A campus climate survey to examine diversity issues at Iowa State has yielded little response.

“Iowa State has an opportunity that we have not had before in any recent memory,” said Todd Herriott, president of the campus climate subcommittee.

“We have the president of our university saying, very clearly, that he wants to hear about what is happening on the campus.”

The survey gave the definition of climate as “current attitudes, behaviors and standards of employees and students concerning the level of respect for individual’s needs.”

The survey was distributed Jan. 19 to all administrators and faculty, staff and students of color or with disabilities, self-identified minorities and random sample groups of international students and students who do not identify themselves as a minority.

Electronic surveys were sent out via e-mail to approximately 8,300 people. There have been more than 1,500 responses, but Herriott said the committee wants a larger sample. Paper surveys are currently offered at several places around campus. The survey deadline has been extended from Feb. 13 to Feb. 29 and may be extended later in an effort to get more responses.

When the survey was released, the Web site for the electronic surveys had technical problems, said Herriott, coordinator for disability resources and co-adviser to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Alliance. The server, which is in Pennsylvania, was down during an ice storm on the East Coast.

Along with technical problems, people don’t trust the university and people misunderstand the importance of the survey and the changes that could occur, Herriott said.

“A number of people have been numb to the situation in which they live,” Herriott said. “They have been worn down and think, ‘Why even fight it anymore?'”

Herriott said the lowest level of response so far is from faculty.

Farran Hayslett, sophomore in electrical engineering, completed the survey. He said the survey might be able to change perspectives and make people aware of diversity events on campus, but he added the survey isn’t a cure-all.

“Not just this one survey will make a change,” Hayslett said.

Myron Batsa, junior in public service and administration in agriculture, said he was reluctant to fill out the survey.

“It won’t make a difference if the administration doesn’t use the information accurately,” Batsa said.

However, Herriott said changes would occur because of this survey, because the community has the opportunity to hold the university accountable. “If people don’t speak up on the problems they are encountering, then it will remain a private problem that they will continue to encounter,” he said.

Leonard Perry, director of minority student affairs, said he did not want to make any predictions about possible problems that would surface because of the survey.

“It would be premature for me to say anything before the results of the survey are known,” Perry said.

Nina Grant, minority liaison officer and program coordinator for agriculture administration, said it is very important for students to participate.

“I get the impression that there will be serious analysis of the results, and with the current budget problems there might be important decisions based on feedback,” she said.

Grant said she could not name one particular problem that could show itself in the survey, but said she has been in contact with students who have dealt with serious situations. She said there have been instances in classes, residence halls or other places on campus where people have said things spanning from “insensitive to downright racist.”

Susan Rankin, senior research associate at Rankin & Associates Consulting of Howard, Penn., will analyze the results of the survey. Herriott said Rankin has worked on more than 20 campuses with a similar survey. Nearly all of the 20 campuses have seen changes, such as increased funding, creating new positions, and reviewing and adopting new policies, he said.

Herriott said he is not sure what to expect, but if this survey is like others, people will probably be “shocked and surprised” about the things that occur on campus.