Penn College Among 'Great Colleges To Work For, 2009'

Pennsylvania College of Technology is among 39 institutions receiving Honor Roll recognition in The Chronicle of Higher Education's survey of "Great Colleges to Work For."

The Honor Roll lists the top 10 four-year colleges (and the top three community colleges) in each of the survey's size categories, based on the number of times they were recognized within individual categories.



In results announced in a special supplement of The Chronicle of Higher Education, Penn College was named one of the top 10 medium-sized institutions (enrollment of 3,000-9,999 students) in the nation. President Davie Jane Gilmour said the national recognition confirms what many employees tell her they experience daily at Penn College.

"People make the difference at Penn College," Gilmour said. "We have always believed that our employees are very special individuals who are dedicated to opening doors for our students and to creating an environment in which everyone can contribute and succeed. This survey provides confirmation that we are creating something special here. There is an energy and enthusiasm on our campus that is unique and rewarding for all of us who are fortunate to be a part of it."

The "Great Colleges to Work For" program recognizes institutions for best practices and policies in 26 categories for four-year colleges and in 15 categories for community colleges. Within those categories, colleges are classified based on enrollment.

According to the survey, Penn College achieved top 10 rankings in 23 categories -- more than any other institution receiving "honor roll" status.

The categories are: 403(b) or 401(k); Collaborative Governance; Compensation and Benefits; Physical Work Space Conditions; Confidence in Senior Leadership; Connection to Institution and Pride; Disability Insurance; Facilities and Security; Healthy Faculty-Administration Relations; Health Insurance; Honor Roll; Housing Assistance Programs; Job Satisfaction; Life Insurance; Overall Satisfaction with Benefits; Policies, Resources and Efficiency; Post-Retirement Benefits; Professional/Career Development Programs; Respect and Appreciation; Tenure, Clarity and Process; Tuition Reimbursement; Vacation or Paid Time Off; and Work/Life Balance.

More than 400 Penn College employees responded to the survey, reflecting a 59-percent participation rate. Gilmour said she was happy to see the response rate from Penn College was well above the national average (43 percent).

The total survey results are based on responses from nearly 41,000 administrators, faculty members and staff members at 247 institutions. Other institutions cited among the top 10 in the category of medium-sized colleges were Canisius College, College of Saint Rose, McKendree University, Niagara University, Oklahoma City University, Rice University, Rollins College, State University of New York College at Plattsburg, and York College of Pennsylvania.

"Great Colleges to Work For" is the second-largest workplace-recognition program in the country after Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For."

ModernThink LLC, a human-resources consulting company, administered the survey and analyzed the results. Each institution was asked to submit a list of full-time employees randomly selected across three categories: administration, faculty and professional support staff.

The Chronicle of Higher Education is a top source of news, information and jobs for college and university faculty members and administrators.

For more information about Penn College, a special mission affiliate of The Pennsylvania State University, visit online, e-mail or call toll-free 800-367-9222.