UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Following the release of the preview report of findings from the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey this fall, Penn State’s COACHE steering committee has identified four draft priorities for consideration and feedback. Faculty are encouraged to share their input and help set the priority areas for action across Penn State by either completing an anonymous feedback form or participating in one of three listening sessions this month with members of the COACHE steering committee.
The four interconnected priority areas of focus, identified by the steering committee after reviewing the University-wide survey results, highlight both strengths to build upon and challenges to address. They are:
- Cultivating Trust through University Action reflects faculty members’ strong confidence in departmental leadership contrasted with concerns about transparency, communication and alignment between senior leadership’s stated priorities and faculty experiences.
- Strengthening Faculty–Administration Collaboration underscores the need for more meaningful faculty input, as low scores in governance point to a desire for clearer shared purpose and more transparent decision-making.
- Recognizing and Appreciating Faculty emerged as another priority, with many — particularly those from underrepresented groups or carrying heavy advising and service loads — feeling undervalued by senior leadership.
- Removing Barriers to Faculty Productivity and Success captures concerns about administrative burden, complex systems, and uneven workloads that hinder faculty effectiveness. Taken together, these themes present an opportunity for Penn State to strengthen trust, deepen collaboration, reduce barriers and more fully recognize the faculty whose work drives the University’s mission.
Additional details about each priority can be found on the COACHE website.
Faculty invited to share feedback
Faculty are asked to submit their feedback on the above draft priorities by completing an online form. Submissions can be made anonymously and will be accepted through Dec. 14.
Additionally, the Penn State COACHE steering committee invites faculty to participate in one of three upcoming listening sessions. The hour-long sessions will be an opportunity for faculty to engage and provide feedback on the draft priority areas for action.
The listening sessions will be held:
- Thursday, Dec. 4: 2-3 p.m. via Zoom
- Monday, Dec. 8: 12-1 p.m. via Zoom
- Thursday, Dec. 11: 10-11 a.m. via Zoom
The agenda and format for each session will be the same, so faculty should plan to attend only one of the three sessions. Registration is not required.
Following the feedback period, the COACHE steering committee will review the input from faculty and finalize the set of priorities to share with University senior leadership by the end of 2025.
Next steps in year two of the COACHE process
The COACHE steering committee plans to share the final University-wide priority items with the Penn State community in January 2026. They will then begin work on the University Action Plan, which will identify strategies for addressing each of the priorities, and will also collaborate with the college and campus committees on their individual unit plans in spring 2026. More information about year two timelines and milestones is available on the COACHE website.
About the COACHE survey
A joint effort of the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost and the University Faculty Senate, the COACHE Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey was open to all eligible full-time faculty during the spring 2025 semester. The survey is designed to provide insights into the experiences of faculty members across Penn State, identify areas of potential improvement, strengthen community and drive positive change at the campus, college and department levels. Topics covered by the survey included shared governance; engagement; collegiality; recruitment and retention; appreciation and recognition; interdisciplinary work; institutional leadership; resources and support; and promotion and tenure.
Sharing out the survey results in fall 2025 kicked off the second year of the three-year process, during which the University-wide steering committee and unit committees will review the results, gather additional feedback from faculty and recommend priorities for action.
More information is available on the COACHE website and questions can be emailed to coache@psu.edu.