SRU named nationally as a “Great Place to Work For”
July 18, 2016
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Slippery Rock University has once again been recognized as one of the nation's "Great Places to Work For" by The Chronicle of Higher Education, a top trade publication for colleges and universities. This is the sixth time in seven years the University has garnered the honor.
"We are truly honored to have been selected once again by the Chronicle of Higher Education as a 'Great Place to Work For,'" Slippery Rock University President Cheryl Norton said. "This is a caring community that respects each person's unique contributions to helping our students succeed. Honors such as this just validate what those connected to SRU already know: This is a great place at which to study, live and work."
The Chronicle's "2016 Great Colleges to Work For" survey is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. This year, 281 institutions participated. The Chronicle recognized 93 institutions, including 64 four-year institutions and 25 two-year institutions.
Results are reported for small, medium and large institutions, with SRU included among the medium universities with 3,000 to 9,999 students.
The Great Colleges survey included a two-part assessment process: a survey administered to faculty, administrators and professional support staff, and an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies and practices from each institution. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received "Great College to Work For" recognition was the employee feedback.
"Nine years in, The Chronicle's Great Colleges to Work For program is well known as a mark of a college or university that puts thought and effort into serving the needs of its faculty and staff," said Liz McMillen, editor of The Chronicle. "The colleges and universities that make the list are highly rated by their employees for creating great working environments, an important achievement that helps them recruit top academic and administrative talent."
SRU earned special recognition in the "Compensation and Benefits" category.
"The compensation and fringe benefits packages that our employees enjoy remain among the most comprehensive in higher education, far exceeding the level of benefits provided to most Pennsylvania residents," said Lynne Motyl, assistant vice president of human resources. "Depending upon enrollment choices in both the health and the retirement plans, benefits can equate to more than 70 percent of an employee's base salary and could be as high as 100 percent of base salary which is a very significant financial commitment."
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 Boyer, principal and managing partner, ModernThink LLC. "And 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."
MEDIA CONTACT: Robb King | 724.738.2199 | robert.king@sru.edu