Ad Tracking, Brand Equity Research & … Your Honors Program? William Ashton, Renny Eapen & Erzulie Mars York College Honors Program City University of New York National Colligate Honors Council Developing in Honors Session San Antonio, TX Thursday, October 23, 2008 Briefly introduce yourselves

Today’s Goals To describe our activities of promoting campus awareness of our honors program To describe the planning and execution of a marketing research study to answer the following questions: What do students think of our honors program? What was the effectiveness of promotional activities? Vica’s part --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Setting Founded 1966 Current Campus 1986 Commuter campus located in Jamaica, Queens Full-time students: 6,727 Approximately 40% of classes taught by adjuncts Most of our marketing efforts are to reach students in lower level courses – which are taught by adjuncts; some of whom are out of the know about the HP

Diverse 38% - 25 years old or older 40% - not US citizens 14% undocumented, 22% permanent resident White, non-hispanic 4% Black, non-hispanic 47% Hispanic 15% Asian 9%

York College Honors Program Young: founded in 2001 Faculty initiative with little support from Academic Affairs 2-year curriculum Typically: 12 students in the program with 4 students per year completing the program Don’t be thrown by a reaction here: Our program is very, very small compared to most.

2007 Promotional Activities Honors Club – student club open to all students; presents honors programs & events Class visitors – HP student workers visit fresh-person and sophomore levels courses; 10 min. presentation on HP Describe – briefly – the clubs at York Describe – more fully – what you would do during class visits

Honors Club Events More on the Psychology of Evil Dr Michael Flynn, HP mentor 3 Honors Program students 35 non-Honors students

Honors Club Events Held in the under-construction HP lounge Dr Aegina Barnes gave introduction & lead discussion Attendance 3 Faculty members 3 non-Honors students 4 Honors Program students

Marketing Research – Brand Equity Research Consumer’s evaluation of and associations with the brand awareness (recall and recognition) Students in York College Honors Program participate in special classes just for Honors. Off-campus cultural activities Thesis to graduate Faculty mentor Study lounge brand image (the overall associations that the brand has). I think that the York College Honors Program/Club is an important program for York College to have. increases the status of York College's public image encourages high academic standards for all at York College Renny’s part -----------------------------------------------------

Brand Equity Research brand image (the overall associations that the brand has). Choose all that are advantages/disadvantages Helps on application for graduate school Helps students transfer to other colleges Helps on job application Students have cultural experiences Students have research experiences Students have internship experiences Students get laptops Improve career opportunities Students use honors lounge Students take special honors classes Students works with faculty mentor Students will write a thesis Classes with only other honor students Extra-curricular activities Special scholarships for other honors students Special recognition Financial aid for other honors students Scholarships for honors students Extra classes to take Only nerds are in the program Greater/more responsibilities Lack of recognition for efforts Lack of appreciation for efforts Higher academic expectations You don’t have to read all of the advantages/disadvantages – just a few examples

Marketing Research – Ad Tracking Brand and advertising awareness I recall a professor talking to my class about the York College Honors Program/Club I recall an honors student visiting my class and talking about the York College Honors Program/ Club Please list the names of programs at York College for academically gifted students. I have heard of the York College Honors Program/Club The York College college-wide program which requires special course work and an honors thesis to graduate. To enter the York College Honors Program a student needs a GPA (grade point average) of ____ or higher. To enter the York College Honors Program a student must have fewer than how many credits?

Data Collection Timeline Early Spring Semester - Wave 1 data collection Mid Spring Semester – Honors Club and Class Visitor programs begin Late Spring Semester – Wave 2 Early Autumn Semester – Wave 3 Data is collected via an online survey which is part of the Behavioral & Social Sciences Research Pool program. Each semester approximately 20% of the York student population is registered in classes which require research pool participation.

Data Analysis Effectiveness of Honors Club Wave 1 vs. Wave 2 vs. Wave 3 Effectiveness of Class Visitors Class visitors spoke to selected research pool class; Wave 2-visited vs. Wave 2-not visited

Preliminary Findings – Brand Equity York Programs for the Academically Gifted “None” 59% Left answer blank 25% Honors Program 4% Deans List 4% Merit Scholars 2% Less than 1% Seek Program National Society for Leaders Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Student Support Services Mentoring Program York Scholars Research Program This isn’t good. 84% of York students don’t know of any programs for gifted students at York. This speaks to the students’ perceptions of York College. Also, negative to the HP only 4% of students know of us.

Preliminary Findings – Brand Equity Top 5 Advantages Helps on application to graduate school (64%) Improve career opportunities (54%) Special scholarships for honor students (52%) Special Recognition (50%) Helps students transfer to other colleges (48%) Top 5 Disadvantages Extra classes to take (40%) Honors courses cost extra money to take (38%) No scholarship or financial help (22%) Lack of recognition for efforts (19%) Lack of appreciation for efforts (19%) There are no special scholarships for the honors students Helps students transfer to other colleges is a dangerous advantage – perception that good students wish to leave York. Honors courses do not cost extra money

Preliminary Findings – Brand Equity Attitudes (1-7 scale; e.g. 7=increases standards for all) Important 5.1 Status 5.1 Standards for all 4.9

Preliminary Findings – Ad Tracking Professor talked about Honors Program in class never 74% once 17% a few times 7% often 2% Our main avenue to reach lower level students – their professor talking about the HP in class – mostly doesn’t happen