Employee Communication Preferences Survey
Spring 2007
Effectiveness of Various Communication Methods in Helping to Understand University Initiatives
    Effectiveness
Very ineffective (1) Somewhat ineffective (2) Somewhat effective (3) Very effective (4)
Communication Method Employee Type n % n % n % n %
Electronic newsletters 
Classified Staff 4 2.6% 23 14.9% 56 36.4% 71 46.1%
Part-time Faculty 1 3.4% 3 10.3% 10 34.5% 15 51.7%
Full-time Faculty 12 3.2% 41 11.0% 164 43.9% 157 42.0%
Administrators 3 10.7% 3 10.7% 14 50.0% 8 28.6%
All Respondents 21 3.6% 70 11.9% 245 41.7% 252 42.9%
E-mail list-servs 
Classified Staff 5 3.5% 22 15.4% 52 36.4% 64 44.8%
Part-time Faculty 3 11.1% 3 11.1% 14 51.9% 7 25.9%
Full-time Faculty 25 6.7% 64 17.1% 147 39.3% 138 36.9%
Administrators 3 10.0% 3 10.0% 12 40.0% 12 40.0%
All Respondents 37 6.4% 92 15.9% 227 39.3% 221 38.3%
Paper memos 
Classified Staff 42 28.8% 44 30.1% 48 32.9% 12 8.2%
Part-time Faculty 5 17.2% 8 27.6% 13 44.8% 3 10.3%
Full-time Faculty 90 24.8% 105 28.9% 122 33.6% 46 12.7%
Administrators 6 20.0% 8 26.7% 12 40.0% 4 13.3%
All Respondents 143 25.0% 166 29.1% 197 34.5% 65 11.4%
Paper flyers 
Classified Staff 48 33.1% 48 33.1% 39 26.9% 10 6.9%
Part-time Faculty 6 19.4% 8 25.8% 15 48.4% 2 6.5%
Full-time Faculty 109 29.5% 131 35.5% 99 26.8% 30 8.1%
Administrators 5 17.2% 12 41.4% 11 37.9% 1 3.4%
All Respondents 168 29.1% 200 34.7% 166 28.8% 43 7.5%
PSU Web-site 
Classified Staff 11 7.1% 38 24.4% 65 41.7% 42 26.9%
Part-time Faculty 2 5.9% 8 23.5% 11 32.4% 13 38.2%
Full-time Faculty 43 11.1% 106 27.3% 153 39.4% 86 22.2%
Administrators 3 10.3% 7 24.1% 15 51.7% 4 13.8%
All Respondents 59 9.7% 161 26.4% 245 40.2% 145 23.8%
Broadcast announcements 
via voice-mail  Classified Staff 35 23.8% 23 15.6% 40 27.2% 49 33.3%
Part-time Faculty 10 43.5% 4 17.4% 5 21.7% 4 17.4%
  Full-time Faculty 70 18.9% 59 15.9% 106 28.6% 136 36.7%
Administrators 5 17.9% 2 7.1% 7 25.0% 14 50.0%
All Respondents 120 21.0% 89 15.6% 159 27.8% 203 35.6%
Broadcast announcements 
via e-mail  Classified Staff 3 1.9% 23 14.8% 61 39.4% 68 43.9%
Part-time Faculty 0 0.0% 3 9.7% 16 51.6% 12 38.7%
Full-time Faculty 13 3.4% 40 10.3% 165 42.6% 169 43.7%
Administrators 2 6.7% 3 10.0% 10 33.3% 15 50.0%
All Respondents 19 3.1% 69 11.4% 253 41.8% 264 43.6%
Informal conversations with 
colleagues or co-workers  Classified Staff 24 16.1% 38 25.5% 53 35.6% 34 22.8%
Part-time Faculty 5 17.2% 7 24.1% 9 31.0% 8 27.6%
Full-time Faculty 49 12.7% 83 21.4% 149 38.5% 106 27.4%
Administrators 3 10.3% 8 27.6% 11 37.9% 7 24.1%
All Respondents 81 13.6% 136 22.8% 224 37.5% 156 26.1%
Department or staff meetings 
Classified Staff 17 11.6% 30 20.5% 57 39.0% 42 28.8%
Part-time Faculty 3 14.3% 3 14.3% 9 42.9% 6 28.6%
Full-time Faculty 27 7.0% 67 17.5% 146 38.1% 143 37.3%
Administrators 1 3.3% 2 6.7% 17 56.7% 10 33.3%
All Respondents 48 8.2% 103 17.7% 229 39.3% 203 34.8%
Informal conversation with your 
supervisor or department chair  Classified Staff 21 14.1% 30 20.1% 56 37.6% 42 28.2%
Part-time Faculty 7 25.9% 3 11.1% 12 44.4% 5 18.5%
Full-time Faculty 43 11.3% 70 18.5% 139 36.7% 127 33.5%
Administrators 2 6.9% 6 20.7% 15 51.7% 6 20.7%
All Respondents 74 12.6% 109 18.6% 223 38.0% 181 30.8%
Administrative briefings 
Classified Staff 15 12.8% 31 26.5% 48 41.0% 23 19.7%
Part-time Faculty 4 25.0% 4 25.0% 6 37.5% 2 12.5%
Full-time Faculty 35 12.2% 80 27.9% 105 36.6% 67 23.3%
Administrators 6 20.0% 2 6.7% 13 43.3% 9 30.0%
All Respondents 60 13.3% 118 26.2% 172 38.1% 101 22.4%
Brown bag lunches or discussion  
roundtables Classified Staff 20 19.0% 39 37.1% 29 27.6% 17 16.2%
Part-time Faculty 4 23.5% 3 17.6% 6 35.3% 4 23.5%
Full-time Faculty 51 16.5% 106 34.2% 105 33.9% 48 15.5%
Administrators 4 16.0% 8 32.0% 13 52.0% 0 0.0%
All Respondents 80 17.5% 156 34.1% 153 33.4% 69 15.1%
Campus-wide events such as the 
symposium or convocation  Classified Staff 18 15.8% 36 31.6% 47 41.2% 13 11.4%
Part-time Faculty 1 4.5% 6 27.3% 10 45.5% 5 22.7%
Full-time Faculty 48 13.1% 108 29.4% 137 37.3% 74 20.2%
Administrators 2 7.4% 6 22.2% 16 59.3% 3 11.1%
  All Respondents 69 13.0% 158 29.7% 210 39.5% 95 17.9%