Bentley Equity Experience

As part of its efforts to embrace a culture of inclusion and achieve equity, Bentley University has launched the Bentley Equity Experience study to positively impact our living, learning, and working environment. The study is a concerted effort to invite the entire Bentley community to better understand and improve its campus climate, culture, and values by addressing the challenges and seizing the opportunities for change. Bentley invites all community members to participate in this campaign to help the university better understand their lived experiences and feelings of belonging on campus.

This campaign marks an ongoing commitment to collecting feedback and shaping the campus culture since the first BEX study in 2021. This effort includes a community-wide campus climate survey, along with “Quick Questions” polls and “Big Questions” dialogue sessions. Visit this page regularly for updates on this important university-wide initiative.

Below are some key insights from our early analysis of the BEX 2024 Campus Climate Survey. A more thorough reporting of the findings will be highlighted in a future report and dashboard that will be available later this summer.

• Campus climate satisfaction is up: 73% of respondents said they are satisfied or very satisfied with the overall campus climate—an increase from 55% in 2021.
• The community is more likely to recommend Bentley: 88% of respondents said they would recommend Bentley to a future student or employee—an increase from 80% in 2021.
• Experiences remain uneven across identity groups: While overall satisfaction improved, many trans and nonbinary individuals, as well as Middle Eastern and North African community members, reported disproportionately high rates of identity-based discrimination, harassment, and identity concealment.
• Perceptions of physical safety improved: Fewer students reported avoiding campus spaces in 2024—especially women and white undergraduates—suggesting stronger feelings of safety in shared environments.
• Awareness of reporting pathways is high—but not universal: In 2024, 79% of respondents said they know how to report a bias or hate incident. While encouraging overall, gaps in awareness remain among certain groups, including graduate students and Asian-identifying community members.
• The data highlights both progress and accountability: While many describe Bentley as increasingly collaborative, inclusive, and values-driven, the findings call attention to ongoing disparities that require intentional, community-specific solutions.