Meet the Climate Survey Team
The UMKC Climate Survey team consists of a full committee of students, faculty and staff from throughout the university. The committee worked closely with Rankin & Associates Consulting, who administered the survey.
Survey best practices revealed working with an independent, outside agency to conduct surveys on subject matter like campus climate were likely to yield higher response rates and provide more credible findings.
Principal Investigators
Professor Susan Rankin
Principal
Rankin & Associates Consulting
Rankin is a faculty member in education policy studies and college student affairs at The Pennsylvania State University and a senior research associate at the Center for the Study of Higher Education. She has extensive experience in institutional climate assessment and institutional climate transformation based on data-driven action and strategic planning. Rankin has conducted multi-location institutional climate studies at other university systems across the country.
Emil Cunningham
Senior Research Associate
Rankin & Associates Consulting
Emil L. Cunningham has worked in higher education since 2004, most recently overseeing research initiatives and projects in the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs at The Pennsylvania State University. Cunningham also received his Ph.D. in higher education from Penn State. His research focuses on sense of belonging, institutionally designated safe space and the lived experiences of students of color.
Barbara Bichelmeyer
Interim Chancellor, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
UMKC
Barbara Bichelmeyer serves as the chief academic officer and senior member of the UMKC’s leadership team. She is responsible for implementing UMKC’s vision. Bichelmeyer ensures academic excellence, maintains growth in external funding for research and outreach, and supports synergy among schools, academic departments, centers, institutes and professional programs. Along with other UMKC faculty and staff, Bichelmeyer is working on expanding student retention, success strategies and an early alert program.
Susan B. Wilson
Vice Chancellor for the Division of Diversity and Inclusion
UMKC
Susan B. Wilson is a licensed clinical psychologist with a career in health-care administration, consulting, clinical and media work. In Wilson’s role as chief diversity officer at UMKC, she oversees diversity and inclusion policies and programs for students, faculty, and the staff and community. Wilson attended the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned a B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She earned an MBA from the UMKC Henry W. Bloch School of Management.
Climate Survey Working Group
A dedicated team of students, faculty and staff has represented the university on the Climate Survey Working Group since planning began in early Spring 2015.
Ida Ayalew, 2015-16 SGA President
Brenda Bethman, Director of the Women’s Center/German and Women & Genders Studies
Mark Bryant, Undergraduate student – Men of Color, Sophomore, Theatre
Larry Bunce, Director of Institutional Research
Julius Carpenter, Undergraduate student – Men of Color, Renewed Spirit Ministries
Jennifer Coldiron, Director of the Division of Diversity and Inclusion
Keichanda Dees-Burnett, Director of Multicultural Student Affairs
Jennifer DeHaemers, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
Stephen Dilks, Professor of English, General Education Core Curriculum Committee
Michelle Farrell, Graduate student, Adjunct Instructor – Counseling and Psychology
Carol Fitzpatrick, Human Resources Manager
Sandra Gault, Director of International Student Affairs
Rakeem Golden, Undergraduate student – MSOC representative, Junior, Sociology
Eric Grospitch, Former Dean of Students
Sean Grube, Director of Residential Life
Greg Hayes, Former Director of Career Services
Kimberly Johnson, Staff Council representative, Senior Executive Assistant to the Chancellor
Michelle Kroner, Violence Prevention and Response Manager
Scott Laurent, Director of Services for Students with Disabilities
Danielle Martinez, Executive Assistant for the Division of Diversity and Inclusion
Kim McNeley, Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Advising and University College
Denis Medeiros, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
Roda Mohamud, Undergraduate student – Muslim Student Association, Senior, Chemistry
Luan “Kevin” T. Ngo, Undergraduate student – Veteran, Freshman, Biology
Sean O’Brien, Associate Professor of Black Studies and English
Steven Pankey, Former Staff Council President
Amy Prettejohn, Assistant Director of Institutional Research
Jonathan Pryor, Assistant Director of LGBTQIA Programs and Services
Amber Reinert, Graduate student – Pharmacy, Class of 2019
Luis Reyes, Undergraduate Student – ALAS President, Health Sciences
Kevin Sansberry, Senior Human Resources Manager
Lynette Sparkman-Barnes, Associate Director of Counseling, Health and Testing, and Disability Services
Anne Spenner, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Marketing and Communications
Theresa Torres, Associate Professor of Latina/Latino Studies and Sociology
Jeff Traiger, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
Sam Turner, Associate Dean for Diversity, Hosptial Hill Campus
Mel Tyler, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
Josh Wallace, Graduate student – Higher Education, Office of Student Involvement Graduate Assistant
Peggy Ward-Smith, 2013-16 Faculty Senate Chair, Associate Professor of Nursing, Director of the Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching
Jacqueline Wood, Associate Professor, Black Studies and English