1. CAMPUS PULSE: A New Initiative to Increase Student Survey Response Rates Heather A. Kelly Assistant Director Allison M. Walters Institutional Research Analyst University of Delaware Office of Institutional Research and Planning Presented at the 2007 Annual AIR Forum Kansas City, MO June 6, 2007

2. UD At A Glance Doctoral/Research Extensive Primarily traditional, residential 4-yr institution Fall 2006 Enrollment  Undergraduates: 15,849  Graduates: 3,446  Professional & Continuing Studies: 1,085  TOTAL: 20,380

3. Past Surveys IR typically surveys undergraduates each spring Alternate between ACT Survey of Student Opinions, NSSE, or homegrown survey Examples of Declining Response Rates ACT Survey of Student Opinions  1995: 27%  1998: 26%  2002: 21%  2006: 16% NSSE  2001: 44%  2005: 32%

4. Declining Response Rates What are students telling us? Reasons Complete Desire to help UD Related to students’ interests Results could impact personal experience Required minimal effort Had free time Approached in-person Instant incentive Reasons Do Not Complete Survey of no interest Annoyed by many/multiple requests Too complicated Too much time/effort to complete Frustrated not seeing any changes or being notified of results

5. What to do next??? Introducing the Campus Pulse Initiative

7. Hot Button Issues Trabant Student Center Buses Campus Life Class Schedule Dining Diversity Financial Aid Gym/Athletic Facilities Safety/Security Perkins Student Center Advising Class Schedule Course Materials Dining Diversity Parking

8. Web Survey Administration Strengths Time, costs, resources relatively low Common data entry errors eliminated Data collection process easily tracked Immediate access to data a reality Interactive process between survey administrator and respondent Weaknesses Issue of anonymity and loss of confidentiality Bias due to access Survey viewed on different web browsers Needs to have paper option available, if requested Database has capacity restraints for open-ended comments Strengths > Weaknesses

9. Tools to Develop Surveys Remark Web Survey http://www.principia.com TargetX http://www.targetx.com

10. Pilot Surveys Advising Diversity Safety/Security

11. Advising Newark campus undergraduates: 15,028 Sample size: 5,002 (33%) Viewed link: 2,810 (56%) Interacted: 663 (13%) Follow-up: 4,328 Viewed link: 1,993 (46%) Interacted: 316 (7%) OVERALL RESPONSE RATE: 17%

12. Advising Respondents

13. Advising Results

14. Advising Results Continued

16. Diversity Newark campus undergrads/grads minus advising sample: 13,289 Sample size: 4,424 (33%) Viewed link: 2,201 (50%) Interacted: 638 (15%) Follow-up: 3,775 Viewed link: 1,536 (41%) Interacted: 290 (8%) OVERALL RESPONSE RATE: 18%

17. Diversity Respondents

18. Diversity Results

19. Diversity Results Continued

21. Safety Newark campus undergrads/grads minus advising and diversity samples: 8,811 Sample Size: 2,940 (33%) Viewed link: 1,466 (50%) Interacted: 438 (15%) Follow-up: 2,491 Viewed link: 1,016 (41%) Interacted: 189 (8%) OVERALL RESPONSE RATE: 19%

22. Safety Respondents

23. Safety Results

24. Safety Results Continued

26. Incentives??? Advising  78% provided email addresses Diversity  71% provided email addresses Safety  77% provided email addresses

27. Additional Survey Topics Registration Curriculum/Pedagogy/Course Delivery

28. Questions & Discussion Heather Kelly hkelly@udel.edu Allison Walters awalters@udel.edu http://www.udel.edu/ir