University Student Survey, Spring 2000

Executive Summary

A survey was administered to both undergraduate and graduate students in spring 2000. The final instrument incorporated the suggestions from the vice presidents, deans, a librarian and others of the University community. The comprehensive survey contained 240 items. Students were also invited to write comments and suggestions in response to the question "How can UNT be a better place for you?" Results are reported separately.

The Sample
Data Analysis
Legislation Items. Customer Service Items Assessment
Comments Offered by the Student Respondents

The Sample. There were 60 course sections invited to participate in this survey. These courses were chosen to reflect a stratified sample of the current student body. Many of the packets returned without the original labeling so it is not possible to calculate a response rate from the course sections. However, the number of surveys mailed out in packets totaled 3,240. The sample, that is the total number returned, was 1,452. A comparison of the sample to the actual enrollment provides evidence that the sample is representative of the enrollment in terms of student classification (when aggregated freshman/sophomore junior/senior and graduate as used in determining the sample), school/college of major, ethnicity, and age distribution. Male students are slightly underrepresented in this sample (40% sample, 45% university).

Data analysis. For data analysis the students were aggregated into three classification groups: freshman/sophomore, junior/senior, and graduate. There were 168 students that did not indicate a classification. They are not included in this analysis. For some items one response option was "no opinion or not applicable." When the percentage of those expressing no opinion exceeded one-third of respondents, the percentages were recalculated and reported for only those expressing an opinion.

• What is your image of UNT? Items with a very high level of agreement (80% or higher) include: "university with a high quality faculty," has a "comfortable environment", "values diversity," and "is intellectually demanding." Next came "reputation for excellence in major field." A remarkably high percentage of graduate students agreed that UNT has "high quality graduate programs" (91%) and undergraduates agreed that UNT has "high quality undergraduate programs" (86%). Students did not agree with the following: "a university with a promising future in athletics" (24% of those expressing an opinion agreed) and "university of first choice" (43% agreed, 47% disagreed).
• Regular faculty. Undergraduates. At least 80% agreed that regular faculty "have a good attitude toward students," "value diversity," "provide high quality instruction," are "fair but demanding," and "communicate effectively". Graduate Students. At least 80% agreed that regular faculty "have a good attitude toward students," "provide high quality instruction," are "concerned that students learn" and "fair but demanding," "communicate effectively" and "value diversity."
• Faculty in my major encourage students to participate in research activities. Graduate students consistently agreed more than did undergraduates on these items. The highest percentage of agreement was for "encourages students to engage in research and creative endeavors" (83% graduates, 71% undergraduates). The lowest among those expressing an opinion was "encourage students to publish research (63% graduates, 42% undergraduates).
• Teaching fellows/assistants. Undergraduates only. Better than three-fourths agreed that teaching fellows/assistants "have a good attitude toward students" and "accept and value diversity." Teaching fellows/assistants averaged of 16 percentage points lower than regular faculty. The most significant of these were "high quality instruction" (23 percentage points less than regular faculty) and "good use of audio-visual aids" (22 less).
• Courses. Approximately 64% of freshman/sophomore students agreed that courses were offered when they needed them but less than half (42%) of the junior/senior group said likewise. Most graduate students also agreed (60%)
• Schedule. General. Most (48%) students prefer to keep the current Monday/Wednesday/Friday and Tuesday/Thursday schedule of day time classes, although one third (33%) would like a Monday/Wednesday & Tuesday/Thursday schedule. Three-fourths of freshman/sophomores would like to see classes begin "Morning, 9 am or later" as would two thirds of junior/senior students. Graduate students would like to see classes begin after 5:00 pm. School year and schedule preferences. Three-fourths of the students prefer to keep the school year as it is. There was some interest in a winter mini-mester among junior/senior students, 60% of whom indicated they would enroll.
• Registration. A strong majority of the students are "satisfied or very satisfied" with the various registration services. The highest rated services (over 80% satisfaction) are "readability of schedule of classes," "timeliness of grade reports," "telephone registration," and "services provided by registrar’s office" among undergraduates and graduates alike. Graduate students were not well satisfied with "web registration" (54%).
• Financial aid. Of those offering an opinion, only "F.A.V.O.R.S" (78%) and "advice received about financial aid" (65%) garnered good satisfactory ratings. The remaining items were neither clearly overall satisfactory nor dissatisfactory.
• Satisfaction with university environment. Facilities. The only unsatisfactory rating was for parking where 80% were dissatisfied. The next lowest rated was "access to copiers" with only 59% of undergraduates satisfied. Residence/housing rated satisfactory among undergraduate students expressing an opinion (64%). Services. The highest rated items among all students were "staff treatment of students" (75%), "university union services" (71%). Undergraduates were more satisfied with "hours computer labs are open" (74%) than were graduate students (54%). Among items with high "no opinion or not applicable" response rates, those rating highest "payment by credit card," "on-line catalog," and "internet information on agencies" each of which were rated satisfactory by at least 85% of those expressing an opinion. Information. Among all students are satisfied with the "catalog" (92%) and "schedule of classes" (89%). The remaining items are rated among those expressing an opinion, all of which rated satisfactory (between 82% and 91%). Wellness and Counseling & Testing. Among students expressing an opinion, over 76% were satisfied with each item with the highest rated service being "student health center services" which received 88% "satisfactory" or "very satisfactory."  Student Service Organizations. Among those expressing an opinion, student service organizations rated satisfactory 64% to 83%. Overall. Finally, 84% of students are satisfied with UNT ("overall impression of UNT").
• Libraries. Facilities use. The majority of students (79%) use the Willis library. The next most used library is the Science & Technology library (31%). Seventy-three percent of students have taken a course having assignments that require using library resources. Nine percent of students do not use UNT library facilities. Information on Libraries. Students get their information about UNT libraries from other students, according to undergraduates (49%). Graduate students get their information about libraries from "personal contact with professors" (45%) and from "UNT libraries’ home page" (46%). Accessing electronic resources. Most undergraduate students access the library resources by physically visiting the library facilities (60%). Freshman/sophomores are more likely to access them "from home or dorm" (49%). More than two-thirds of all students would prefer to access these resources "from home or dorm" (71%). Hours. Students are satisfied with the libraries’ weekday (75%) and weekend (62%) hours of operation. Still, given the option, 63% of undergraduates would like to see 24-hour access to them. Staff. Students are satisfied with the library staff’s knowledgeable assistance (66%) and friendliness (68%). Overall aspects. Students are satisfied with "personal safety," "lighting," "temperature," and "noise level" each of which rated 72% or higher. Among student expressing an opinion "TexShare library card program," interlibrary loan," "media resources," "microform collection," "reference by appointment" and "references services" each received 92% or higher satisfaction ratings.
• Students. Percentage of students receiving a scholarship from UNT is 14% while for those offered a scholarship from another institution is 22%. Most students have access to a computer at home (87%); 86% of graduate students have access to one at work while only 50% of undergraduates do. Most work off campus somewhere while attending UNT (63%) and 51% work more than 20 hours per week. Less than one-half of undergraduates (43%) stay in Denton on weekend mostly because they live outside of Denton (69%). Thirty-seven percent travel more than 25 miles per day to get to UNT. Students are more inclined to attend an event or exhibit on campus than a sporting event, 40% to 30%. More than half of all students attended summer school, summer 1999, 40% at UNT, 16% elsewhere.

Legislation items. Customer Service Items Assessment. All percentages are the total of "satisfied" or "very satisfied" responses among those expressing an opinion.

• Facilities. Students were very satisfied with access to facilities (87%), the location of offices within them (90%) as well as facilities signage (80%). The majority of students rated the amount of personal computers (79%) and lab hours (84%) for students’ use satisfactory. Students were satisfied with the amount of study space in the library (92%) as well as study spaces elsewhere (75%). Accommodations for students with disabilities received a very favorable 89% while university housing – residence halls only received 69% in total satisfactory percentage.

• Staff. Staff treatment received a strong satisfactory mark from all students (88%). In addition, the library staff received 87% satisfactory percentage for "being knowledgeable" and 86% for "friendliness."

• Communications. Students were quite satisfied with "toll-free telephone access" (79%) and "electronic mail returns" (83%) as well being able to speak "to a live person" (72%). The "amount of time spent on hold" was also rated satisfactory (64%).

• Internet access. Most students rated the "ease of use of internet" satisfactory (89%) and were also "information about [UNT] agencies" (85%) and the "listing of contact names" for them (81%).
  
• Complaint handling. Two-thirds of students who expressed an opinion were satisfied with the "complaint handling process" (66%) saying the process made it "easy to file a complaint" (67%) which was then "handled in a timely manner" (64%).
  
• Timeliness of service. UNT offer registration by phone and web both of which rated satisfactory by the majority (84%) of users. "Web payment by credit card" (88%) and "phone payment by credit card" (93%) both totaled a very high satisfaction percentage. Other services rating satisfactory with a high percentage of students were "timeliness of grade reports" (92%) and "processing of transcript requests" (86%). Rating not so well in satisfaction was the amount of time it takes to receive word on financial aid, "how long it takes to know about financial aid" (51%).
  
• Brochures. One of the highest rated areas overall, print information received very high percentages of satisfactory rating by students. "Readability of schedule of classes" (88%), "May mini-mester flier" (89%), "UNT academic calendar brochure" (91%) and "Brochures of other printed information" (91%) each had the overwhelming majority of students giving satisfactory marks. Also noted by students were library handouts which "are helpful" (88%). Students were extremely satisfied with the "accuracy of brochures" (91%).                                                                            

Comments Offered by the Student Respondents. Students were invited to write comments and suggestions about "How can UNT be a better place for you?" There are recurring themes such as parking and tuition costs. Some comments were unique. Some students expressed one view ("more support for the Greek system") while others expressed an opposite view ("eliminate frats/sororities"). Examples from the comments follow.

• Many are satisfied with UNT.
• Parking.
• Instructors.
• Academic advisors.
• Classes offered.
• Financial aid.
• Libraries and study areas.
• School spirit.
• Athletics.
• Campus Police.
• Lighting.