In a pivotal session last week, on Wednesday, October 22, the Fairfield University Student Association Senate shifted from celebration to strategy after reviewing the university’s latest Climate Survey.
The Climate Survey is sent out regularly to check on how students are doing. They are asked various questions about how supported they feel, as well as safety questions, and how they are doing academically.
While the data confirmed that a majority of students are satisfied with their overall experience, a significant minority of three in ten students reported a likelihood to transfer from Fairfield, presenting a clear challenge for student leaders.
The survey, distributed university-wide last Spring, painted a generally positive picture of campus life. However, the compelling data pointing that nearly 30% of respondents are considering transferring prompted immediate and serious discussion. The primary drivers for this discontent were: a lack of a sense of belonging, cited by 58% of those dissatisfied, and a lack of social life, identified by 48%.
The presence of the Dean of Students highlighted the administration’s concern. Dean William Johnson impressed upon the Senate the urgency of moving from review to action, charging them with developing concrete strategies to address the underlying issues of belonging and social connection.
He emphasized that a positive climate is not self-sustaining and requires proactive, intentional effort to ensure every student feels anchored to the community.
This directive set the agenda for the remainder of the meeting.
FUSA executives and senators began dissecting the data to formulate a response. The conversation moved beyond generalities to target the specific crises of belonging and social isolation.
Initial brainstorming sessions focused on actionable initiatives. Senators proposed creating more small-scale, department-specific social events to help students find their niche within the larger university. Other ideas included a revamp of the first-year orientation program to foster stronger initial bonds.
The discussion also highlighted a need to improve communication about existing resources and clubs, suggesting that many students who feel a lack of social life may be unaware of opportunities already available to them.
The meeting concluded with a resolve to transform concern into a concrete plan. The Senate is now tasked with forming specialized committees to develop a formal proposal aimed directly at the 30% of students considering transferring. The goal moving forward is to build a more inclusive and connected campus, ensuring that Fairfield’s positive climate is not just a majority experience, but a universal one.