by Maria Silva (mariasilva@gwu.edu) and Ty Miranda (tmiranda@gwu.edu)
In fall 2017, the Mount Vernon Campus conducted a survey to evaluate student satisfaction on campus. Students were surveyed over five days about Mount Vernon campus resources. For each day, surveyors polled participants in five different locations across the Mount Vernon Campus: Eckles Library, the Academic Building, West Hall, Somers Hall, Ames, and the central campus Quad. In addition, respondents were offered popcorn in exchange for their time and the individually collected responses were all anonymous.
The survey questioned participants about facilities, activities, and overall operations on the Mount Vernon campus. Questions covered what events respondents attended in the fall semester and their satisfaction with the West Hall Fitness Center, the Vern Express, and dining facilities on campus. The survey also allowed students to give general qualitative feedback on Mount Vernon Campus,. as well as denoting whether or not they were Mount Vernon Campus residents.
Results from 140 students show that 72% of students, including residential and non-residential, had an overall positive experience on the Mount Vernon Campus. The campus’ largest signature events, Bazaar and the Vern Harvest, each drew over 50% of the respondents, showing the large success of community-wide events. Additionally, Residential Advisor events were the next largest attended events, demonstrating the productivity of the Mount Vernon Residential Engagement team.
The Vern Express was the lowest rated campus component, with only a third of respondents reporting a positive experience. Common concerns included dissatisfaction with the frequency of Vern Express departure times and issues with the Vern Express mobile application. Another significant concern was dining options. Positive experiences in Pelham Commons and Higher Grounds were reported by 54% and 63% of respondents, respectively. The most prominent issue indicated was dissatisfaction with the price of dining on campus when compared to the quality of food received. Students also wish there were more dining options on or near the Mount Vernon Campus that fit into their budgets.
From these survey results, the campus further understands the importance of programming and student engagement. An additional qualitative study would further explore how programming impacts the student experience. The Mount Vernon Campus team will continue to be committed to programming, both in the residence halls and on the campus.
The survey also shows that there are campus services that still need attention to increase student satisfaction on campus. The team will continue to advocate for students to campus service departments to further explore options to increase student satisfaction. Additionally, the Mount Vernon Campus team will continue to collect student feedback to increase the team’s overall understanding of the student experience and provide quality data to support decision-making.
Maria Silva is an events assistant on the Mount Vernon Campus and graduating in the spring with a degree in International Affairs. Ty Miranda is an Assistant Program Coordinator for the Center for Student Engagement on the Mount Vernon Campus.
