For the second time in four years, Kent State has been recognized as one of the 2011 “Great Colleges to Work For” by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Since it began this recognition four years ago, the Chronicle has invited all accredited institutions in the United States to participate in its free yearly survey, which includes two questionnaires about the characteristics of the university and employees’ evaluations of the workplace.

This year, 310 institutions submitted responses. The Chronicle then identified 12 key judging features split into four groups: leadership, careers, compensation and the workplace. The survey results were used to determine which institutions made the list. Kent State excelled in the compensation and benefits category, making the list along with other universities such as the University of Notre Dame and Harvard University.

In a press release, Stephane Booth, associate provost for quality initiatives and curriculum, said that Kent State has received many honors and recognitions this year.

“What is particularly special about this achievement is that it is based on the feedback of our faculty and staff,” Booth said in a press release. “As members of the Kent State community, we take great pride in our institution and have a shared commitment to excellence, demonstrating ‘Excellence in Action’ every day.”

Matthew Phillips, an instructor in the history department, said he thinks the recognition is a testament to the faculty’s hard work.

“For the people who work here, I think they deserve it,” Phillips said. “It’s a nice pat on the back.”

Elizabeth Howard, associate professor in the English department, said she wasn’t surprised Kent State was recognized because she thinks it’s a wonderful place to work.

“I hope people realize that Kent State is a good school and that students can get a good education here,” Howard said. “We got top-ranked disciplines and nationally and internationally known faculty. I would say overall faculty really care about students.”

Willis Walker, Kent State vice president for Human Resources, said in a press release that the faculty and staff of Kent State receive more compensation than just their paychecks.

“It also includes health benefits, the tuition waiver, an employee assistance program and other resources that are a significant part of each employee’s total compensation,” Walker said in a press release.

Howard said not all of the benefits to working at Kent State are monetary.

“I really love teaching and love my students,” Howard said. “It’s always exciting and a great pleasure to introduce material that they haven’t read before to prepare them for their careers, to teach them the skills they need in writing classes to be successful writers and thinkers. I like watching students grow and develop over time.”

Faculty members hope that Kent State will continue to make the list in the next few years, but Phillips said it’s more than just a list.

“I hope that it remains a good place to work for a long time,” Phillips said.

Contact Alicia Balog at [email protected].