Results from WC's Student Satisfaction Survey are in with some surprising findings, listing greatest student dissatisfaction with student life and campus safety.
"The clearest areas to improve are the residential facilities and the dining facilities, but some areas were frankly a bit of a surprise," said Dean Christopher Ames.
The most surprising feedback was students' opinion about campus safety, and the administration will be going directly to the students to uncover what exactly the problem is.
"We're starting up focus groups of students with the security issue," said Ames. "Is it the response time? Is it the construction? Is it the security officers themselves? Because as campuses go, this is a pretty safe campus."
When asked about improving residential life, Ames said, "That is already being addressed by the Building Program. We're opening 200 new beds which gives us the flexibility to close Kent, and we're moving people out of buildings that were never intended to be residence," citing the Gibson Building.
As for better dining options, "the new dining facility [completed in August 2009] is not just more space but it gives more options for food," Ames said.
Another area the survey listed as a challenge was the competence of WC's Health Services, to which Ames responded, "I was a little surprised by it, that's where we need to talk to students."
Ames emphasized the overall importance of students' input in these surveys.
"It's important to be able to put individual students' comments into context," Ames said.
The survey also revealed that almost 40 percent of students didn't rate WC as their first-choice school, which according to Ames, is no reason to be alarmed.
"There's no question that the more first choice students, the higher the retention will be," said Ames. "In our peer schools that's a little high," Ames said, "but nationwide that's somewhat normal."
With the hopes of improving retention, changes are being made to make new students more connected to campus, said Ames.
Peer Mentor groups are being revised to create a more intimate and social environment for freshmen.
"We're expanding the groups and linking the Peer Mentor to the faculty advisor so that there's a tighter cohesion of people on campus," Ames said.
"There will also be a first-year book to read, and the author will be on campus the first week to give a reading," Ames added.
A possible addition in the future is the introduction of the President's Associates Program, which honors incoming students with large merit scholarships and special activities.
"This has been discussed in a very preliminary way," said Ames, "but it's an item of discussion that will be raised in the next year."
The suggestions and opinions of students have a much more lengthy impact than most students realize, said Ames. As a result of student voices, "we are shifting top areas of importance and satisfaction in the next couple of years."
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