What Have We Done To Address Workplace Bullying and Psychological Aggression?
1994-95 President Rush appointed a Task Force on the Status of Women to assess the campus climate and provide recommendations.
October 1995 The Task Force submitted its report with 37 recommendations, including
the creation and maintenance of an affirming and supportive campus
environment, and the creation of a permanent Commission on the Status of Women.
April 2000 President Rush established the Commission on the Status of Women. The Commission reported a “chilly climate” (Hall and Sandler, 1982) as an issue of ongoing concern for women faculty, staff and students.
Fall 2002 New president Richard Davenport reiterated the Commission’s charge and funded a request for a formal climate scan.
Spring 2003 Dr. Bernice Sandler conducted an all-day planning retreat for a climate scan, including open meetings, paper surveys and online submissions to the Commission’s website. Several factors impeded collection of data, including inaccessibility of some data. Respondents reported similar concerns as those heard by the Task Force in 1995, such as a chilly climate for women, as well as new concerns. One of the new concerns was workplace abuse and bullying. The Commission’s 2003 report suggests the emergence of workplace bullying “may be related to the inadequacy of the response to the “chilly climate” issues. Respondents in open meetings asked what would happen with the information collected, and were told the Commission would “give voice to the issues.”
July 2003 The Commission, in its year-end report, recommended a campus-wide climate survey be conducted during the 2003-2004 academic year.
November 2004 President Davenport charged the Commission on the Status of Women to
work with the Diversity Commission to make sure bullying is incorporated into a campus climate survey.
Spring 2005 The Diversity Commission contracted with consultant Dr. William Sedlacek to conduct a climate survey. The bullying issue was not incorporated into the campus climate survey.
Fall 2005 The Workplace Environment Policy was implemented.
January 2006 The Commission sponsored a training session by Susan Taylor on Recognizing Workplace Bullying at Professional Development Day, open to all employees.
Spring 2006 In its year-end report to the president, the Commission on the Status of Women recommended widespread publicity about the Workplace Environment policy and the Employee Complaint procedure, targeting training for supervisors who will need to be able to respond to complaints and awareness training for all employees.
Spring 2006 The Commission on the Status of Women received strategic priority funding to conduct a workplace bullying survey.
November 2006 President Davenport met with the Commission co-chairs to review the Commission’s charge. Dr. Davenport asked the co-chairs to focus primarily on the workplace bullying issue this year.
December 2006 After investigation of several options, the Commission agreed on two workplace bullying consultants, Drs. Loraleigh Keashly and Joel Neuman. A steering committee was formed to move the project forward.
January 8, 2007 The workplace bullying survey subcommittee was expanded to include a campus-wide working group.
January 10, 2007 The Commission again sponsored a training session by Susan Taylor on Recognizing Workplace Bullying at Professional Development Day.
January 31, 2007 The steering committee met to discuss the consultant’s upcoming initial visit.
February 2, 2007 Drs. Keashly and Neuman visited campus to meet with the president, working group, Commission, bargaining unit representatives and cabinet and to conduct an open session for all employees.
Spring 2007 The steering committee met several times and Susan Taylor developed a business case presentation for all committee members to use in stakeholder group presentations. The purpose of the business case is to educate people on the costs of workplace bullying and convince them to take the survey.
Steering committee co-chairs Kelly Meier, Susan Taylor and Lori Lamb held several phone conferences with the consultants to move the project forward.
Summer 2007 Susan Taylor presented the survey business case to the president's cabinet.
Fall 2007 Steering committee members piloted the survey instrument and provided feedback. Members began presenting the business case to groups on campus.
November 5, 2007 The survey was sent to all Minnesota State Mankato employees.
Spring 2008 The consultants visited campus with initial findings and a request for feedback.
August 2008 The consultants submitted a draft report of recommendations to the steering committee. Lori Lamb reported on these recommendations at the president's leadership retreat.
