Campus Survey Results
Survey Development
Last winter and spring, Cal Poly administered two innovative campus surveys, one to students and the other to faculty and staff. The surveys were part of the ongoing WASC process. The directors of the self-study and the chairs of the working groups designed the survey with the help of Ken De Vane, a consultant in the Office of the Chancellor.
The team developed survey questions that specifically addressed the questions of the self-study. It considered the needs of each theme and the interests of each working group—Our Polytechnic Identity, Learn-by-Doing, Teacher-Scholar Model, and Integration and Student Learning. Gradually, these needs and interests converged on one central query: where do students learn? This inspired a series of questions whose aim was to relate the University Learning Objectives (ULOs) and the Diversity Learning Objectives (DLOs) to more or less specific learning venues: curricular, co-curricular, and work-related.
Drafts of the surveys were submitted to focus groups representing students, staff, and faculty. With their feedback, the surveys were redesigned before being made available to the campus.
Survey Results
As a result of the focus group process, a lengthy student survey was divided into two shorter versions, one focusing on the ULOs and the other on the DLOs. They were administered February 19 to February 26, each version going to one half of the student population. The response was good: 16.5% for the ULO-based survey and 16.9% for the DLO-based survey. Among the results:
- If they had the opportunity, 23.6% of respondents would change their major.
- Of those who responded to the survey, 68.2% agreed or strongly agreed that their experience of learn-by-doing has met their expectations.
- Of those who responded to the survey, 52.0% agreed or strongly agreed that the incorporation of scholarly activities had a positive impact on their learning; 40.4% were neutral.
- Combining the results of both surveys, 73.7% of respondents participated in clubs and organizations.
In keeping with the self-study theme of integration, a single, shorter survey was sent to all the faculty and staff. There was some concern that non-instructional staff members might be confused by some of the questions, but focus group members made it clear that they would rather be confused than excluded from the process.
The faculty/staff survey was administered April 30 to May 8. The response rate was a very good 27.3%. Among the results:
- When asked whether the senior project is currently a culminating experience that engages all the ULOs, 52.1% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed.
- Of those who responded to the survey, 73.6% agreed or strongly agreed that, in ten years, the senior project should be a culminating experience that engages all the ULOs.
These results have formed the backbone of the self-study, which was submitted to WASC on December 3, 2009. The results should be of interest to all campus constituencies. Administered on a regular basis, the surveys should become an important component of a planned assessment dashboard.
View full student survey results (PDF)
View full faculty/staff survey results (PDF)
If you have trouble accessing these documents, please contact the Academic Programs Office at 805-756-2246.