This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

MGH Institute Only College in Boston on Chronicle of Higher Ed Honor Roll

MGH Institute of Health Professions is the only college in Metro Boston named to the Honor Roll by The Chronicle of Higher Education in its annual workplace survey of colleges and universities.

The recognition came from the prestigious education magazine’s seventh annual report, the 2014 Great Colleges to Work For® survey. Just 42 colleges recognized in the survey achieved honor role status, the survey’s highest level.

“Being named to the Honor Roll is a great distinction,” said President Janis P. Bellack. “It is an affirmation by our faculty and staff that the Institute is a school with a rewarding work environment where talented people have opportunities to thrive as they dedicate themselves to our mission of educating tomorrow’s health care leaders.” 

Honor Roll recognition goes to the top ten schools in each four-year size category and the top four schools in each two-year size category, based on the number of times they were honored in the individual recognition areas.

Find out what's happening in Charlestownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In all, only 92 of the 278 institutions that participated in the study earned “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies. The MGH Institute, which has more than 1,300 students, was included in the Small Colleges division for schools with fewer than 3,000 students.

This is the fifth consecutive year the MGH Institute has been named a Great College. It is one of just three Massachusetts schools named to this year’s list.

Find out what's happening in Charlestownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Institute was recognized in the following five categories:

  • Collaborative Governance, where faculty members are appropriately involved in decisions related to academic programs;
  • Compensation & Benefits, where pay is fair and benefits meet the needs of employees;
  • Facilities, Workspace & Security, where facilities adequately meet needs, the appearance of the campus is pleasing, and the institution takes steps to provide a secure environment;
  • Confidence in Senior Leadership, where leaders have the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary for institutional success; and
  • Respect and Appreciation, where employees are regularly recognized for their contributions.

“The Chronicle’s reporting shows that more colleges and universities are seeking ways to improve their workplaces,” said Editor Liz McMillen. “The ‘formula for success’ continues to evolve, yet there are certain common features among institutions that achieve significant levels of worker satisfaction. The Great Colleges to Work For program allows our readers to learn about the colleges that seem to be getting it right.”

Department of Physical Therapy Associate Professor Tracy Brudvig, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, chair of the Faculty Senate, noted a culture of collaboration among faculty, staff, and administration, as well as the school’s state-of-the-art facilities, as key reasons for the Institute’s high marks.

Victoria Wallace, MEd, an instructional designer in the Office of the Provost who is chair of the Staff Council, noted the generous employee benefits for health care, retirement, and vacation. She also praised the Institute's regular reviews of salary benchmarks and adjustments to ensure that employees are being paid in line with peers at other organizations.

The Chronicle’s 2014 Great Colleges to Work For survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, professional support staff, and administrators. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was employee feedback.

Now in its seventh year, the Chronicle’s Great Colleges program has become one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Charlestown