Climate assessment is the systematic measuring of effectiveness in an institution or program area so that an action plan for program improvement can be created and set in motion as a means of inducing change. When stakeholders come together to assess the climate on campus or within a particular unit on campus, they want to discover what is working, what is not working, what needs improvement, and how things can be changed for the better, either across systems or within a specific program area. Stakeholders are the people involved in the planning process, individuals who have a stake in the climate assessment process and those persons impacted by its outcomes. In an ideal world, those who will be affected by the outcomes of the climate assessment should have a say in its planning, implementation, and evaluation.
The magnitude of the term “climate assessment” implies it is a global and expensive research endeavor, encompassing an entire college or university. While the process can be this large and far-reaching, it can be just as effective on a smaller scale. There are many forms of climate assessment. Some extend to an entire campus community while others extend only to a department or small office on campus. The climate assessment process can be as broad, narrow, expensive, or inexpensive as needed.
