Survey says: better
Students note improvements in annual online questionnaire
By Kim Gordey
Students responding to the University of Calgary’s second annual online survey have rated the quality of service as “significantly better” or “better” in 13 out of 19 categories compared to previous years.
More than 4,314 students, including 3,593 returning students, responded to the survey—a 127 percent increase over last year. The survey is used to measure student satisfaction and identify ways to enrich the student experience.
Overall, student satisfaction is up in three key areas—integration of services, online services and customer service. Those three areas were identified as key priorities for students in last year’s survey.
“Last fall we asked students what matters most. They told us they would like to come to one place to take care of their university business. As a result of their feedback, we created an in-person and online place for them to do that,” said Sheila O’Brien, special advisor to the president.
Thirty-eight percent of returning students rated the availability of services online as “significantly better” or “better” than previous years. Twenty-five percent of returning students ranked the overall integration of services as “significantly better” or “better” than previous years.
“These results are encouraging,” said Dr. Alan Harrison, provost and vice-president (academic). “This study indicates to students that we have heard their concerns and that we are committed to improving areas they deem important. Students report that we are moving in the right direction.”
The survey also yielded suggestions for improvement from more than 3,000 students. Twenty-six percent said they were dissatisfied with hours of service, 14 percent cited dissatisfaction with the course registration process, and 19 percent said they were unhappy with wait times during peak periods.
“One of the students summed up our work over the last year with a succinct comment,” said O’Brien. “The student wrote: ‘Improvement has been noticeable, but some things still need to be addressed.’ We know that and we will continue to work relentlessly to meet and exceed student expectations.”
The survey also asked students about technology: 98 percent have a computer, 34 percent have both a laptop and a desktop, 84 percent have a cell phone, and 67 percent have an iPod or MP3 player. In the last year, improvements have been made to the technology used to serve students.
The survey was part of a larger survey of students, including first-year students, which will be posted online.
U of C gains ground in Globe and Mail ranking
The University of Calgary’s performance has improved in 35 of 71 categories in the Globe and Mail’s annual survey of students.
“What’s most rewarding is that many of the areas where the university has put more resources—particularly around the quality of the student experience—have seen the most improvement,” said Dr. Alan Harrison, provost and vice-president (academic).
These areas include scholarships, academic support and counselling, faculty feedback, class sizes, school spirit, reputation for undergraduate, graduate and professional studies and overall academic reputation.
“We have much more work to do, but the results are encouraging. They show that we are moving in the right direction and that we have our priorities right,” Harrison said.
The U of C ranked seventh in quality of student services in the newspaper’s annual ranking released on Oct. 31. It stayed the same or improved in every category except one—overall on-campus buildings/facilities. The university has launched a $1.5-billion infrastructure campaign to add new capacity and renovate existing spaces.
“This survey has its own limitations—the sample is based on students who responded to a website, rather than a representative cross-section, for example, but all student feedback is important and that’s why we have made investments to respond to them,” Harrison added.
Over the past year, the U of C has focused significant resources to enhance the student experience. In response to students asking for one place to go to for admissions, fees, registration and awards services, the new, integrated Service Stop was created in Student and Academic Services. Improvements have also been made to the technology used to serve students, and the U of C is in the process of making 80 percent of all transactions available online. About 70,000 square feet of student space has been renovated.