exe quest 2012 final

Quantitative research key findingsMay 2012

ExeQuest 2012Summary report

Does the Guild make a difference?58.4% of respondents felt the Students’ Guild had a positive effect on their university experience, a slight increase from 2011. Only 1.2% felt it had a negative impact, which is a small drop on last year, and the remainder were indifferent.

ExeQuest 2012

2011 2012

57.6% 58.4%

40.9% 40.3%Negative

No difference

Positive

What difference, if any, would you say the Students' Guild has on your University experience?

EMPS HUMS CLES CSSIS BUSS Don't know

60% 61% 58% 55%63%

34%

40% 38% 41% 44%36%

64% Negative

No difference

Positive

Streatham students feel most strongly that the Guild has a positive effect on their University experience. At Tremough almost two thirds feel it makes no difference to their experience. The majority of PostGraduate and PGCE students, along with those that didn’t know their official college, felt the Guild made no difference to their University experience.

Does the Guild make a difference?

ExeQuest 2012What difference, if any, would you say the Students' Guild has on your University experience?

Streatham St Lukes Tremough

63%48%

36%

36%52%

63%

67% 64% 59%47%

39%27%

65% 69%

33% 35% 39%52%

60%71%

34% 31%

UnderstandingMore than a third (45%) of all respondents have a good understanding of how the Guild is run, but a third of respondents still feel this understanding is ‘average’.

73% of Tremough students have an average or poor understanding of the Guild, compared to 57% at St Lukes and 53% at Streatham.

ExeQuest 2012

Overall

8%

36%

33%

15%

6%

Very poorQuite poorAverageQuite goodVery good

Which of the following best describes your understanding of how the Students' Guild is run?


9% 10%3%

39% 32%

24%

33%31%

37%

15%16%

18%

4% 10%19%


Guild ResponsibilitiesThe three key areas that students feel are the primary responsibilities of the Students’ Guild are to be the students’ voice to representatives, should improve the student experience and to run societies, however, 50% feel that the third key area should be to offer student advice and support.

ExeQuest 2012Which of the following things do you think are/should be the primary responsibilities of the Guild?

Entrepreneurial support

To run cafes (e.g. Long Lounge)

To offer volunteering opportunities

Provide social spaces to students

To run shops and services (e.g. Print unit)

To run student campaigns

To run bars (e.g. the RAM)

Offer student advice and support

Societies

To improve the student experience

Be the students’ voice to university representatives

2%

8%

8%

13%

14%

22%

23%

38%

40%

57%

64%

Are

To run cafes (e.g. Long Lounge)

Entrepreneurial support

To run shops and services (e.g. Print unit)

To offer volunteering opportunities

To run bars (e.g. the RAM)

Provide social spaces to students

To run student campaigns

Societies

Offer student advice and support

To improve the student experience

Be the students’ voice to university representatives

4%

4%

9%

10%

12%

14%

15%

29%

50%

68%

70%

Should be

Guild Responsibilities

ExeQuest 2012Which of the following things do you think are/should be the primary responsibilities of the Guild?

The standout differences are the Guild being responsible for improving the student experience and offering advice and support; more respondents felt they should be responsible for this.

To r

un b

ars

(e.g

. the

RA

M)

Soci

eties

To r

un s

tude

nt c

ampa

igns

To r

un s

hops

and

ser

vice

s (e

.g. P

rint

uni

t)

To r

un c

afes

(e.

g. L

ong

Loun

ge)

Prov

ide

soci

al s

pace

s to

stu

dent

s

Entr

epre

neur

ial s

uppo

rt

To o

ffer

vol

unte

erin

g op

port

uniti

es

Be

the

stud

ents

’ voi

ce t

o un

iver

sity

rep

res.

..

To im

prov

e th

e st

uden

t ex

peri

ence

Off

er s

tude

nt a

dvic

e an

d su

ppor

t

11%

11%

8%

5% 4%

-2%

-2%

-2%

-6%

-12%

-12%

NB This chart shows the percentage point difference between the percentage of those that think ARE the responsibilities and those that think SHOULD BE the responsibilities of the Guild

Guild Delivery

ExeQuest 2012

An average of 51% of respondents feel that the Guild delivers on all its responsibilities ‘quite well’, with 19% saying ‘very well’, 13% said ‘not very well’, 16% ‘don’t know’ and only 3% saying ‘not at all well’.

Runn

ing

bars

(e.g

....

To r

un c

afes

(e.g

. ...

Runn

ing

shop

s an

d se

...

Bein

g th

e st

uden

ts v

...

Impr

ovin

g th

e st

ud...

Offe

ring

vol

unte

eri..

.

Prov

idin

g so

cial

spa

...

To r

un s

tude

nt c

am...

Offe

ring

stu

dent

ad.

..

Soci

eties

Entr

epre

neur

ial s

u...

26% 24% 20% 16% 17% 18% 15% 17% 18%32%

7%

53% 55% 55% 53% 55% 42% 48% 50% 50%49%

32%

7% 7% 11% 14% 15%16% 21% 14% 14%

9%

18%

11% 13% 13% 14% 10% 20% 12% 16% 15% 9%38%

Don't know

Not at all well

Not very well

Quite well

Very well

Providing social spaces to students is the area most in need of improvement.38% don’t know about how the Guild delivers Entrepreneurial support.

The Guild are currently responsible for each of the following. Based on your own experience and from what you have heard, how well do you think the Guild delivers each of the following?

Guild Services

ExeQuest 2012Do you think the following services should be run by the Guild, run by the University or run by a third party provider?

Most respondents feel that the majority of services should be run by the Guild; the exception to this was 51% of respondents who believe the shops and services (e.g. print unit) should be run by the University (37% feel this should be run by the Guild).

UG 1

st Y

r

UG P

enul

t Yr

UG F

inal

Yr

PGT

PGR

PGCE

INTO

33%

39%

38%

42%

38%

20% 30

%

52% 51

%

52%

47%

50%

70%

51%

15%

11%

9% 12%

12%

10%

19%

Shops & Services

EU Int'l EU Int'l

64%

51%

54%

42%

11%

20%

21%

27%

26%

29%

25%

31%

Bars Cafes

3rd party

Uni

GuildBa

rs (e

.g. t

he R

AM

)

Cafe

s (L

ong

Loun

ge)

Shop

s an

d se

rvic

es (e

...

Stud

ent a

dvic

e an

d...

Stud

ent a

ctivi

ties

Stud

ent s

ocie

ties

71% 56%37%

54%85% 90%

16%27%

51%45%

14% 9%

3rd party Uni

Guild

Split by level of study, shops and services is the one service that bias is more towards the University running it, the other services should all be run by the Guild.

Although the majority of EU and International students feel the Guild should run the bulk of services, there is also a fairly strong belief that a third party provider should run the bars and cafes.

Guild Priorities

ExeQuest 2012

By far, the most important priority to respondents is for the Guild to give students better representation to the University.

60%

35% 33% 33% 33% 32%

22%15%

11%

1%

Which of the following do you think should be the priorities for the Students' Guild?

Listening to the students at Tremough More of a

connection between the

campuses

Involve the Cornwall campus more, we get the newsletters, but none of the benefits.

Running a bar/union where the price reflects

that this IS a university

Keep ram prices in line with

other universities

A real student bar with student

prices.

Guild Priorities

ExeQuest 2012

For PGT, INTO, EU and International students, the two main priorities for Guild should be more social integration between students of different nationalities/cultures and better student representation to the University.

PGR, PGCE and INTO students also place high importance on the Guild making Student Support Welfare a priority.

Undergraduate first year students would like focus on improved social spaces, increased involvement with the Guild and support for activities and volunteering.

Which of the following do you think should be the priorities for the Students' Guild?

Guild Elections

ExeQuest 2012Did you vote in the recent Students' Guild Elections?Which, if any, of the following describe your reasons for voting?

64% of all respondents voted in the recent Guild elections.

The biggest reason for voting is because students feel it is important (60%). 49% did so because they wanted to have their say, and 33% because they knew someone involved with the election.

Other

Felt strongly about an issue

Felt strongly about a candidate

Knew someone involved with the election

Wanted to have my say

Important to vote

1%

7%

17%

33%

49%

60%

Guild Elections

ExeQuest 2012Which, if any, of the following describe your reasons for not voting?

Did not know how to vote

Did not know about it

Did not understand what voting was about

Wouldn't make a difference

Other

Did not care

Too busy

Did not know about the candidates / issues

5%

7%

11%

13%

14%

23%

34%

40%Of those that didn’t vote, 40% said it was because they were unaware of the candidates or issues, and 34% said they were too busy.

Other reasons...

As a PhD student I feel that the Guild

takes care of the UG students, and has

little impact on PGs

Irritated by being harassed during elections. Even

heard foul language from one.

Those running are always more

interested in the kudos they achieve,

than effecting change. Pointless

Candidates need to find a better way of campaigning other

than shouting at voters

find the campaigning and flyering intrusive

and irritating

Guild Elections


Looking at individual campuses, Streatham students were the highest percentage of voters, while respondents from Tremough showed that only 43% voted in the elections.

Other reasons for not voting at Tremough...

At Tremough we feel very alienated and as a result we have no

idea about the voting.

I am at Tremough - we have FXU and

nothing to do with the Guild. Study at Tremough

so didn't think the Guild elections

really effected me.

Doesn't make a difference to students on Tremough campus.

Unaware of presence at

Tremough Campus


68%

50%43%

32%

50%57%

NoYes

Guild Elections


Looking at level of study, both Postgraduate and PGCE had very low levels of voters, in particular PGCE, with only 16% of these students voting.

Feedback suggests that some cohorts do not feel as ‘included’ in the University as Undergraduates....

As a mature PGCE student not on the main campus feel

very much outside of the University and

Guild

As postgrad , mature, single

mother, living in another city, I don't

feel part of guild.

Find the whole campaign process is

aimed at undergraduates

(stupid costumes/ campaigning etc)

Was not allowed to (PCMD) although i

specifically contacted the guild to vote, they made

no effort

I am currently on a 1 year PGCE course

& was only on campus for the first

term.

UG 1st Yr

UG Penult

Yr

UG Final

Yr

PGT PGR PGCE INTO Other

73% 71% 78%

39% 36%

16%

61% 59%

28% 29% 23%

62% 64%

84%

40% 41%

NoYes

Guild Involvement

ExeQuest 2012

The main thing students want from getting involved in any Guild activities is to have fun, and the second priority is to improve any future employment aspects.

It is also important to meet new friends and try out new things, enhancing the University experience.

53%49%

45%40%

28%

20% 18% 15%10%

2%

Which of the following is most important to you when considering involvement in the Students' Guild's activities, societies, services or volunteering?

Guild-University Relationship

41%31%

16%9%

1% 1%

ExeQuest 2012Which of the following do you think best describes the relationship between the University and the Guild?

Four in ten believe that the Guild works alongside the University, while almost a third believe it is part of the University.

22% of Tremough students do not know what the relationship is between the Guild and the University, compared with 13% at St Lukes and 7% at Streatham.

Guild Influence

ExeQuest 2012How would you rate the Students' Guild's ability to influence positive change in the University?

Over half the respondents (54%) rate the Guild’s ability to influence positive change in the University as good, while a further 36% feel this influence is average.

Influence

8%

46%

36%

7%


Investment

11%

59%

14%

16%

Don't know

No influence

A little in-fluence

A large in-fluence

70% of respondents believe that the Guild has some kind of influence on the University’s areas of investment, 59% regard this as a modest influence.

Voti

ng in

Ele

ction

s

Soci

eties

Volu

ntee

ring

/ A

ct...

Take

par

t in

Cam

...

Cour

se R

epre

sent

...

Bein

g pa

rt o

f a ..

.

Runn

ing

for

a re

p...

Runn

ing

for

a Sa

b...

94% 92% 85%71% 67% 64% 58% 50%

6% 8% 15%29% 33% 36% 42% 50%

Easy Difficult

Guild Activities

ExeQuest 2012Do you think it is easy or difficult to become involved with each of the following Guild activities?

The majority of Guild activities are perceived by a lot of respondents as difficult to become involved with.

% of don’t knows 10% 9% 22% 32% 29% 27% 36% 37%

NB This chart has been reweighted by ‘easy’ and ‘difficult’ responses to exclude the ‘don’t knows’. The original ‘don’t know’ percentages are in the blue boxes underneath the chart.

Guild Activities

ExeQuest 2012Do you think it is easy or difficult to become involved with each of the following Guild activities?

INTO students think Running for a Sabbatical Position is difficult to get involved with through the Guild, they also feel it is difficult to be part of a committee and run for a representative committee.

Postgraduates and PGCE students don’t know if it is easy to become part of a Committee, and postgraduates don’t know how easy it is to run for a representative position.

Respondents from Tremough don’t know whether it is easy or difficult to become involved in several of the Guild activities. EU and International students don’t know about running for a representative position, and International students find it difficult to be part of a Committee.

Have Your Say Hub & Digital

ExeQuest 2012Are you aware or unaware of the 'Have your say ' hub - this is an area on the Students’ Guild website where you can submit issues, change policy of the organisation or launch campaigns? Which of the following reasons, do you think best explains why other students may not be aware of the 'Have your say' hub?

Awareness of the ‘Have Your Say’ hub on the Guild website is low, with only 21% of respondents cognisant of its existence.

Feedback shows that awareness is low because students just aren’t that interested, there is a lack of information about it and also a lack of understanding.

Other

Difficult to use

There are better, alternative ways to do the same thing

Students don’t understand what its purpose is

Inadequate information given

Students just are not interested

3%

5%

13%

37%

39%

47%

few students frequent the guild website

Its existence is not well

publicised.

Unless you go to the guild website

regularly you don't really see it.

79% of respondents feel that the Guild services should be making more use of digital solutions to promote their services, for example the advice unit or the societies.

University Investment

ExeQuest 2012Which of the following do you think should be the priority areas for University investment?

None of these

Longer opening hours for student services

Increased investment in research

Improved sporting facilities

Investment in online learning and teaching resources

Improved social spaces

Increased focus on employability

Better staff student ratio

Improved teaching facilities

Smaller class sizes

Increase in the number of scholarships and bursaries

Improved library resource (books, e-books, journals etc)

Free or subsidised sports clubs/ society membership

Subsidised accommodation

Reduced costs on campus

No hidden course costs (ie books, field trips, study resources included in fee)

Increase in contact hours

0%

6%

8%

8%

10%

10%

12%

17%

18%

18%

21%

24%

25%

25%

27%

29%

33%An increase in contact hours is the top priority for University investment.

Respondents would like to see cost savings across the board; no hidden costs on their courses, reduced campus costs, cheaper accommodation and free or subsidised sports and societies.

With regards to learning, it is important to have smaller classes or a better staff:student ratio, and an investment in online teaching resources.

University Investment

ExeQuest 2012Which of the following do you think should be the priority areas for University investment?

By the three main levels of study, UG, PGT and PGR, the priority area for investment is believed to be an increase in contact hours, improved library resources and an increase in the number of scholarships and bursaries respectively.

Subsidised accommodation

Free or subsidised sports clubs/ society membership


No hidden course costs (ie books, field trips, study

resources included in fee)


28%

28%

29%

31%

37%

UG





Improved library resource (books, ebooks, journals etc)

22%

24%

26%

32%

36%

PGT


Better staff student ratio

Increased investment in research

Improved library resource (books, ebooks, journals etc)


22%

23%

30%

35%

37%

PGR

Summary

ExeQuest 2012

•The greatest effect of the Guild is felt at the Streatham campus (63% of respondents saying it has a positive effect); students at St Lukes (52%), and even more so at Tremough (63%), feel it makes no difference to their University experience.

•Just over half of the respondents have an average or poor understanding of how the Guild is run and this varies more by campus; for example at Tremough, nearly three quarters of the students gave this same response.

•41% of respondents believe the Guild works alongside the University, while 31% think it is part of the University.

•Of all the Guild’s responsibilities, understanding of Entrepreneurial Support seems to be the lowest, as 38% of respondents don’t know how well the Guild delivers on this.

•The majority of Guild activities are viewed as difficult to become involved in, the most difficult being running for a Sabbatical position.

•36% of respondents did not vote in the Guild election; this percentage increases for St Lukes and Tremough campus students, and also Postgraduate and PGCE students.

Methodology

ExeQuest 2012

All students at the University were invited to take part in this survey, which was sent out by the Guild.

There were a total of 2206 respondents.

exe quest 2012 final

Education

students guild areto

guild isrun

guild the85

guild services14

students voice

student offer student

streatham students

guild deliveryan average