MIT’s 2024 Community-Wide Quality of Life Survey

Every two years, MIT administers a community-wide Quality of Life Survey to better understand the lives of faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and students. All members of the MIT community, on campus and at Lincoln Laboratory, are invited to participate.

The survey is closed.

On February 15, 2024, around 10 a.m., President Kornbluth invited MIT faculty, staff, and students to participate in the Quality of Life Survey. The subject line of the email was "2024 MIT Quality of Life Survey." To enter the survey, please click on your unique link in the invitation email.

On February 22, 2024, around 1 p.m., Kathleen Thelen and Ken Goldsmith, the co-chairs of the MIT Council on Family and Work, sent a reminder to non-completers of the survey. The subject line of that email was "Please respond to the 2024 MIT Quality of Life Survey."

On February 28, 2024, around 9 a.m., a reminder to students was sent by Chancellor Melissa Nobles. A reminder to faculty and staff was sent by Vice President for Human Resources Ramona Allen, Provost Cynthia Barnhart, and Executive Vice President and Treasurer Glen Shor. The subject line of the email was "Reminder to participate in the MIT 2024 Quality of Life Survey."

On March 12, 2024, around 9 a.m., a final reminder was sent by Jon Schwarz, Director of Institutional Research. The subject line was "Chance to win $500; Final reminder for MIT Quality of Life Survey." The reminder indicated the survey will close at the end of the day on March 15, 2024.

Incentives!

To express our thanks for taking the survey, we will award prizes to randomly drawn participants.

● 10 grand prizes of $500

● 750 prizes of $25 TechCASH

Any prizes can be donated to the MIT Community Service Fund.

TechCASH can be used at a variety of locations, including The Coop, MITAC, and to purchase Whole Foods gift cards.

More Details

This survey is voluntary. Respondents may answer as few or as many questions as they wish. The data are confidential, and the results of any research or analysis using the data will be presented in a way that protects the privacy of respondents. For the purpose of aggregate analysis—such as calculating response rates or creating reports by subgroup—we will add some data to the survey responses, such as organizational unit.

Support Resources

The resources linked below are available to provide support to members of the MIT community.

● Resources for students

● Resources for employees

● Additional resources for Lincoln Laboratory

Frequently Asked Questions

When will results be available?

Overall results (in Tableau format) and highlights, as well as results for units with enough responses to ensure confidentiality, will be available by the end of summer 2024.
Trend results combining responses from previous surveys will also be available.

Who is invited to take the MIT Quality of Life Survey?

All faculty, staff (including postdoctoral scholars), and students on campus and at Lincoln Laboratory who have valid email addresses will be invited to participate (excluding contractors, affiliated staff, and visiting staff).

What is the MIT Quality of Life Survey?

The MIT Quality of Life Survey provides critical information that can inform decision-making at the Institute around important issues such as:

Satisfaction
Workload
Stress/health/wellness
Climate/atmosphere
Mentoring

New questions addressing the prevalence of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other hatred based on national origin, religion, or ethnicity were added to the survey in 2024. These questions were based on national survey instruments and refined through consultation with campus partners, including MIT's Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life and members of the MIT faculty.

What changes has MIT made based on previous survey results?

MIT has used results from previous surveys to inform several important initiatives, such as:

The employee T pass benefit
Flexible work hours
Expanded childcare on campus
Initiatives to address student hunger
Increased number of lactation rooms

Who organizes the Quality of Life Survey?

The MIT Council on Family and Work works in close collaboration with Institutional Research (IR) in the Office of the Provost, the Executive Vice President and Treasurer, the Chair of the Faculty, and Human Resources to develop the questions, analyze findings, and provide recommendations, using aggregated results.
The Council on Family and Work is a Standing Committee of the Institute whose role is to advise the administration on work and family issues that affect faculty, staff, and students.
Prof. Kathleen Thelen (Political Science) and Assistant Dean Ken Goldsmith (SA+P) co-chair the Council.

When does the survey launch?

The survey launched on February 15, 2024.

Why should I participate?

This is an important opportunity to make your voice, ideas, and concerns heard.
Participation across MIT will help us better understand how our entire community is thinking and feeling.
More responses will provide more effective data to support Institute decision making.
Quality of Life surveys are one of the few MIT sources of important data on non-work demographics (e.g., number of community members with spouses, children, etc.).

Do I have to take the survey?

The survey is voluntary, and you may answer as many or as few questions as you would like.
The more questions that you answer, and the more candidly that you answer them, will make the data more effective.

How long does the survey take?

The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Can I have time to do the survey during the workday?

Employees will be given time during the workday to participate if they choose.

What do you mean by survey data?

Survey data refers to individual responses.
Survey results summarize survey data from multiple respondents (e.g., “80% of MIT students are satisfied with their education” is a survey result).
Survey results can be a powerful tool to inform decision-making across MIT.
Candid responses maximize the effectiveness of survey results.

Is the survey confidential?

Yes, only a few professional Institutional Research analysts will have access to the survey data, and they are committed to protecting the confidentiality of survey responses.
Institutional Research analysts are trained in responsible data use according to the guidelines of the MIT Committee on the Use of Humans as Experimental Subjects (COUHES).

What is the difference between anonymous and confidential?

The only difference between anonymous and confidential is the data that analysts have access to. Because of the guidelines dictating how survey results are reported, the results from anonymous or confidential surveys look the same.
In an anonymous survey, it is not possible for an analyst to match survey responses to an individual.
In a confidential survey, analysts could match responses to individuals, but they protect respondents’ privacy by restricting data access to a small set of highly trained analysts who abide by the rules set forth by COUHES.

Who will have access to the results?

Results aggregated at the school, department, lab, center, or other unit level are made available to the associated deans, department heads, directors, etc.
Results aggregated at the Institute-level are made available to the general public on the Institutional Research website.

Will my supervisor see my responses?

No. Your supervisor will not see your individual responses. The feedback that you provide will be combined with other people’s feedback, and if enough people respond, your supervisor may see the combined results from you and your colleagues.
Analysts will remove any names shared in open-ended responses before inclusion in reports and presentations. We cannot, however, fully anticipate how distinctive your text answers may be.

What questions are asked on the survey?

Still have questions? Experiencing technical difficulties?

Email us: mit-qol@mit.edu

Resources for Students

Confidential Resources

These conversations are kept strictly confidential and, except in rare, extreme circumstances (including imminent risk of harm to self or others), nothing will be shared without your permission. The following MIT offices are confidential resources:

Violence Prevention and Response

MIT's Violence Prevention and Response staff are available to individuals in the MIT community who are looking for help in dealing with sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking and unhealthy relationships.

● Hotline: 617-253-2300

● Fifth floor, Stratton Student Center (W20-547)

● vpradvocate@mit.edu

● https://studentlife.mit.edu/vpr

MIT Health

MIT Health serves the healthcare needs of the MIT community.

● 24-hour line: 617-253-4481

● Urgent Care: 617-253-1311

● E23

● https://health.mit.edu/

Student Mental Health and Counseling

MIT Health's Student Mental Health and Counseling Service works directly with students to understand and solve problems. Visits are confidential and easy to arrange.

● Mental health clinicians are available 24 hours a day for urgent matters.

● E23, 3rd floor

● 617-253-2916

● Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

● Walk-in hours for urgent concerns: M–F, 2–4 p.m.

● https://health.mit.edu/services/mental-health-counseling

MIT Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life (ORSEL)

The Chaplains at MIT, representing many of the world's religions, serve both their own religious communities as well as the MIT community at large. MIT Chaplains are available for counseling, private talks, and consultation.

● 617-253-7707

● W11

● https://studentlife.mit.edu/orsel

Ombuds Office

The MIT Ombuds Office helps people express concerns, resolve disputes, manage conflicts, and learn more productive ways of communicating. The Ombuds Office serves as an independent, confidential, neutral and informal resource to the diverse MIT community. Ombuds may breach confidentiality if the Ombuds determines that there is imminent risk of serious harm.

● 617-253-5921

● 10-213

● https://ombudsoffice.mit.edu/

Private Resources

Offices designated as "private" will keep the conversation as confidential as possible, but information about incidents of sexual misconduct must be shared with the Institute Discrimination & Response Office so the Institute can take action if necessary for reasons of safety. However, the wishes of the person providing the information are given full consideration. You may speak with any of these resources about other forms of discrimination or discriminatory harassment and they do not have a duty to inform IDHR of what you have shared.

Institute Title IX Coordinator

Sarah Rankin
W31-223
617-324-7526
srankin@mit.edu

Office of Student Support Services (S3)

S3 provides advice and advocacy for undergraduate students and acts as a hub of resources, referrals, and information across the MIT community.

● 617-253-4861

● Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

● Walk in hours: Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–11 a.m. and 2 p.m.–3 p.m.

● https://studentlife.mit.edu/s3

Office of Graduate Education (OGE)

● OGE provides support and assistance for graduate students across the MIT community. 617-253-4860

● odge@mit.edu

Committee On Discipline

The COD is responsible for resolving formal complaints alleging that a student has violated MIT policy. The COD's process is fair to both the complainant and the respondent and affords parallel rights to both parties. COD members who hear sexual misconduct cases are specially trained to be sensitive to both parties and to understand the dynamics of sexual misconduct and other forms of gender-based misconduct.

Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards

The Office of Student Conduct (OSC) is the department at MIT responsible for helping students develop and enforce their standards and values and manage conflict. OSC publishes the Mind and Hand Book, meets with complainants and respondents when a complaint is brought forward, facilitates the Committee on Discipline process, and consults with students, faculty, and others about issues related to student life and student behavior.

● W20-507

● 617-258-8423

● osccs@mit.edu

Office of Minority Education (OME)

Provides effective academic enrichment programs to enhance matriculation, promote higher retention and greater excellence in underrepresented minority (African American, Mexican American, Native American and Puerto Rican/Hispanic) students’ academic and general educational achievements, and encourages their pursuits of graduate degrees and professional careers. The OME’s mission embraces a strategy to address academic and graduation gaps between underrepresented minority and non-minority students on MIT campus.

● Room 4-113

● 617-253-5010

● https://ome.mit.edu/

Institute Community and Equity Officer (ICEO)

The Institute Community and Equity Officer (ICEO) serves as a thought leader on the subjects of community, equity, inclusion, and diversity; a focal point for organizing MIT’s related activities and conversations; and a hands-on practitioner who disseminates best practices and inspires the awareness and enthusiasm to help them flourish.

● (617) 715-2066

● MIT, Bldg. 10-359

● https://diversity.mit.edu/

Intercultural Engagement (i.e.)

Intercultural Engagement (i.e.) provides support, advocacy and education to the diverse undergraduate and graduate student populations at MIT. They build community by providing educational and social opportunities for students and 70+ cultural/identity based student organizations. They help cultivate a brave “SPXCE” (pronounced space) for students by providing a physical SPXCE (W31-110) that encourages learning about personal identity while valuing and respecting others’. i.e. hosts a variety of workshops, programs, and events that seek to celebrate culture and educate others in areas related to social justice.

● SPXCE Intercultural Center

● W31-110, Du Pont Athletic Gymnasium

● MITixe@mit.edu

● https://studentlife.mit.edu/ixe

LBGTQ@MIT

LBGTQ@MIT offers a broad spectrum of services, activities, and resources for LBGT, questioning, and supportive individuals.

● 617-253-6777

● 617-253-5440

● W31-110

● lbgt@mit.edu

MIT POLICE

The primary mission of the MIT Police is to provide for the safety and security of all members of the MIT community.

● Emergencies: 617-253-1212 or 100 from any MIT phone

● Non-emergencies: 617-253-2996

● W89

● https://police.mit.edu/

MIT Human Resources

● NE49 (600 Technology Square), 5th floor

● 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

● https://hr.mit.edu/

Resources for Employees

MIT Health

MIT Health serves the healthcare needs of the MIT community.

● 24-hour line: 617-253-4481

● Urgent Care: 617-253-1311

● E23

● https://health.mit.edu/

Human Resources Officers

MIT's Human Resources Officers (HROs) have detailed knowledge of MIT's HR policies and practices, and consult with employees, managers, HR professionals in the DLCs, and Directors of Administration and Finance. If you are an employee and have a question about any HR issue, please contact the Human Resources Officer for your area.

MyLife Services

MyLife Services provides MIT faculty, staff, postdocs – and their household members – 24/7 access to a network of experts who are available to help with life concerns. You’ll consult with Master’s and Ph.D.-level professionals who offer guidance, share resources, and provide referrals. All consultations are confidential and provided at no cost.

● 844-405-LIFE (844-405-5433)

● (TTY) 866-892-7162

● www.mitmylifeservices.com/contactus