Exit Interviews

Faculty and staff who are voluntarily leaving the University are encouraged to contact the Office of Equal Opportunity to schedule a confidential exit interview to share their CSU experience. The exit interview is distinct from the exit survey distributed by the Office of Equal Opportunity to departing faculty and administrative professional staff and the exit survey distributed by Human Resources to state classified personnel. It differs in that it affords the departing employee an opportunity to meet and discuss in person their CSU experience.

Exit interviews are conducted by trained volunteers. Volunteers represent all employee classifications (faculty, administrative professional staff, state classified personnel, retirees), various academic and non-academic units, as well as gender and ethnic diversity.

If you are interested in sharing your experience and providing the University with important feedback by participating in an exit interview, contact the Office of Equal Opportunity at oeoei@colostate.edu or call (970) 491-5836.

Purpose

The purpose of the exit interview process is to identify employment trends and to better understand faculty and staff experiences and the climate at Colorado State. Departing employees provide essential insight about how the campus’ work environment can be improved, while also offering perceptions on strengths that can be celebrated and promoted. Exit interviews serve the University by helping CSU to learn what is done well and what can be improved, so that we are an employer of choice.

Confidentiality

The exit interview is a confidential conversation with a volunteer exit interviewer. Confidentiality is afforded throughout the exit interview process. There are a few instances when the exit interviewer will have to immediately report to the Office of Equal Opportunity what they have learned. These exceptions to full confidentiality are: child sexual abuse, sexual assault or sexual violence, sexual harassment; illegal activity such as embezzlement or theft; and threats of harm to self or others.

How the information learned during exit interviews is shared

The Office of Equal Opportunity will compile the information from exit interviews without revealing identities and share it with the Vice President for Diversity. Both the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and the Vice President for Inclusive Excellence will share patterns, positive and negative, with vice presidents, deans and unit leaders. There may also be opportunities to share areas of concern learned through the exit interview process when the exit interview confirms or elaborates on concerns learned through other avenues at the University, such as the climate survey or the grievance/complaint process. In these instances, the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity may approach a unit leader with a pattern of concern in their unit.

Exit Interviews explore the following areas:

  • Position(s) held at CSU
  • Reason(s) for leaving CSU
  • Factors that influenced your decision to leave
  • Areas of greatest reward while at CSU
  • Areas of greatest frustration while at CSU
  • Changes you would have liked to have made to your job
  • Opportunities offered by your next job not offered to you at CSU
  • Relationship with your supervisor
  • Supervision/leadership in your department
  • Interactions with co-workers/colleagues
  • Department’s commitment to diversity and inclusion
  • Overall experience at CSU
  • How CSU can create a better work environment

For more information or to ask questions, contact the Office of Equal Opportunity at oeoei@colostate.edu or call (970) 491-5836.