Bentley Equity Experience FAQs

The need for a climate study emerged from the Racial Justice Task Force Discovery Document, published in Spring 2021,after an assessment of the campus culture uncovered a lack of consistent opportunities to express concern with the climate and to share perceptions of the impact of discrimination, harassment, and bias. The Bentley Equity Experience (BEX) study launched in Fall 2021 and provided a baseline from which to measure our progress as a University and allow for transparency and accountability as we strengthen our efforts to facilitate a welcoming, inclusive community. The 2024 BEX study is a continuation of our commitment to regular and consistent measure of the campus climate across the entire campus including students and employees. 

The results of this survey will be shared widely with the campus to inform the creation of specific measurable systemic changes. Data will be disaggregated, to the extent possible, by specific demographic groups to uncover patterns and themes. Data will also be analyzed by division and department to inform the creation of specific action plans focused on the unique contributions of these areas to the culture. We will also be using the data from this year's study to compare it with the 2021 study data to identify patterns and shifts in perceptions to identify points of transformation within the Bentley community.

Confidentiality is essential to the success of campus climate research. The Office of Business Intelligence and Enrollment Services, who will be administering the survey, has committed to taking multiple measures protect individual confidentiality and the de-identification of data:

• The only personal identification we will use will include your name, email address, legal sex, and race/ethnicity for the purposes of tracking survey completion..
• Your responses to the survey will never be included in an analytic dataset together with identifiable personal information (such as your name and email).  After the study is concluded, your identifiable personal data will be destroyed.
• Only the offices of Business Intelligence & Enrollment Services and Diversity & Inclusion will have access to the full data set. Any requests for data will be reported in the aggregate in a report with no identifiable personal information.

The campus climate survey that was selected has been developed and validated by the University of Michigan. The Campus Climate Survey on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion includes questions that capture information and perceptions on demographics, climate, institutional commitment and inclusive and equitable treatment, department norms, intergroup interactions, and discrimination. The instrument was tailored by the Office of Business Intelligence & Enrollment Services team to reflect Bentley's unique structure, similar to the survey.

Some notable differences in this year's survey design include the removal of a question about COVID and the addition of questions that seek to address climate around free expression and identity-based harassment and bias.

The Office of Business Intelligence & Enrollment Services will be conducting the survey on behalf of Bentley University. The team has committed to taking critical steps to ensure that this data is secured and protected and that no personal identifiable information is associated with the results in this confidential survey.

The Bentley Institutional Review Board (IRB) members reviewed the Scope of Work for the Bentley Campus Climate study and determined that IRB approval was not required. No data will be collected through intervention or interaction with an individual, and identifiable personal information will be protected. This decision is consistent with other climate surveys of this kind at Bentley.