(Posted July 21, 2015)

Daniel Welliver, associate professor of sociology, instructs a roomful of eager students. Juniata was honored by the Chronicle of Higher Education for its Teaching Environment.
Daniel Welliver, associate professor of sociology, instructs a roomful of eager students. Juniata was honored by the Chronicle of Higher Education for its Teaching Environment.

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College is honored for the seventh time since 2008 as one of 86 colleges or universities nationwide named as a "Great College to Work For" in the Chronicle of Higher Education 2015 survey.

The 2015 poll includes Juniata in its "Small College" category. Previously, Juniata has been placed on the poll's "Honor Roll" four times. Indeed, Juniata has been named as a "Great Place to Work" every year since the Chronicle of Higher Education began the poll in 2008.

Juniata was recognized in the "Small College" division (499 employees or fewer) in three out of 12 categories. The survey is based on responses to the Chronicle from more than 45,000 administrators, faculty members and staff members at 300 colleges and universities, as well as community colleges, across the country. The poll covered 281 four-year institutions (185 four-year institutions) and 96 two-year institutions.

"Working with the faculty and staff at Juniata has revealed just how dedicated employees are when it comes to educating young men and women," says James Troha, president of Juniata. "Juniata's employees go beyond the parameters of their jobs to make the campus and the college great."

The Chronicle of Higher Education survey, which was administered by ModernThink LLC, a human resources consulting firm based in Wilmington, Del. that has conducted numerous "Best Places to Work" programs, surveying hundreds of thousands of employees nationwide, found that Juniata rated highly in the following categories: Professional/Career Development, Teaching Environment (Faculty Only); and Tenure Clarity & Process.

"The Chronicle's Great Colleges to Work For program shows how the colleges and universities on the list are getting it right: They're leaders in creating environments where smart people enjoy their work."

Liz McMillen, editor, Chronicle of Higher Education.

"The Chronicle's Great Colleges to Work For program shows how the colleges and universities on the list are getting it right: They're leaders in creating environments where smart people enjoy their work," says Liz McMillen, editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education. "The faculty and staff who make up our readership want to know which institutions are Great Colleges to Work For because many of them are either seeking to improve their own campus or are looking for that next great career opportunity. The selection process is rigorous and being named to the list is a tremendous accomplishment, but it also positions colleges and universities well to recruit the people that make them a success."
Of the 281 colleges and universities polled, 86 were recognized as a Great Place to Work. To gain recognition as a Great Place to Work, an institution must be recognized in at least one of 12 categories

The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was employee feedback.

The Chronicle's published survey results named only those institutions that scored high enough to be recognized in a particular category. Of the employees polled nationwide, more than 40,000 faculty, professional staff and administrators completed the surveys.

The colleges and universities participating in the survey were representative of one of five classifications set by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: research universities with "very high" research activity; doctoral/research universities; master's colleges and universities; and baccalaureate colleges for arts and sciences.

Each institution participating in the survey was asked to submit a list of employees randomly selected from administration, faculty and professional support staff. The sample size for the survey was either 400 or 600, depending on the size of the institution.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.