Old Main in the spring

COACHE Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey

The University of Arkansas is dedicated to generating knowledge, discovery, and innovation that will significantly influence the future and cultivate excellence in the next generation of leaders, scholars, and citizens. We acknowledge the pivotal role faculty members play in realizing this vision, and as an employer of choice, we are dedicated to fostering a work environment where all faculty feel a sense of belonging, work toward a meaningful purpose, and have the resources, connections, and support to be most effective, grow and advance their careers, and thrive in their personal and professional lives.

In pursuit of continuous improvement of the academic experience, the Office of the Provost, in collaboration with the academic schools and colleges, offers faculty the opportunity to provide feedback related to job satisfaction through the COACHE survey. This survey was conducted  in early 2025 as part of a partnership with the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education, which is operated by the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The COACHE survey enables the University of Arkansas to evaluate faculty job satisfaction at the university overall and within each academic school or college and compare it with that of our peer institutions and colleges. The information the university has gained from this survey will be used to help the university and the colleges retain and attract the best faculty talent, increase the overall satisfaction of current faculty and reinforce the university’s strategic priority of enhancing its status as an employer of choice.

 

 

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2025 Survey Results

Between February and April 2025, full-time faculty who have been with the university for three years were asked to take the COACHE survey. View the results from this survey and how the university is addressing areas for improvement that were identified.

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More Information

Learn more about the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

The Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) is a national effort coordinated through the Harvard Graduate School of Education to gather data and feedback on areas of institutional strengths and areas for improvement. The COACHE survey helps the university measure faculty satisfaction and allows us to make sure we are meeting the needs of our faculty.

Data is compared to peer cohorts. The COACHE team performs the statistical analysis and provides a report and aggregate data to the University of Arkansas' Office of Strategic Analytics & Insights.

The University of Arkansas is committed to fostering a work environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging, works toward a meaningful purpose, and has the data, resources, connections and foundation of support to be most effective, grow and advance their careers, and thrive in their personal and professional lives. This survey will assist with this goal by providing data on job satisfaction of full-time tenured, tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty, who have been employed at the university for at least three years. Participation is voluntary but encouraged.

The survey provides us with a valuable opportunity to hear directly from our faculty and, most importantly, to ensure that faculty voices are at the center of shaping the future of the University of Arkansas. As we continue our commitment to being an employer of choice, this survey is an essential tool for understanding the faculty experience on our campus.

Administered by an independent research team from Harvard's Graduate School of Education, the COACHE survey allows us to benchmark our progress against peer institutions and gain meaningful insights into areas where we excel and where improvements are needed.

The feedback we receive from this survey helps us identify actionable priorities to enhance the work environment, strengthen faculty support, and foster a culture of collaboration and growth. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that the U of A continues to be a great place to work, teach, and thrive.

All full-time tenured, tenure-track and non-tenure track faculty, who have been employed at the university for at least three years, were eligible to participate in the COACHE survey. 

About 41% of our faculty participated in the 2025 survey, reflecting a response rate that is higher than that of our selected peer institutions. 

Yes. As noted on the COACHE website, confidentiality and anonymity are assured in all COACHE analyses and reports. Only the aggregate data is shown in the report. No identifiers are matched to reported responses, and no disaggregated data will be presented for any subgroup with fewer than five respondents.
The key COACHE survey results have been shared with the academic colleges and schools and the Faculty Senate and can be accessed on this webpage. All data is aggregated and anonymous.
The Office of the Provost and the Division of Research and Innovation have developed a set of specific actions that address the key areas for improvement.  The university has already made progress in several key areas for improvement and is committed to ensuring our faculty are supported in their roles and that the university remains and strengthens its status as an employer of choice.