March 16, 2023
Dear colleagues and friends:
As I mentioned in a March 1 email, I am spending the first several weeks as interim dean listening and learning to better understand your challenges and the opportunities ahead. Fortunately, we are in the midst of two important surveys that can provide both broad and very specific insights.
First, you are probably aware that COACHE, a comprehensive faculty satisfaction survey, is already underway. Many of you have completed it. This survey, led by the Office of the Provost, will provide Emory-wide and school-level data on faculty satisfaction and will benchmark our institution against national peers. Important changes were driven by the 2020 COACHE survey results, including the new parental leave policy, more transparent compensation practices, university action to improve shared research services and expanded education around promotions. A unique survey link was sent to your Emory email last month from coachefaculty@abtassoc.com.
Beginning March 20, the School of Medicine will also launch the Diversity Engagement Survey (DES), a very brief survey designed to assess culture and climate across the school. We are committed to building a culture that is diverse, equitable and inclusive, in which every member of our team feels a sense of belonging. The Diversity Engagement Survey is an important tool to track progress toward these goals and ensure we stay focused on the priorities that are meaningful to you. Important changes that have recently happened based on your feedback include the addition of new affinity groups, activities of the Staff Recognition and Engagement Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Week and the launch of quarterly community forums. A unique survey link will be sent to your Emory email next week.
I know surveys take time and that we many times feel “over-surveyed,” but as the largest school at Emory, it is critically important that the unique needs and concerns of our SOM faculty are heard and incorporated into future planning efforts – both at the university level and within the SOM. With that in mind, I want to personally ask you to please participate. While the COACHE survey is broad, the Diversity Engagement Survey drills down into one very specific aspect of your experience working at Emory. I strongly encourage every faculty member to take advantage of both opportunities to share what’s working and where we can improve.
Thank you for all you do.
Carlos
Carlos del Rio, MD
Interim Dean, Emory University School of Medicine
Interim Chief Academic Officer, Emory Healthcare
Leon L. Haley, Jr. MD Distinguished Professor of Medicine
Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine