Results of the Being@NYU campus climate survey conducted this past November and December in partnership with Rankin & Associates Consulting were released on April 24 at an event in the Rosenthal Pavilion of the Kimmel Center for University Life. The results were presented by Rankin Executive Associate Genevieve Weber, who worked closely with NYU throughout the climate survey.

Across NYU’s global sites, 21,699 students, staff and faculty responded to the survey, constituting approximately 31 percent of the NYU community. The minimum community participation percentage set by Rankin was 30 percent.

30 percent of faculty, 55 percent of staff and administrators, 33 percent of undergraduate students and 24 percent of graduate students responded.

The survey aimed to assess opinions, attitudes and behaviors of students and staff at NYU.

17 percent of respondents said they had personally experienced exclusionary, intimidating, offensive or hostile conduct at NYU within the last year. In addition, 30 percent of all respondents have seriously considered leaving NYU. In contrast, 81 percent said they were comfortable with NYU’s climate. 21 percent of students, however, said they felt they had to hide their identity or background to succeed at NYU.

“Racism, sexism, they’re happening here,” Weber said.

37 percent of gender non-binary students experienced exclusionary conduct, 55 percent of whom said it was due to their gender identity. Meanwhile, 24 percent of black students experienced exclusionary conduct in the past year and 60 percent of those students said that conduct was because of their race. A full report that is over 600 pages will be released in May.

University President Andrew Hamilton and Senior Vice President for Global Inclusion, Diversity and Strategic Innovation and Chief Diversity Officer Lisa Coleman were among the dozens of students, administrators and faculty in attendance. They delivered remarks before the presentation.

“This data will help us to engage in the work that has already been ongoing,” Coleman said.

The Being@NYU survey is borne out of the 2015 listening session held in the now-closed Coles Sports Center where high-level university officials listened to historically marginalized students. The survey is the most expensive equity, inclusion and diversity project conducted by NYU since Coleman’s arrival in the fall of 2017.

“I can assure you, we will not be forgetting the 17 percent,” Hamilton said, referring to the 17 percent of respondents who said they experienced hostile conduct within the last year. “That may have been a smaller number than other institutions, but 17 percent is still far too high for a university like NYU that prides itself on openness and diversity and inclusion.”