedback mechanisms. The report will include a deeper understanding of the areas of dissatisfaction and recommendations for our community to address these areas.
UNT distributes the survey every three years, and we have made significant strides in addressing areas of concern while continuing to support the resources that faculty share that are helping them succeed. These include:
The Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey is a pivotal instrument employed by academic institutions, including the University of North Texas (UNT), to assess and enhance the experiences of faculty members. UNT, with its commitment to being a diverse and inclusive institution that fosters knowledge and innovation, utilizes the COACHE survey as a comprehensive tool to gauge faculty job satisfaction. Its importance lies in providing valuable insights into faculty perspectives, aiding continuous improvement efforts, and enabling the institution to tailor policies and practices toward a more supportive academic environment.
By participating in the COACHE survey, UNT seeks to align faculty experiences with its vision, ensuring that faculty members feel included, valued, and empowered to contribute to the university's overarching goals of excellence and diversity.
The survey assesses 25 benchmarks of faculty job satisfaction within an academic workplace, including:
Aggregated results pinpoint areas requiring attention and improvement, guiding academic leaders in shaping a more conducive and satisfying work environment. Moreover, the national scope of the survey allows institutions to compare their results with those of peers, fostering a collaborative approach to addressing challenges and enhancing the overall quality of academic experiences across the higher education landscape.
The COACHE survey, initially administered to tenure-track faculty in 2008-2009 and subsequently to tenured faculty in 2010-2011, reflects UNT's dedication to understanding and addressing the evolving needs and experiences of its faculty. In 2018 and 2021, UNT expanded its commitment by including all full-time faculty in the COACHE survey — including lecturers, clinical, tenure-track and tenured faculty — in every college.
Overall, results from the 2021 COACHE survey indicated improvement over scores from the 2018 COACHE survey. 62% of our full-time faculty responded to the COACHE 2021 survey, and of those, 53% completed the survey for an 84% retention rate, which was higher than any of our five comparison universities: Louisiana State University, University of Central Florida, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, University of Tennessee, and University of Texas at Arlington (47%) and the larger COACHE cohort (43%). In 2024, our five comparison universities will be: University of Houston, University of Texas at Arlington, Texas Tech University, Florida State University, and University of California-Irvine.
Our 2024 COACHE Steering Committee members represent a diverse set of faculty and staff who will review the results, engage faculty groups, and identify actionable suggestions to continue improving the work life for UNT faculty.
*Staff