What Is Campus Climate? Why Does It Matter?
Campus climate includes people’s perceptions and experiences with institutional climate and campus practices related to diversity, inclusion, respect and belonging. When students, faculty and staff feel valued and supported, it leads to effective learning, career outcomes, retention and well-being. A healthy campus climate is essential for building an equitable and inclusive university.
How Campus Climate Affects Students
Student voices are important in improving our climate and empowering students to be a part of strengthening Northern Illinois University’s community.
Campus climate may affect students’ ability to learn, study, work and be fully a part of our campus community. Inclusive and equitable campus climates provide students with a sense of belonging that advances student success, retention, graduation and positive experiences, in which students who turn into alumni want to give back to our campus community.
Research has demonstrated how campus climate influences learning and development, how bias and discriminatory environments have affected student learning and retention, and the positive attributes to learning in a diverse environment. Some examples include:
- Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How college affects students: A third decade of research (vol. 2). Jossey-Bass.
- Cabrera, A. F., Nora, A., Terenzini, P. T., Pascarella, E., & Hagedorn, L. S. (1999). Campus racial climate and the adjustment of students to college: A comparison between white students and African-American students. The Journal of Higher Education, 70(2), 134-160.
- Abes, E. S., Jones, S. B., & Stewart, D-L. (2019). Rethinking college student development theory: Using critical frameworks. Routledge.
- Linley, J. L., Nguyen, D., Brazelton, G. B., Becker, B., Renn, K., & Woodford, M. (2016). Faculty as sources of support for LGBTQ college students. College Teaching, 64(2), 55-63.
- Harper, S., & Patrón, O. E. (2025). Three decades of campus racial climate studies and 25 new directions for future research. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 49(10-11), 712-730.
- Strayhorn, T. L. (2018). College students’ sense of belonging: A key to educational success for all students (2nd ed.). Routledge.
- Aquino, K. C., & Bittinger, J. D. (2019). The self-(un)identification of disability in higher education. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 32(1), 5-19.
- Guzmán, G., Miles, L. T., & Youngblood, S. (2021). Campus service workers supporting first-generation students: Informal mentorship and culturally relevant support as key to student retention and success. Routledge.
How Campus Climate Affects Faculty and Staff
Faculty and staff are important in ensuring that Northern Illinois University fulfills our mission and practices our core values. Teaching, working, researching and caring for students who strengthen inclusive decision-making and respect members of our community are essential for a positive campus culture.
Campus climate may affect employees’ ability to teach, work, research and participate fully as part of our campus community and work environment. Inclusive and equitable workplaces foster professional support and growth, overall well-being and job satisfaction.
Research has demonstrated how campus climate affects various employees’ ability to be successful in the workplace. Some examples include:
- Reyes, L. (2023). Leading in color in academia: A Latinx chair’s experience of resiliency and hope. In Navigating Academia During COVID-19: Perspectives and Strategies from BIPOC Women(pp. 81-87). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
- Muñoz, J. A., & Villanueva, I. (2022). Latino STEM scholars, barriers, and mental health: A review of the literature. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 21(1), 3-16.
- Gordon, H. R., Willink, K., & Hunter, K. (2024). Invisible labor and the associate professor: Identity and workload inequity. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 17(3), 285.
- Bui, Long T. (2021). On the struggles and experiences of Southeast Asian American academics. Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement, 16(1), article 16.
- Mayhew, M. J., Grunwald, H. E., & Dey, E. L. (2006). Breaking the silence: Achieving a positive campus climate for diversity from the staff perspective. Research in Higher Education, 47, 63-88.
- Moylan, C. A., Javorka, M., Lindquist, C., Krebs, C., & Campbell, R. (2022). The Sum of All Parts: Enhancing the Value of Campus Climate Surveys by Including Faculty and Staff Perspectives. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 19(5), 592–607.
Campus Climate Administration
- Lee, H., Ortouste, M., Syed, A., & Mann, K. (2025). A systematic review of campus climate assessments at institutions of higher education. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 18(5), 740-755.
- Braught, E., Palmer, M., Priddie, C., & Ribera, A. (2025). Not just another climate survey: Leading a change-oriented survey administration. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 9.
- Leskinen, E. A., Cusano, J., Fenneberg, L., & Cascardi, M. (2022). Campus Climate Assessments: Limitations of Siloing Sexual Violence and Diversity Surveys. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 19(5), 557–573.