Purpose of Local Online Surveys
Online surveys help ascertain WIU community input on a variety of topics throughout the year. All surveys must meet Institutional Review Board guidelines. University groups wishing to conduct online surveys for the purpose of gaining valuable information in support of decision making can contact survey@wiu.edu to discuss online survey development and deployment.
Completed Surveys - Academic Year 2005-2006
Campus & University Partnership Program (CUPP) Feedback on Alcohol Issues 
623 campus (94.4%) and community (5.6%) residents responded about potential solutions to bar and alcohol related concerns.
- 60.8% disagreed with requiring a special event permit to purchase kegs of beer
- 52.6% supported eliminating a common bar closing time, preferring staggered hours
- 62.7% supported extended bar hours, but requiring no alcohol sale during the last hour
- 48.3% supported publication of violator sanctions as a deterrent
- 44.0% supported increased education about responsible drinking and associated behaviors
- 70.5% disagreed with the concept of discouraging discount alcohol pricing at bars
- 64.8% disagrees with an increase in the city sales tax on alcohol
- 56.7% supported stronger enforcement and penalties in accordance with existing laws
back to survey list
Students Rate Go West
731 Macomb students (7.2%) responded to the survey about satisfaction with Go West service and ease of use.
- 92.8% of students had used Go West, with 81.6% finding the routes and times easily accessible, and 68.9% checking the bus schedules online.
- 65.7% said that the bus runs on schedule at least most of the time, with 68.5% waiting 7 minutes or less for the bus.
- 58.7% rated the overall cleanliness of the bus at least a 7 on a 10-point scale, while 62.8% gave the friendliness of the drivers high marks, and 59.6% likewise gave the overall value of Go West for their student dollar good ratings.
- The only low ratings were for the quality of the ride, with clean stops, smooth stops, and no crowding receiving only 26.9% high marks.
back to survey list
Dads Rate Dads' Weekend Spring 2006
83 of the 183 Dads (45.4%) attending the April 21-23, 2006 Dads' Weekend festivities completed a survey about that satisfaction with the annual event.
- 74.4% of Dads traveled more than 200 miles from home to attend the event, with 65.1% venturing to Macomb on their own, and even 19.8% experiencing campus life to the fullest by staying with their son or daughter rather than hotels or other lodging options.
- The Golf Scrambles were the most popular event, with 53.2% of Dads participating, followed by Bowling & Billiards (27.3%), the farewell breakfast with President Goldfarb (24.7%), the opening reception and dinner (22.1%), and the ever-popular "Cooking with Dad" (19.5%).
- 98.6% of Dads are interested in attending a future Dads' Weekend and 93.1% will definitely recommend the even to others, with a Baggo tournament (47.2%) and a fishing derby (45.3%) most recommended as additional future activities.
back to survey list
Faculty Views on a Continuous Graduate Enrollment Requirement
The Graduate Council asked WIU graduate faculty their opinion of potentially enacting a continuous enrollment policy that would require students to maintain an active enrollment status.
- 188 (31.6%) graduate faculty from 35 departments expressed mixed opinions, with 41.0% supporting the proposal and 59.0% against the concept.
- Supporters sited the encourage to complete a graduate degree a continuous enrollment policy would generate, while detractors sited family and career obstacles faced by many part-time graduate students that adversely affect students if a continuous enrollment policy was enacted.
- Many respondents felt they needed a clearer definition of what was being proposed before they could responsibly express their opinion.
back to survey list
Integration of International Students
Of 325 international students at WIU, 102 (31.4%) responded, representing 33 countries and 25 majors, with 62.0% being male and 70.7% being graduate students.
- Japan (18) and India (16) had the most international students and Computer Science (19) and Economics (14) were the most popular majors.
- 76.3% had a good first impression of WIU and 54.9% felt Orientation Week was important in helping to understand the WIU culture and getting involved (67.8%) at WIU.
- 66.0% were active in various WIU opportunities and getting to know American students (58.9%) increased their satisfaction of WIU, with only 33.6% feeling unaccepted by American students.
- The International Bazaar was the overall favorite activity, with 80.0% of students participating and 53.9% selecting it as their favorite event, but large numbers also participated in International Coffee Hour (46.7%), Conversation Partners (45.6%), and Cultural Cafe (42.2%).
- 74.2% said American culture was very different from the culture of their home country, but 69.7% took advantage of the opportunity to get involved in American activities, with 90.0% using the Rec Center, 78.6% participating in at least one American holiday celebration, 59.6% going to parties hosted by American students, and 52.8% attending athletic events.
back to survey list
Faculty Views on a Foreign Language or Global Issues Requirement
The Faculty Senate surveyed WIU faculty about the value of having a foreign language and/or global issues requirement for graduation. Of 329 (42.2%) faculty responding:
- 74.5% supported a foreign language graduation requirement and 69.4% supported a global issues graduation requirement, with a 50/50 split regarding which one was preferred most.
- Both were regarded as helping WIU meet its undergraduate mission - 64.6% for a foreign language requirement and 68.2% for a global issues requirement.
- 77.6% felt WIU should require at least 1 year of university-level foreign language, and while 74.0% favored requiring a basic understanding of a foreign language, only 31.2% said students should be able to converse, read, and write in a foreign language.
- 76.9% felt an understanding of global issues was important for the future of WIU students, but only 26.6% favored requiring a study abroad or similar significant international experience.
back to survey list
Student Foreign Language Interests
The Foreign Language Department surveyed WIU students about their foreign language needs and interests. Of 353 students responding:
- 93.2% spoke English at home, but 59.2% also spoke a 2nd language, most often Spanish (63.2%).
- 93.8% were interested in studying foreign language, most citing its career value (53.0%), with Spanish being of most interest (37.4%), followed by Italian (10.9%) and French (9.8%).
- 65.4% would like to study abroad as part of their foreign language experience, with most (58.7%) preferring summer opportunities and 92.5% citing speaking as the most important language skill.
- The major benefits of study abroad experiences were understanding the culture (90.0%), language skills (82.3%), help in career (54.7%), and understanding of international politics (48.2%)
back to survey list
Student Leadership
To guide programming efforts, the Office of Student Activities sponsored a survey to learn of student leadership needs and interests. Of 1172 students responding:
- 51.7% were members of student organizations, with 44.3% having held an organizational office.
- 99.6% felt leadership was an important skill to develop, 56.6% considered themselves a leader,
- 90.6% thought is was important for WIU to provide leadership training, with workshops (40.4%) and leadership classes (25.8%) the preferred way students would like to receive training.
- Students rated their top 5 leadership skills as 1) listening, 2) organization, 3) problem solving, 4) goal setting, and 5) intelligence.
- Students rated situational leadership as having the greatest value, followed by 2) moral and ethical, 3) transformational, 4) sustainable, 5) servant, and 6) charismatic .
back to survey list
Campus Community Expresses February Holiday Preference
To gain WIU community opinion regarding continuing to celebrate Lincoln's Birthday or changing to
celebrate Presidents' Day, the 4 WIU governance groups (Faculty Senate, COAP, CSEC, SGA) commissioned an online survey. The survey was available to the WIU community Feb. 20-28, 2006. The 14.2% who responded expressed a nearly 3:1 preference in favor of changing to celebrate Presidents' Day, with both WIU campuses and all governance classifications responding in similar percentages. The findings were presented to the WIU Board of Trustees at the November 10, 2006, meeting and a policy amendment to make the change passed its first reading. After allowing for additional campus community input, the Board will voted down the proposal at its March 9, 2007 meeting, thus maintaining the current Lincoln's Birthday Holiday.
back to survey list
Common Reading Selection for Fall 2006 Incoming Freshmen
Part of the First Year Experience programming involves discussion and activities centered around a common theme. Selecting a summer reading for all FYE students and faculty is part of that programming. To ensure a timely selection, the FYE Committee
began the process during the Fall 2005 semester, seeking nominations from the campus community. The Committee then selected 5 finalists and commissioned an online survey to measure campus opinion. The survey generated a 12.7% response between Feb. 11 & 28, 2006, with participants indicating their 1st through 5th choice selection. Class Matters, written by correspondents of the New York Times, was the overall 1st choice by students, faculty, staff, and administrators, alike.
On March 3, 2006, the FYE committee approved the selection of Class Matters as the FYE summer reading selection and will begin the process of developing curricular and co-curricular activities that incorporate use of the book.
back to survey list
Interest in International Studies Major
Nearly 800 students, representing more than 50 WIU majors, responded to the inquiry asking them the value they placed on knowledge about global issues, as well as their interest in pursuing an International Studies Major.
- 90.5% viewed knowledge of international issues in the 21st century as important.
- 81.7% viewed knowledge of international and business issues as important.
- 92.5% viewed knowledge of global issues, e.g., terror, environment, as important.
- 84.4% viewed opportunities to study/intern abroad as important.
- 85.3% viewed the opportunity to learn other languages as important.
- 37.9% were likely to pursue an International Studies major if available, especially as a 2nd major.
back to survey list
Interest in Religious Studies Major
Current Religious Studies minors were asked about their interest in the possibility of Religious Studies as a major/degree opportunity.
- 100% felt that a Religious Studies major would be a benefit to the university.
- 78.6% would seriously consider majoring in Religious Studies if it were an available major.
- 92.9% would seriously consider Religious Studies as a 2nd major if it were available.
- 89.3% new other students who would be interested in Religious Studies as a major.
back to survey list
Other survey results
Other surveys
- College of Business & Technology Senior Survey (contact the college for information)
- Department of Engineering Technology Alumni Survey (contact the department for information)
- College of Arts & Sciences Dean Review (contact the college for information)
- College of Education & Human Services Dean Review (contact the college for information)
- College of Fine Art & Communication Dean Review (contact the college for information)
- General Education "W" Requirement (contact the Gen Ed Review Committee for information)
- Student Employees and Campus Employers Satisfaction (contact Financial Aid for information)
- Presidential 2006 Review
- Provostal 2006 Review
- Financial Aid Satisfaction and Loan Consolidation Workshop (contact Financial Aid for information)
- State Fire Marshall & Law Enforcement Interests (contact the Illinois Law Enforcement Institute for information)
- Fall 2005 Intramurals and Sports Clubs Outcomes (contact the Student Recreation for information)
- Health Center Client Satisfaction - Fall'05, Spring'06 (contact the Health Center for information)
- Fall 2005 Grad School Orientation (contact the Graduate School for information)
