Employee Communication Preferences Survey
Spring 2007
Effectiveness of Various Communication Methods in Helping to Understand Employment or Personnel Information 
    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 12 8.5% 24 16.9% 48 33.8% 58 40.8%
Part-time Faculty 1 3.4% 7 24.1% 9 31.0% 12 41.4%
Full-time Faculty 22 6.4% 47 13.6% 145 42.0% 131 38.0%
Administrators 1 3.7% 7 25.9% 12 44.4% 7 25.9%
All Respondents 36 6.6% 86 15.8% 215 39.4% 208 38.2%
E-mail list-servs 
Classified Staff 12 8.5% 18 12.8% 48 34.0% 63 44.7%
Part-time Faculty 2 7.4% 4 14.8% 14 51.9% 7 25.9%
Full-time Faculty 26 7.4% 66 18.8% 128 36.4% 132 37.5%
Administrators 2 6.9% 5 17.2% 9 31.0% 13 44.8%
All Respondents 42 7.6% 94 17.1% 200 36.3% 215 39.0%
Paper memos 
Classified Staff 38 26.8% 41 28.9% 42 29.6% 21 14.8%
Part-time Faculty 6 20.7% 4 13.8% 13 44.8% 6 20.7%
Full-time Faculty 89 24.9% 82 23.0% 128 35.9% 58 16.2%
Administrators 2 7.1% 10 35.7% 10 35.7% 6 21.4%
All Respondents 135 24.2% 138 24.7% 193 34.6% 92 16.5%
Paper flyers 
Classified Staff 49 35.3% 40 28.8% 38 27.3% 12 8.6%
Part-time Faculty 10 35.7% 10 35.7% 5 17.9% 3 10.7%
Full-time Faculty 116 33.0% 106 30.1% 98 27.8% 32 9.1%
Administrators 3 11.1% 12 44.4% 11 40.7% 1 3.7%
All Respondents 178 32.5% 170 31.0% 152 27.7% 48 8.8%
PSU Web-site 
Classified Staff 14 9.2% 44 28.9% 48 31.6% 46 30.3%
Part-time Faculty 1 3.3% 8 26.7% 14 46.7% 7 23.3%
Full-time Faculty 59 15.6% 103 27.3% 138 36.6% 77 20.4%
Administrators 4 14.3% 7 25.0% 10 35.7% 7 25.0%
All Respondents 80 13.6% 162 27.5% 211 35.8% 137 23.2%
Broadcast announcements via voice-mail 
Classified Staff 36 29.0% 22 17.7% 30 24.2% 36 29.0%
Part-time Faculty 12 52.2% 6 26.1% 4 17.4% 1 4.3%
Full-time Faculty 98 30.6% 59 18.4% 84 26.3% 79 24.7%
Administrators 4 16.0% 2 8.0% 13 52.0% 6 24.0%
All Respondents 150 30.4% 90 18.2% 132 26.7% 122 24.7%
Broadcast announcements via e-mail 
Classified Staff 8 5.6% 19 13.2% 49 34.0% 68 47.2%
Part-time Faculty 4 16.0% 4 16.0% 9 36.0% 8 32.0%
Full-time Faculty 28 8.0% 42 12.0% 143 40.7% 138 39.3%
Administrators 3 10.7% 1 3.6% 13 46.4% 11 39.3%
All Respondents 43 7.8% 66 12.0% 215 39.1% 226 41.1%
Informal conversations with colleagues or 
co-workers  Classified Staff 31 20.8% 33 22.1% 60 40.3% 25 16.8%
Part-time Faculty 6 23.1% 4 15.4% 12 46.2% 4 15.4%
Full-time Faculty 64 17.4% 90 24.5% 147 40.1% 66 18.0%
Administrators 4 14.3% 11 39.3% 11 39.3% 2 7.1%
All Respondents 105 18.4% 138 24.1% 232 40.6% 97 17.0%
Department or staff meetings 
Classified Staff 18 12.8% 33 23.4% 59 41.8% 31 22.0%
Part-time Faculty 5 29.4% 3 17.6% 4 23.5% 5 29.4%
Full-time Faculty 44 12.6% 77 22.1% 137 39.3% 91 26.1%
Administrators 2 7.1% 7 25.0% 14 50.0% 5 17.9%
All Respondents 69 12.8% 120 22.3% 215 40.0% 133 24.8%
Informal conversation with your supervisor
 or department chair  Classified Staff 23 16.7% 35 25.4% 50 36.2% 30 21.7%
Part-time Faculty 8 30.8% 3 11.5% 10 38.5% 5 19.2%
Full-time Faculty 55 15.5% 83 23.4% 135 38.1% 81 22.9%
Administrators 3 10.7% 10 35.7% 11 39.3% 4 14.3%
All Respondents 89 16.2% 131 23.9% 207 37.8% 121 22.1%
Administrative briefings 
Classified Staff 18 16.4% 29 26.4% 43 39.1% 20 18.2%
Part-time Faculty 3 25.0% 2 16.7% 6 50.0% 1 8.3%
Full-time Faculty 40 14.5% 70 25.4% 94 34.1% 72 26.1%
Administrators 6 21.4% 2 7.1% 13 46.4% 7 25.0%
All Respondents 67 15.7% 103 24.1% 157 36.8% 100 23.4%
Brown bag lunches or discussion  
roundtables Classified Staff 27 27.0% 26 26.0% 26 26.0% 21 21.0%
Part-time Faculty 3 21.4% 3 21.4% 6 42.9% 2 14.3%
Full-time Faculty 71 24.1% 88 29.9% 99 33.7% 36 12.2%
Administrators 8 34.8% 8 34.8% 7 30.4% 0 0.0%
All Respondents 109 25.2% 126 29.2% 138 31.9% 59 13.7%
Campus-wide events such as the 
symposium or convocation  Classified Staff 28 27.2% 26 25.2% 34 33.0% 15 14.6%
Part-time Faculty 4 25.0% 3 18.8% 7 43.8% 2 12.5%
Full-time Faculty 86 27.7% 100 32.3% 85 27.4% 39 12.6%
Administrators 6 24.0% 5 20.0% 9 36.0% 5 20.0%
  All Respondents 125 27.5% 134 29.5% 135 29.7% 61 13.4%