UF beats other universities in response rate to SERU survey

July 18, 2011

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — After nearly five months full of prize giveaways, email reminders and data analyses, the 2011 edition of the Student Experience in Research Universities, or SERU, survey, has officially closed with the University of Florida posting the highest response rate of the nine universities that participated.

Of UF’s 30,772 eligible undergraduate students, more than 19,500, or 63.4 percent, responded to the survey. Broken down by year, that’s 66 percent of freshmen, 73 percent of sophomores, 71 percent of juniors, 65 percent of seniors and 37 percent of graduating seniors. The highest response rate from any college was 82.6 percent in the College of Education, with the College of Public Health and Health Professions in second place with 70.9 percent.

SERU gave students the opportunity to voice opinions about their university experience by answering questions about the quality of education, student services and diversity understanding, as well as other topics personalized to the student’s college. Undergraduates were asked to complete the 20-minute survey between March 15 and July 1.

Depending on the student’s classification and college identity, he or she received “wildcard” questions from an array of UF departments and topics such as academic dishonesty, sustainability, International Center, Council on Diversity, arts and culture, Campus Climate Task Force/Student Affairs and the University Athletic Association.

Compared with the nine other universities that participated in SERU, UF has the highest response rate. The closest competitor, the University of Southern California, ended with a 37.5 percent response rate. The other participating schools were the University of Michigan, the University of North Carolina, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Texas-Austin, Rutgers University, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Oregon.

Motivating the eligible UF students was a weekly goal for a SERU team that was spearheaded by Marie Zeglen, assistant provost and director of institutional planning and research in UF’s Office of Institutional Planning and Research.

Zeglen said $3,000 covered the cost of incentives and marketing tools. According to the contract with UC Berkeley, UF was required to spend a minimum amount on incentives, but schools were able to spend more if they desired.

At UF, the survey takers had the opportunity to receive buy-one, get-one free offer of admission to the Florida Museum of Natural History Butterfly Rainforest, a coupon for discounted student membership to the Harn Museum of Art and gift cards for iTunes, Amazon, UF Bookstore and Gator Dining Services. Two iPads were also awarded to two random students.

Students also were required to complete the survey to be eligible to enter the 2011 Gator football student season ticket lottery.

“Now that SERU is closed, we will be reading students’ concerns, suggestions and ideas so we can make their university experience even better,” she said. “To all the students who participated: no matter what your reason or motivation was, thank you.”

Zeglen said the internal survey data will be shared across campus so each department can use the information. Zeglen said her team will receive access to the SERU data from the other participating universities in August. Comparisons and contrasts will be drawn, and that information will be released in the fall 2011 semester.

UF first participated in the survey in 2009. Among all nine partner schools, UF also had the highest student response rate that year: more than 65 percent.

The 2009 SERU survey results were used to improve campus student services, including revamping UF’s free tutoring and academic support services in Academic Affairs and the Office of Academic Technology and hiring additional advisors. In addition, the Campus Climate Task Force, an organization that hosts open forums to spark discussions, was created as a result of the percentage of minority students feeling respected on campus.