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Appreciation: It’s “one of the most desired psychological variables in work and in everyday life,” according to a TEDx talk from Kate MacAleavey. Yet, she said she often hears that people have a hard time expressing it.
What about you? Are you comfortable expressing your appreciation to others in your office or across campus? Do your managers or colleagues often express appreciation for the work you do?
If you answered no to the last question, you’re not alone. A 2023 survey from CUPA-HR revealed that while 80% of higher education professionals “agree they have a good relationship with their supervisor and that their work has purpose,” only 55% reported that they are recognized for their contributions and 67% felt valued by others.
The report notes that “Although employees are most likely to say they’re looking for other opportunities to receive a pay increase, it turns out that receiving recognition for one’s contributions, being valued by others at work, and having a sense of belonging are far more important than fair pay in predicting whether employees will look for other job opportunities.”
While it’s clear that commitments from both an institutional and departmental level are vital in addressing this lack of employee recognition, individuals can also play a key part in lifting the spirits of their direct reports and/or colleagues.
At HigherEdJobs, where we post hundreds of higher education jobs in over 200 different categories each day, we understand that the whole really is the sum of all the parts.
Although institutional leaders and those with more prestigious titles often get the limelight (which also comes with a lot of pressure), institutions can only run smoothly when all of the parts are working together effectively. Every employee on campus has a vital part to play in the operations and impact of the institution, and it’s important to pause from time to time and be mindful of all the important work being done all over campus to make your institution what it is.
In an effort to celebrate the various roles that hold our campuses together, we asked our readers to share who they feel are unsung heroes on their campuses. Here’s a look at what they had to say…
Office Managers
“They keep every office running in a way I certainly couldn’t,” one reader shared.
Receptionists and Frontline Student Services Staff
“Receptionist/front desk and frontline student services members are the true lifelines to all in a department/school/unit,” said Robin Leaf, the director of academic and department operations for the department of occupational therapy in University of Pittsburgh’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Services.
“These key staff members are the first person that our students, prospective students, visitors see when they enter our department,” she said. “This is a role that requires the staffer to utilize multiple superpowers, often one or more at a time, such as kindness, respect, professionalism, enthusiasm, advocacy, integrity, and patience.”
Leaf also noted that these frontline staff deal with routine — and sometimes constant — interruptions while trying to accomplish other tasks to “keep their department/school/unit afloat.”
“Yet, they have a smile on their face for everyone and they are always willing to stop and handle anything that comes their way to help a student or member of the department,” she said.
Student Affairs Professionals
Scott Silverman, dean of noncredit and external programs at Santa Monica College, said student affairs professionals are unsung heroes.
He gave a nod to faculty, saying, “Without great instruction and performance by students in their classes, students won’t learn what they need to for content knowledge, job prep, or grad school.”
Yet, he shared, “Without great out-of-class support, academic advising, student programming, etc., students won’t be as well rounded and prepared to succeed interpersonally.”
Between attending conferences, participating in professional associations, and reading and contributing to academic journals focused on student development theory, Silverman argues that SA pros are “always trying to do the best they can for the student’s co-curricular experience and growth.” Despite student affairs work seeming like the “fun stuff,” there is a lot of effort that goes into excelling in these roles.
Facilities Management
Our readers referenced this as one of the lower-paid positions on campus that receives little recognition. One reader in particular expressed appreciation for those who take care of the campus gym. How often do students, faculty, and staff think about who makes sure the gym is clean, the lights are on, the water is flowing, and the machines are operating?
In a recent interview, Winnie Kwofie, who has extensive executive leadership and management experience in facilities management, said “If you drive to campus, there’s a road that brings you to campus — that’s facilities management. We’ve got to do the landscaping so that you’re not going through the bushes when you’re moving into the dorm. That’s facilities management.”
From lighting on campus walkways to functioning cooling/heating and clean floors, you can thank facilities management.
“Does a student ever really see [this] work?,” echoed Silverman. “Not really — but day in and day out, on college campuses around the nation, many folks who don’t always get to see the fruits of their labors in the student successes, are nonetheless contributing to them, directly or indirectly, or super indirectly because their job makes the rest of our jobs easier.”
Training & Development
“They work hard to weave a message of hope and a passion for learning in all they do,” said one reader. “They are transforming cultures one employee at a time.”
Registrars
“They are the hidden gems to successful university operations,” another reader shared.
Librarians
“They contribute to the retention rate of campuses worldwide but are rarely recognized or acknowledged,” said Arsenio Coston, library director at Everglades University (Boca Raton and Online Campus).
“A significant portion of students [at my institution] are adult learners, so they may have tons of experience in their respective fields but little to no experience in academia. So, when they see things like ‘APA formatting’ or ‘use Excel to draft a pivot table,’ they often are set off balance. Librarians act as academic support to students while they are out of the classroom by assisting with writing papers, navigating technologies (Learning Management Systems, Blackboard, PC comprehension), and even tutoring in certain instances.”
Administrative Assistants
Recently published research also makes the case for administrative assistants as an underappreciated yet vital role on campus.
Three key findings were highlighted:
- administrative assistants encounter challenges in losing their capacity to speak up
- receive low pay despite the increasing responsibilities placed upon them
- maneuver complicated demands from faculty members
These findings offer an opportunity for those working with administrative assistants to change their tune, provide more support, and advocate for them (if they are in a position to do so).
Expressing appreciation and gratitude is a great place to start — not only for administrative assistants, but all colleagues across campus.
While this is just an anecdotal look at unsung heroes (and certainly not a comprehensive list), we hope that — no matter what role you serve on campus — you take comfort in knowing that someone out there has recognized the vital contributions you’re making. If you’re not feeling appreciation, there are a few things you can do, including applying the golden rule by showing your own appreciation for others.
