Abstract
Workplaces are amongst the most influential settings in the lives of adults and community psychologists have long been interested how to foster environments that are empowering, provide a sense of community, and support diversity. Yet, despite the fact that many community psychologists work in academic settings, there is a dearth of research that examines universities as work environments, both for faculty and staff members. This paper presents a case study of an initiative at the University of Washington, the Leadership, Community, and Values Initiative that is used a collaborative process to assess the workplace environment and effect positive changes. It is hoped that a description of key aspects of the assessment and efforts toward workplace improvement will serve as a call to community psychologists to turn more of their attention to an important setting that affects many of us, and virtually all of our students.
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Notes
In this paper I will generally refer to university campuses because the study is of the University of Washington. But, college and university should be viewed as interchangeable terms, as what I am saying about one is also true of the other.
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I thank Patti Carson, who as Vice President for Human Resources at the University of Washington between 2003 and 2005 was the driving force behind the Leadership, Community, and Values Initiative. Her desire and drive towards developing work environments that care make her an honorary community psychologist. Special thanks to the data analysis team of the LCVI, James Anthony, Diane Gillepsie*, Cassady Glass Hastings, Beth Warrick* and David Hekman who played a major role in carrying out the analyses presented here. Thanks also to the many members of the LCVI team Jerry Baldasty, Rusty Barcelo, Linda Barrett, Stephanie Camp, Jeff Compher, Sara Contreras, Diane Gillespie, J.W. Harrington*, Merri Huffine, Susan Jeffords*, Shaoyi Jiang, Mindy Kornberg*, Tina Mankowski, Jill McKinstry, Arthur Nowell*, Bob Roseth* Naomi Sanchez, Carmen Sidbury, Jason Smith, Joanne Suffis*, Christina Surawicz, Lea Vaughn*, V’Ella Warren*, Gene Woodward, and Emily Wong. (*indicates membership on Steering Committee).
With special acknowledgement of the contributions of Patti Carson and the University of Washington LCVI leadership team.
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Cauce, A.M. Bringing Community Psychology Home: The Leadership, Community and Values Initiative. Am J Community Psychol 39, 1–11 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-007-9096-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-007-9096-1