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Students Speak Survey Results 2009 TechNews Special Edition
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TUESDAYFebruary 23, 2010
Volume 168 | Special Edition
Student newspaper of Illinois Institute of Technology since 1897
technews.iit.edu
BACKGROUND RESPONSESFINDINGS
SPECIAL EDITIONStudents Speak Survey Report
One question that I’ve been getting consistently from students is “Okay, we took the survey. We voiced our opinion. We told them what needs to be changed. Now what?” Th e Students Speak Survey was conducted for IIT students to let the administrators of the school know where the IIT departments serving the students stand. The survey received an unprecedented response with more than 2700 students taking the survey, and the students of IIT have indeed voiced their opinion with about 600 pages of comments.
Naturally, students are eager to know if the survey had any impact on the school and its administration. I recently had the opportunity to be part of the core team that designed this survey, and I can tell you from what I have seen and heard so far, yes, the survey is being taken very, very seriously by the administration. Th ey are 100% committed to improving the student experience.
I also had the opportunity to be part of the team that presented survey results to an audience comprised of the President, Provost, Vice Presidents, Deans, and department heads, who are in charge of the various service functions within IIT. Th e meeting discussed what IIT has to achieve to move forward. Th e survey was discussed as a benchmark for change and enhancement in every department. It has evoked various emotions
from university leadership as the results of the survey were able to pinpoint exact areas within IIT where excellence has been reached, and other areas where real improvements are necessary. It was also very encouraging to see
that the department heads were not taking the survey lightly, and they were committed to improving the customer experience. Our President, John Anderson, took it one step further by announcing standards of
performance that the departments should achieve within specifi c time periods. With all these measures, it’s easy to see that the departments that are doing well will aim higher and the departments that are struggling are motivated to improve. All departments have been provided with their data report, as well as their specifi c set of student comments, so they will be able to identify and address opportunities for improvements.
Much credit goes to the University leadership for treating IIT students as customers that they truly care about. Th eir commitment to the survey process is evidence of their commitment to provide an excellent customer experience. Credit also goes to all the students who took part in the survey and thus became part of a movement to transform IIT. Personally, it has been a humbling experience to see that the university cares for the students and to be a part of a team that will result in an enhanced quality of life for generations of future IIT students.
In this special issue of TechNews, we are pleased to present the full executive summary of results that was presented to the President and Provost. We also have included a collection of responses from IIT service departments that refl ect their initial reactions and plans for follow-up on the survey. Finally, we have included an interview with President Anderson that refl ects his thoughts and plans on customer service at IIT.
Students Speak Survey: The AftermathBy Danny VargheseTECHNEWS WRITER
Students Speak Survey Team
Elizabeth CorsonUndergraduate Chemical Engineering
Brian KibbeUndergraduate Mechanical Engineering / Math Education
Zeenatroohi Kwon Graduate Psychology
Juan Martinez Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering
Piyush Sinha Undergraduate Computer Engineering
Seth Th omasGraduate Mechanical Engineering
Danny VargheseUndergraduate Business Administration
Kathryn WeissmanUndergraduate Civil Engineering
Bruce FisherStaff Advisor, Center for Research and Service
W hy wa s t h e s u r vey necessary and how did it work?
page 2
W h a t d i d s t u d e n t s think about the various departments?
page 2-5
What are the departments doing to change and better serve IIT?
page 5-7
2 | Tuesday, February 23, 2010STUDENTS SPEAK SURVEYIntroduction and BackgroundTh e Students Speak survey was designed and conducted by students.
Students Speak is part of a strategy for improving the quality of administrative services provided to IIT students.
The on-line survey was administered by the Center for Research and Service to all IIT undergraduate and graduate students during the period of October 19 to October 30, 2009:
7 items refl ecting students’ overall experience
at IIT
Evaluation of 24 departments
Th ree benchmark items plus custom items as appropriate
A comments section for each department
Th is summary report is based on:- Survey items- Write-in comments- Focus group results
Response Summary
2009 Invitations Responses* Response Rate
IIT Students Overall 7,778 2,721 35%
Graduate Students 5,114 1,568 31%
Undergraduate Students 2,664 1,134 43%
Th is summary report is based on data from 2,721 students, which refl ects a 35% response rate.
Department %
Bursar’s Office 81%
Office of the Registrar 74%
7‐Eleven 69%
IIT Libraries 68%
IIT Bookstore 60%
Dining Services
‐ Have a meal plan
60%
16%
Office of Technology Services 56%
Office of Financial Aid 53%
PeaQng Sports Center 43%
Post Office 42%
Access, Card, and Parking Services 41%
Student Health Services 36%
Department %
Career Management Center 36%
The Bog 34%
The 3nterna4onal Office 30%
Housing Services 27%
Student Employment 25%
Public Safety 24%
ShuJle Bus 20%
Office of Undergraduate Affairs /Office of
Educa4onal Services
20%
Academic Resource Center 18%
Campus 3nforma4on Center 13%
Office of Residence Life 10%
Student Counseling Services 6%
Th is summary report is based on data from 2,721 students, which refl ects a 35% response rate.
Executive Summary Th e vast majority of students feel that they are treated with respect by IIT staff
Most students feel safe on campus.
Th e university is not easy to navigate.
35% reported that they are frequently unable to get an answer or solution to a problem based on their initial contact with a department.
Approximately 1/3 of students frequently do not know which department to contact when they have a problem.
Service Stars are distinguished by timely, accurate response to students’ needs and high quality services. Th ese departments rated at or above an 80% level of satisfaction:
- Campus Information Center - Post Offi ce - Library - Counseling Center - Educational Services/Undergraduate Aff airs - Academic Resource Center - International Center - Registrar
Priorities for Improvement are represented by average satisfaction rates below 70%:
- Housing - 7-11 - Dining Services - Career Management Center - Financial Aid - Keating Sports Center - Bursar
Observations
Item View : Students Overall experience at IIT
Percent of students who responded favorably. Indices rated 80% or above are considered strengths. Indices rated below 70% present opportunities for improvement.
Item View : Most Favorably rated Items
Department Item % Favorable
Post Office Treated me with respect 90%
Library Treated me with respect 90%
Campus ;n=orma>on Center Treated me with respect 89%
Bookstore Treated me with respect 88%
Library Provided me with accurate in=orma>on 88%
Post Office Provided >mely response to my ques>ons or
concerns 87%
Campus ;n=orma>on Center Provided me with accurate in=orma>on 87%
Library Provided >mely response to my ques>ons or
concerns 87%
Campus ;n=orma>on Center Provided >mely response to my ques>ons or
concerns 86%
Bog Rec Center Treated me with respect 86%
Post Office Provided me with quality service 86%
Item View : Least Favorably rated Items
Department Item % Favorable
Dining Services Provided good value for food 34%
Housing Provided quality housing for the price 34%
Bookstore Provided good value for products and books 43%
7‐Eleven Provided good value for products 43%
Housing Provided a fair housing contract 44%
Dining Services Provided quality food 46%
CMC Hosted an eEecFve career fair 46%
Dining Services Provided adequate hours of operaFon 48%
Housing Provided FHely response to Hy quesFons or concerns 53%
7‐Eleven Provided quality products 55%
7‐Eleven Provided FHely response to Hy quesFons or concerns 55%
Student Service Area Averages
Th is chart represents the composite of items for each student services department. Th e percentages represent favorable responses (e.g., students responding very satisfi ed or satisfi ed to the survey items).
3Tuesday, February 23, 2010 | STUDENTS SPEAK SURVEYComment Analysis : Financial aid - Need for Improvement
116
96
85
51 46 44
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
*e,er advise/ counsel
Response to email/
VM
?roac@ve no@Aca@ons
Accuracy of informa@on
Timely processing/ release of
aid
Interdept. coordina@on
Slow or No Response to Email or Voicemail
“Voice-mail boxes are always full and they never get back to me unless I call tons of times.”
“Answering the phone when it’s ringing or responding to emails within 24 hours would be nice.”
Inaccurate Information or Mistakes
“…they cannot even be trusted for basic math. Th is semester I was told I was getting a refund. Th e Bursar’s offi ce then informed me that was how much I owed! I almost had to drop out for the semester. I will never trust the FA offi ce again.”
More Timely Processing and Release of Aid
“TIMELINESS OF RECEIVING FUNDING. I have been to two others schools - this process is way more diffi cult here at iit than other schools. You need to work harder at making this process faster”
Provide Proactive Notifications of Changes or Problems
“Th ey need to notify students if there are problems with their fi nancial aid packages and/or acceptance a little bit better… We should at least be notifi ed there is something wrong with the processing of our loans.”
Comment Analysis : Bursar Offi ce - Need for Improvement
84
77
70
63 63
57
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Unclear/ill defined process
Response to email/
VM
?roac@Ae no@fica@ons
Accuracy of informa@on
Timely processing of checks & statements
Interdept. coordina@on
Unclear or Poorly Defined Processes
“The way in which tuition is paid for. I have to admit I’m astonished how hard it is to find the proper area of the website in which to make payments to the student account.
Slow or No Response to Email or Voicemail
“I had to email them 3 times to get an explanation of one of the charges on my bill. A more timely response would have been more professional, especially on an issue that was resolved in about 5 minutes once someone looked at it. “They need to pick up their phones, have a
faster response to online inquiries (email especially), and be more communicative with the student body as to when they’ll be reimbursed.”
More Proactive in Providing Information
“I’ve had to go and ask them my monthly balance every time, cos the fact that I signed up for my payment plan doesn’t show up on my bills. Its been inconvenient.” “Failed to inform me that I had an outstanding balance before I had to register for classes. As a result I wasn’t able to get an ideal schedule including classes I would have liked to have taken. “
Th is graph displays the most frequently identifi ed themes in response to the open-ended question “What does Financial Aid needs to improve?”.
Th is graph displays the most frequently identifi ed themes in response to the open-ended question “What does the Bursar’s Offi ce need to improve?”.
Comment Analysis : Housing - Need for Improvement
Maintenance Response Time & Upkeep
“washer and dryer machine didn’t work on the fl oor for a month!!” “Response time when Maintenance Requests are made.”
Housing Costs
“The housing contracts are very, very expensive. Th e housing is in no way adequate for the price we are being forced to pay for it. Th e prices need to decrease by a large margin.” “Rates seem too high in comparison to other housing off ers found close to campus”
Slow or No Response to Email or Voicemail
“Th ey have a problem with not responding
to questions for some reason. I applied for a DAS promotion in August and upon contacting housing more than 4 times they refused to answer my questions and I spent half of a semester without a DAS.” “Never answer my question through email. Stop by their offi ce and got 1 minute talk to their associate director, still no response. Worst customer service on campus.”
More Housing Options
“There is no f lexibility at all. I would appreciate it if upperclassmen can get semester contracts.” “Th e allotment is done with an iron hand giving little or no room for discussion. Th e student is not off ered the choice to choose from at least two units or even to look at the allotted apartment before signing the lease.
Th is graph displays the most frequently identifi ed themes in response to the open-ended question “What does the Housing Offi ce need to improve?”.
70
51
44 43 42
29
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Maintenance response 7me 9 upkeep
Costs Response to email/VM
Housing op7ons
ConCi7on oD Dacili7es
Eroac7Fe no7Gca7ons
Comment Analysis : Dining Services - Need for Improvement
Food Quality
“Cooking the food for a longer time. I oft en get pizzas that are doughy and uncooked. Same goes for burgers.”
Hours of Operation
“Hours of operation need to be more open for commuter students. Aft er 4 PM, a commuter student without a meal plan can only eat at 7-11. If Center Court were still open, I would defi nitely eat there aft er my last class.”
Prices
“Prices are a little too high for college students that do not have a meal plan.” “I feel like campus food is extremely over priced. If I want to spend that much on food I would go somewhere nicer. It is one of the main factors of moving of campus.
Food Variety
“a number of vegetarian cuisines should be added to the menu.” “the school dining options are limited only from one company. We should introduce more food shops in campus.
Th is graph displays the most frequently identifi ed themes in response to the open-ended question “What does Dining Services need to improve?”.
212
190 183
161
0
50
100
150
200
250
Food quality Hours of o8era:o;
Prices Food variety
4 | Tuesday, February 23, 2010STUDENTS SPEAK SURVEYComment Analysis : 7-11 - Need for Improvement
Prices
“Prices are too expensive, at other 7-elevens in other parts of the city one can fi nd the same items for up to a dollar or more less.”
Rude or Uncaring Behavior
“Th eir customer service needs to improve. Th ey are rude sometimes and just want you to get in and get out.” “the staff are very disrespectful, impatient, and mean.”
Food Selection
“More vegetarian options! Th ere are some frozen goods, but it’s hard to fi nd fresh veggie options. I can only ever eat an egg salad sandwich or tuna sandwich...and the falafel if there’s any left . If I was a vegan, I’d be totally at a loss for options.” “Fresh healthy things to eat (beyond apples) are rarely found, and if provided, are very expensive.”
Th is graph displays the most frequently identifi ed themes in response to the open-ended question “What does 7-11 need to improve?”.
219
144
122
0
50
100
150
200
250
Prices Rude or uncaring behavior
8ood se9ec:on
Comment Analysis : Keating Sports Center - Need for Improvement
New/Diff erent Equipment Increase Space
Expand HoursMaintain Equipment
Th is graph displays the most frequently identifi ed themes in response to the open-ended question “What does the Keating Sports Center need to improve?”.
81
75 71
56
39
24
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Control 2en4la4on / temperature
New / different
equipment
Maintain equipment
Increase space
Expand hours
Clean facility
Comment Analysis : Career Management Center - Need for Improvement
New/Diff erent Employers
“Th ey do not successfully match students to employers. Th e science and business students are not matched to companies. So many companies are in the chicago land area, but I hardly see IIT students working there. Baxter, Discover, Allstate, Boeing, Walgreens, Takeda, Kraft .”
Poor Career Fair
“Have the career fair take up all of Herman hall instead of just in the ballroom. Th e room was extremely crowded and hard to talk to employers when you constantly have
to move and squeeze through the crowds. Th e ballroom also got really hot because of all the people within it.”
Improve Website/Nacelink
“I’ve had a lot of problems with the NACElink system online. It won’t let me use my uploaded resumes, and when I contacted CMC about it, they didn’t solve the problem.”
“I wish there could be a way to do all business online, without having to go to campus. Right now I have to go to campus in order to register, before I’m able to post my resume online. ”
Th is graph displays the most frequently identifi ed themes in response to the open-ended question “What does the Career Management Center need to improve?”.
26
22
16
13 12
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Staff rude / not helpful
Few employer
connec<ons
Focus on non-‐engineers
Poor career fair
Improve web-‐site / Nacelink
Major Findings
We are creating a culture of respect for students
Eighty-nine percent of students reported that they are “consistently” or “usually” treated with respect by IIT staff .
We are creating a safe environment in which students live and learn
Eighty-four percent of students indicated that they “consistently” or “usually” feel safe on campus.
We have seven functions that have been designated Service Stars.
IIT is not easy to navigate Many students don’t know where to go to get a question answered or a problem solved
Students must often go to multiple departments to get issues addressed
Departments don’t work together to help students work through complex processes
Shared responsibility oft en results in no accountability
Service funciions that cross departments have no real ownership or accountability. Students are shuffl ed from one department to the other, with each department suggesting
that the other is holding things up
Departments don’t assume responsibility for owning the entire process, training and communicating with partner departments, and performing as a champion for the student
Departments do not perform as teams with standards and processes that assure student-centered communication and collaboration
Communication with students should be improved
University service standards for communication to students (e.g., time to return emails and voice messages) appear to be lacking
In those areas where service standards may exist, metrics and accountability may not
When problems exist, students usually discover these on their own; proactive communication from departments does not occur
Several areas of the university should be targeted for improvement: - Housing - 7-11 - Dining Services - Career Management Center - Financial Aid - Keating Sports Center - Bursar’s Offi ce
Recommendations
Follow up with student feedback
Presentation available online for all students
Special Technews insert - Overview of results - Service Stars - Areas to improve - Student recommendations for improvement - Statement from President and Provost regarding eff orts toward improvement Provide regular updates on changes
Develop and publicize a Student Services Roadmap
- Benchmark other universities’ department and process maps- A centralized repository that describes specifi c responsibilities of student services departments- Process maps, especially for services that span departments- Provided to students during orientation- Posted on a website devoted to student services- Reviewed and updated regularly based on department or process changes and student feedback
Develop a standardized process for transferring students between
departments
- Replace cold transfers of students between departments with warm transfers (either by phone, direct personal collaboration, or cc on emails)- To enable more effi cient warm transfers and inter-departmental collaboration, co-locate departments that are jointly responsible for a student service process - Support warm transfer implementation with targeted training for interdependent departments
Is it possible to improve customer service at 7-11?If not: Select new convenience store - 24 hours - more grocery items - better customer service - lunch and dinner “to go” options
Improve Housing
“Given limited financial resources, what one area of the university should receive that investment?”; over 50% of focus group respondents indicated “Housing.” In turn, improvements that require direct financial investment should target housing:
- Develop enhanced and more responsive maintenance capabilities- Repair leaking roofs and windowsAdditionally,
5Tuesday, February 23, 2010 | STUDENTS SPEAK SURVEY- Develop more responsive Housing leadership and staff- With RHA input, review housing contract and processes
Enhance Bursar’s Office Communication to Students
Students feel ignored → Better email practices - Specific - Action Oriented - Carbon copy
Students feel misinformed → Transparency - Standard of maximum assistance - Special circumstance materials - Prompt notification
Student Concerns → Staff Job Description-Review and validate job description with a central student service theme and representation of above points
E n h a n c e F i n a n c i a l A i d O f f i c e Communication to Students Improve phone response capabilities - Answer the phone - Return voice mail messages on a timely basis - Increase voice mail capacity (voice mail frequently full) Students feel ignored → Better email practices - Specific - Action Oriented - Carbon copy
Students feel misinformed → Transparency - Standard of maximum assistance - Special circumstance materials - Prompt notification
- Increase training and develop staff knowledge
Improve Dining Services
Increase dining options, especially during evening Develop an additional on-campus evening dining option other than 7-11 (e.g., keep Center Court open later, Quiznos)
Reach out to food vendors to locate to the neighborhood to provide other dining options for students
Extend dining hoursExtend evening dining hours
Enhance quality assurance Focus on proper cooking of poultry and meats
Upgrade Keating facilities
Create a renewed dedication to the maintenance of weight room and gym equipment
Regular maintenance audits
Service standards for maintenance response
Career Management Center
Reconfigure space for Career Fair
Place increased focus on recruiting employers for diverse majors, beyond engineering (e.g., business, sciences)
Review and improve web-capabilities and NACElink
Responses from Departments
The Office of Financial Aid works with each of our service partners to provide financial assistance for students and families. We are committed to providing total customer satisfaction through friendly, professional, and personalized counseling. Our goal is to help students achieve their educational dreams at IIT.
Issues Raised
· Response time for emails is slow· Inaccurate information· Processing/release of aid could be more timely· Notifications not proactive· Need for better advice/counsel· Need better interdepartmental coordination Action Steps
· All student emails will receive a response within two business days, with the goal of returning replies within one business day or the same day.· A complete review of print, website, and email communications will be conducted to determine accuracy. The goal is to ensure that all materials are promptly updated as changes occur. Individual students will be notified when changes that affect their financial aid package are made.· A review of current business practices will be conducted in an effort to provide clear information about the disbursement of student federal and state aid, and clear maps regarding the funding process.· Business processes will be reviewed to ensure that all changes and options for changes to a student’s account are being
addressed to the student proactively. All proposed changes will be presented in a timely manner, being mindful of the student’s academic calendar and obligations as needed.· A weekly “Money Matters” column in TechNews will be created to notify students about deadlines from the Office of Financial Aid.· Monthly staff development and training sessions will be held to advance the skills and knowledge levels of the financial aid counselors in working with students and parents. The goal is to receive a 90 percent or better rating.· Business practices and coordination meetings will be held with the following of f ices : Bursar, Academic Affairs , Graduate College, Registrar, Accounting, Housing, and Admission.· An operational and business process review will be completed by March 31, 2010.· A “w ar m t r ans fe r” am ong an d between offices will be ensured, and the department will adopt an “own the issue” mindset in order to follow and track the issue until it is resolved.
Jerry DoyleVi c e Prov o s t for Un d e r g r a du at e Enrollment and Financial Aid Nareth PhinAssistant Director, Financial Aid
Office of Financial Aid
The Bursar’s Office is committed to providing exceptional service to our customers—students, faculty, and staff—with tuition payment and billing needs. The Students Speak survey is an extremely valuable tool for the Bursar’s Office to determine the future actions needed to better satisfy our customers. To ensure the Bursar’s Office continues to improve our customer service skills, the office will focus on improving three key areas: communication, business processes, and interdepartmental coordination.
Issues Raised
· Late or no responses to emails or voice mail· Need for proactive communication on procedure changes· Poor interpersonal relations with students· Poorly defined business processes on payments and refunds· Timely processing of payments, refunds, and student accounts· Lack of clear understanding of university business processes· “Cold” hand-off from one department to another department· Inaccurate information given to students or applied to the student’s account
Action Steps
· Metrics were developed to measure response time from receipt of initial email or voice mail to contact and resolution of the issue/inquiry. Metrics will be reviewed on a monthly basis with the team and posted to the Controller’s Office website.· Footprints were implemented to track emails from students and responses to students.· A Bursar’s specialist user manual was developed to define customer service expectations and processes for tracking customer metrics.· A student focus group will be conducted to review options and offer advice on
the best communication application, i.e., mailings, email, website posts, Facebook, Twitter.· Additional customer service training will be provided to Bursar’s Office staff.· Bursar’s policies and procedures will be developed, redesigned, and reviewed with the goal of having all processes redesigned and tested by Summer 2010.· TouchNet was implemented to improve efficiencies on payment plans and electronic refunds.· A student focus group will be conducted to review the proposed business process improvements.· Interdepartmental focus group sessions on improving the coordination among Financial Aid, Housing, Graduate College, and Undergraduate Admission will continue to be conducted. Financial Aid and the Bursar’s Office implemented several protocols for the spring semester to improve the coordination between the two offices. · The team will be trained on developing “soft” hand-off skills between Financial Aid, Housing, and the Bursar’s Office.· The Chief People Officer trained Bursar’s Office staff in the development of metrics to track phone calls, billings, and emails.· The Bursar’s Office team developed “Our Promise to Our Customers,” which was posted at the Bursar’s Office window on Main Campus and at the cashier’s window at the Downtown Campus.
Patricia LaughlinVi c e P r e s i d e n t f o r F i n a n c e a n d Administration
Brian LaffeyAssociate Vice President for Finance and Controller
Bursar’s Office
Housing and Residential Services empowers residents by providing support services and leadership opportunities that foster community development, academic success, and personal growth. Our staff provides a quality living environment to ensure the comfort and well-being of residents and guests through campus accommodations within a diverse community. Issues Raised
· Maintenance response time and upkeep, and condition of facilities· Value of campus housing, including room and board cost· Clear communication and use of notification, including response to emails and voice mail· Communication about various room and board options· Customer service training and execution for student and professional staff· Community development and learning outcomes associated with living in the residence halls Action Steps
· The former Residence Life and Housing Services departments were reorganized in November 2009.· The Student Food Committee was reorganized to gather broader student feedback.· The Housing and Residential Services staff met to discuss survey results and set improvement expectations.· Room and board price benchmarking
was completed.· A work flow process for withdrawal/dismissal was reviewed and improvements were made.· A prominent link for customer feedback was posted on the department website.· The staff will continue to be cross-trained in customer service, and expectations will be identified.· The effectiveness of student communications regarding status of work orders was reassessed.· The department will conduct ongoing assessment of maintenance and facility improvement programs.· Student development opportunities and learning outcomes will be benchmarked.· An initial meeting and follow-up meetings with the Housing Focus Group will be scheduled.· The department anticipates a unified, student-focused office by Spring 2010.· Follow-up meetings with the Students Speak Focus Group will be held.· A summary of service initiatives is at www.iit.edu/housing/commitment_to_excellence/index.shtml. John CollinsVice President for Business and Operations
Jean BinghamAssociate Vice President, Auxiliary Services
Housing Office
6 | Tuesday, February 23, 2010STUDENTS SPEAK SURVEY
IIT Dining Services’ goal is to improve the quality of the daily lives of all the individuals we serve. Our mission is to contribute to the economic, social, and environmental development of the IIT community through loyalty, respect, and business integrity.
Sodexo takes measures to address student concern proactively. Some ways in which we do this include conducting a bi-annual student survey online and supplying a proprietary zip code analysis, which identifi es, by region, students’ interests regarding food type and cost. IIT Auxiliary Services assists, using information from its Secret Shopper Program as a means of identifying student preferences and standards.
Issues Raised
· Hours of operation· Food variety and cost· Late-night dining venue
Action Steps
· Dining Services will continue to work with the RHA Food Committee on a bi-weekly basis.· The department began a discussion on contract modifi cations needed to provide additional service.· Dining Services met with Seth Th omas, leader of the IIT Dining Focus Group, for additional insight.· A 16-week student-specifi c menu, which most universities do not off er, is created each semester.· Center Court’s January 2010 menu off erings were reworked to provide a lower price point in an eff ort to build customer loyalty.
· Center Court continues to off er a bi-weekly rotation in the Simply-To-Go grab-and-go cooler, off ering a wide variety of sandwich and salad options throughout the semester.· Th e Commons now off ers organic, gluten-free, and specialty items for purchase in the UnCommon Corner, which is open during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.· Seasonal limited-time off ers with special menu items are off ered at Einstein Bros. Bagels and in Campus Catering.· Dining Services will continue to change the product mix as the customer base dictates.· The “Hey Joe Board” will be used to address how Students Speak feedback is managed.· Th e department will continue Sodexo’s Circle of Customer Excellence training and tie it to performance reviews.· Menu compliance and additional “UnCommon” days will be ensured.· Follow-up meetings with the Students Speak Focus Group will be held.· Th e focus of the RHA Food Committee will be changed to include broader student representation.· A second late-night dining survey will be implemented.· Continued improvement and expansion of student engagement is expected by Spring 2010. John CollinsVice Pres ident for Bus iness and Operations
Jean BinghamAssociate Vice President, Auxiliary Services
Dining Services
Th e mission of 7-Eleven is to consistently serve the changing needs of customers for their convenience and to be the best retailer of convenience. Th e Students Speak survey has indicated three areas of concern. In an effort to address concerns about price, a pricing benchmark of Chicago-area 7-Eleven branches [see chart] was taken. It indicates that the prices at the IIT location are similar to those at other area stores.
Issues Raised
· Prices· Rude or uncaring behavior on the part of staff · Food selection
Action Steps
· Auxiliary Services met with 7-Eleven management to discuss survey results and
set improvement expectations.· A weekly inspection of the store was instituted to ensure that it is well kept.· Auxiliary Services met with members of the 7-Eleven Focus Group for additional feedback.· Daily store visits were implemented to ensure that store staff is customer service focused.· A price comparison chart will be posted outside of the store.· Customer feedback/comment card information will be posted.· Staff will be observed continually to ensure that they are greeting and thanking their customers, as well as issuing receipts upon completion of each sale.· 7-Eleven will ensure that old stock is removed from the shelves upon expiration date.· Follow-up meetings with the focus group will be held.· 7-Eleven will participate in the Auxiliary Services Secret Shopper Program.· Auxiliary Services and 7-Eleven expect signifi cant improvement by Spring 2010.
John CollinsVice Pres ident for Bus iness and Operations
Jean BinghamAssociate Vice President, Auxiliary Services
7 - 11
Th e Department of Athletics and Recreation strives to provide the best service it can to our students and campus community. Oft en, there are shortcomings and oversight, which our constituents recognize but cannot voice due to a lack of process for feedback. The Students Speak survey was one such opportunity for valuable feedback, both positive and negative. Th e
athletics department has taken immediate action to answer and fi x some concerns. Furthermore, it will be taking long-term action, with measurable goals, in order to serve our students better. Th ese concerns will be at the forefront of our change. Th e issues and action steps outlined here relate to the services off ered at Keating Sports Center.
Keating Sports Center
Issues Raised
· New/diff erent equipment· Increased space· Expanded hours· Equipment maintenance· Temperature control/ventilation· Cleaner facility
Action Steps
· Free weights are sometimes unavailable because they are broken or have been stolen; they are custom made and replacement is expensive and time consuming. Th e Intramural and Recreation Committee will create a free-fl owing line of communication for students to give their input. It will also monitor current practices and implement change for the benefi t of the majority, within reason and within fi nancial parameters.· Keating was built around 1966; it cannot be enlarged. Th e baseball batting cages will be removed in the next month or two so the far north basketball court can be used for recreation. Th e cages will be replaced with ceiling drop-down cages.· Th e constraint on hours is due to student worker availability and funding. A month-long trial of extended hours for both recreational areas and the pool was instituted. Closing time was extended from 11 p.m. to midnight, Sunday and Monday–Friday. Saturday hours were
extended from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Pool hours refl ected the general building hours, except when the swim team was practicing. Should extended hours be successful, they will be implement permanently.· All equipment is serviced every six months and IIT has unlimited repair visits for all aerobic equipment. Th e athletics department will be reviewing weight-room worker job descriptions to guarantee a more timely reporting system. There will be more accountability of workers in order to ensure maintenance is expedited in a more effi cient manner.· Keating was built without air conditioning. Th e only way to truly cool the building is by purchasing air conditioning, which was explored but would cost several million dollars. Keeping windows and doors open is the most cost-eff ective way to cool the building in the stifl ing heat.· Custodial responsibility is currently outsourced. Al l student worker job descriptions will be reviewed in an eff ort to do a better job of keeping the weight room clean.·On a quarterly basis, the Intramural and Recreation Committee will gauge the successes to improve above and beyond what is required. Quarterly reports will be posted on the Illinois Tech athletic department website on an ongoing basis. Lee HitchenDirector of Athletics
The Career Management Center (CMC) is committed to providing exceptional service to our customers—IIT’s students and alumni—by engaging them to realize their career goals and by assisting them in attaining the necessary skills to manage their careers successfully. The Students Speak survey was extremely valuable to the CMC in determining the future actions needed to better satisfy our customers. Th e primary area indicated for improvement was the Career Fair. Th e CMC thanks the students who completed the survey for their open and honest feedback.
Issues Raised
· Increase the number of companies and job opportunities· Specifi cally, increase the opportunities for international students
Action Steps
· The CMC Student Advisory Council (SAC) was established, including members representing the various colleges.· The CMC expanded its efforts with deans, chairs, faculty, and others to increase the number of job opportunities, with a special emphasis on the less well-served areas of aerospace, architecture, biomedical engineering, business, food safety, humanities, sciences, and psychology. Additional focus has been placed on attracting start-up companies, government agencies, University Technology Park companies, alumni companies, and IIT Board of Trustees’ and Boards of Overseers’ organizations.· Eff orts to attract more employers to the February 25 Career Fair included invitations and follow-up to more than 8,000 companies; more than 700 telephone solicitations; president’s invitations to trustee companies; deans’ invitations to overseer companies;
the Jobs Council contacted companies; Institutional Advancement sent invitations to alumni; and Career Fair information was placed on professional websites and on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.· Operationally, the Career Fair is spread out (verses the Fall 2009 fair) to improve the fl ow of students and to reduce congestion. Expedited student sign-in was implemented.· We are currently working on a paperless work-term evaluation process for co-op and internship students; improvements to the process on the initial paperwork for co-ops and internships are under review.· New walk-in hours: Tuesdays, 9 a.m.–noon; Wednesdays, 1–4 p.m.; and Fridays, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.· Training sessions were expanded to include aft ernoon sessions, and will include evening workshop sessions starting in Fall 2010.· In May, the CMC will publish a road map for the CMC and Student Employment functions.· Th e top 20 FAQs as determined by the SAC will be available in April 2010.· There will be continually expanding communication capabilities through LinkedIn and Facebook.· Continued articles in TechNews will include future topics on student job expectations (especially in a changing economic climate), the value of work during school years, and the desire to work only at “big name” organizations.· CMC results will be monitored continually through existing customer-feedback tools: surveys, email and front desk surveys, quality metric, and number of job opportunities available. Th e SAC will be asked to provide ongoing feedback.
Bruce MuellerExecutive Director
Tanye HarrisonCMC Managing Director
Career Management Center
7Tuesday, February 23, 2010 | STUDENTS SPEAK SURVEY
President Anderson speaks on the Student Speak SurveyBy Antoinette SmithCAMPUS EDITOR
The following is the vision of IIT as stated in the 2010-2014 Strategic Plan: “IIT will be internationally recognized in distinctive areas of education and research, using as its platform the global city of Chicago, driven by a professional and technology-oriented focus, and based on a culture of innovation and excellence.”
President Anderson, whose business card is imprinted with that same statement, says the Students Speaks survey gets at the excellence part of that statement. He calls this initiative “probably the best idea I’ve ever had.” After four decades in academia, holding roles from professor to dean, that’s quite a statement. Calling on those decades of experience, Anderson said, “I don’t know if we’re the first [university to do such a survey], but we are certainly one of the few.”
The students have spoken and, thanks to this special TechNews insert, the entire student body gets a chance to see what their peers are thinking. As a student, you get a feeling from peers and personal experiences, just what is working and not working at IIT. The same held true for President Anderson. “Well I have had students in my office during my office hours and they’ve complained about various processes. We call [these] one-off complaints, because Student A will complain about this office and then Student B wouldcomplain about another office,” said Anderson when asked about how the idea for Students Speak came about.
Acting on those complaints proved to be time-consuming and inefficient. “[T]he complaints weren’t actionable. Like if someone complains that such an office’s service is lousy, I can’t do anything about that. What’s lousy about it? Give me an example. Plus, I am not the right person, because then I have to go to the vice presidents or the deans. I found myself continuously writing memos.”
Anderson consulted with Bruce Fisher, PhD, director of the Center for Research and Service to determine how to best turn these one-off complaints into something actionable. Trusting Fisher’s expertise, Anderson hired him as a consultant to recruit the “eight to 10 excellent students, representing a diversity of thought” from different parts of the campus to form the Students Speak team.
Following are key snippets of Anderson’s responses to questions about the Students Speak process and its future impact on IIT.
Antoinette: What went well ?President Anderson: “Things usually don’t work the first time. This time it did… I am impressed by what the student committee and Dr. Fisher did.”
Antoinette: What could be improved?President Anderson: “More effort to get feedback from the units being evaluated. Suppose they go to the accounting office and ask what they think of the questions. Some units gave feedback, but others did not. The students and Dr. Fisher should have been more aggressive. [However,] our people should have been more responsive to the request for feedback.“
Antoinette: What were the Surprising and not so surprising results? President Anderson: “[There were] two pleasant surprises: [For] one of the highest items, do you feel safe on campus, 80 percent said yes - that was extremely gratifying for me. You have to feel safe where you are to fully engage in everything. And, [two], that most of the staff treated them with respect.”
“There were negative responses, which
you kind of expect. I have been talking to students for a couple of years, so [there was nothing] shocking. Some units that didn’t do well, I kind of guessed.”
“I was pleasantly surprised by how well the library (Galvin) did. It says a lot for the [dean] of the library, Dr. Stewart, and the people that work for him. He hires a lot of students, almost 100, and they have to be trained. That is what is surprising. It’s hard to train a lot of students to be receptive, but I guess as students they know how it feels to not get good service. [I want to use Galvin Library] as example for other units that have a lot of student workers.”
Antoinette: What do you think of the current level of student/customer service at IIT?President Anderson: “Customer service is a B-plus today. It was less than that before [the survey]. We put a lot of effort in. Not just me, but the provost and some of the vice presidents. We want to get to an A, not an A-minus but an A. That may take a couple of years.”
“I’ve sampled six universities, so I know what it’s like and the times have changed over the years. But I would say we fit above the average of the other six, and so I would say B-plus is reasonable. We have also had to look at how we’re organized.”
Antoinette: Will you be establishing priorities (especially for issues that may need significant funding)?President Anderson: “Look at biggest bottleneck with effect on most students. For example, there was some criticism on food, but to be honest, nobody is starving to death. There will be one thing that will require some investment: There is no choice for smaller meal after 7:00 p.m., so will be
offering food service to certain [later] hour. That’s going to cost us. Of course, when things cost here you have to take from somewhere else.”
Antoinette: What’s next?President Anderson: “Vice presidents will make recommendations to me and provost and then they will initiate these changes and follow up with a survey next year. [I will likely] hire Dr. Fisher again. He might try to get new students or maybe [retain] some from this year for continuity.”
“I don’t want to tire students out. It’s a lot of work. Next fall, [we may use] the same questions or different questions. [We may use] some additional questions on if students have seen improvement.”
“[Determining the impact of the survey after] one year is enough. I am really wondering if we should wait two years to do it. It’s a lot to ask of the students. I’m not worried about spending the money. But, it takes a lot of input and leadership from students. I would be happy to do it yearly though.”
“[We’re currently] training more of the managers than the people under the managers. Then, we have to train those under the managers. That’s the next step… So, there will be some training of people. Not sure how extensive.”
“Want to please 90 percent of the people most of the time. We do that and we will be in the top categories of universities.”
WeÊListenedÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ
YouÊÊVoicedÊyourÊOpinion
iit.edu/students_speak
ThankÊyouÊforÊfillingÊoutÊtheÊStudentÊSpeakÊSurveyÊ
YourÊvoiceÊhasÊhelpedÊbringÊchangeÊtoÊiitÊHelpÊcontinueÊthisÊcycleÊofÊchangeÊ
TakeÊtheÊsurveyÊagainÊnextÊyear
