Survey results help inform Gazette redesign
Last fall, the Office of University Relations asked faculty
and staff to participate in a survey as part of efforts to improve overall
University communications. The survey asked people about the ways they
currently receive information and how they prefer to obtain information.
The Office of Institutional Research and
Assessment (OIRA) designed the Web-based survey, which also was available in
the Nov. 14 University Gazette (with a reminder in the Dec. 7
issue). In addition, faculty and staff received an e-mail announcement about
the survey, and both the Office of Faculty Governance and the Employee Forum
promoted the survey in their online communications.
No names or other identifiers were collected
to protect participants’ anonymity. As an
additional precaution, OIRA staff reviewed each response to open-ended
questions to delete
information that might identify the respondent.
A total of 530 responses were received: 258 SPA employees
(50.1 percent), 140 EPA
non-faculty employees (27.2 percent) and
117 faculty members (22.7 percent).
Besides informing overall internal communications, the
survey findings will help guide the redesign of the University Gazette later
this summer.
Responses show that in general, people:
Prefer
the print Gazette to the online
version, but would read it online if prompted;
Feel
that the Gazette provides information about the University adequately or very
well;
Would
like to see more photos/graphics and color, shorter stories and a style more
like a magazine; and
Are
interested in information on safety/alerts, events and opportunities, salaries
and benefits, and policies
and procedures.
Print versus online
The majority of people read and prefer the print Gazette:
68.7 percent read it only in print, 3.1 percent read it only online and 13.2
percent read it sometimes in print and sometimes online.
When asked to explain their preferences, 290 people
responded. Of those, 200 said the print publication was easier to read or more
convenient. Around 50 people said they were unaware of the online version and
two dozen said they already spent considerable time online in their jobs.
Enhancing online Gazette information
Nearly two-thirds of respondents (63.1 percent) indicated
they would visit the Gazette Web site more often if it contained current
University news and upcoming events in addition
to all the information in the print version.
When asked their reasons for not reading the Gazette
online, most respondents said they preferred to receive information via paper
or they were too busy to look
online. Others said they would have to rely on e-mail
reminders or RSS feeds to look for the updated Gazette or they already received
the information in other ways.
TWO PAWS UP Hissy, who makes his home with Jim White of UNC Printing Services and is
rumored to be a faithful
reader, analyzes Gazette content before deciding if completing
the survey is worth the time taken away from his napping and grooming.
|
|
Adequate means of communication
When asked how well communications met people’s needs for
University information, mass e-mail ranked highest: 92.3 percent said extremely
well or adequately.
This was followed by communications from the University unit
(82.3 percent); departmental manager, campus communicator or human resources
facilitator (81.3 percent ); and the University Gazette (79.3 percent).
Next were the Daily Tar Heel (71 percent); communications
from the Faculty Council or Employee Forum (67.1 percent); and the University’s
main Web site (63.3 percent).
Credible information
When asked to rank the two most credible sources of
information, people cited communications from the unit (44.9 percent), the main
University Web site (42.5 percent),
departmental manager or campus communicator
(39.1 percent) and the printed University Gazette
(27.2 percent).
Additional survey results are below.
Internal University Communications Survey Results
In fall 2007, the Office of University Relations asked faculty and staff to participate in a survey as part of efforts to improve overall University communications. The survey asked people about the ways they currently receive information and how they prefer to obtain information. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment designed the survey and analyzed the results:
How well do the following means of communication provide you with the University news you need - things such as academic programs and work-related initiatives, campus events, awards and honors, and policy changes?
|
Not at all |
Poorly |
Adequately |
Extremely well |
n |
% |
n |
% |
n |
% |
n |
% |
University mass e-mail |
4 |
0.8% |
37 |
7.0% |
239 |
45.1% |
250 |
47.2% |
Main University Web site |
53 |
10.2% |
137 |
26.4% |
269 |
51.9% |
59 |
11.4% |
University Gazette (print or online) |
43 |
8.4% |
63 |
12.3% |
304 |
59.5% |
101 |
19.8% |
Communications from Faculty Council/Employee Forum |
55 |
10.7% |
114 |
22.1% |
268 |
52.0% |
78 |
15.1% |
Communications from your unit (college, school, dept.) |
14 |
2.7% |
77 |
15.0% |
242 |
47.0% |
182 |
35.3% |
News Services Web site |
177 |
37.6% |
96 |
20.4% |
173 |
36.7% |
25 |
5.3% |
Departmental manager, campus communicator or HR facilitator |
33 |
6.5% |
62 |
12.2% |
268 |
52.5% |
147 |
28.8% |
The Daily Tar Heel |
79 |
15.7% |
71 |
14.1% |
257 |
51.1% |
96 |
19.1% |
Local News Media (newspapers, TV and radio, Web sites) |
87 |
17.2% |
132 |
26.1% |
238 |
47.1% |
48 |
9.5% |
How often do you use each of the following as a source of information?
|
Daily |
Several times a week |
Occasionally |
Never |
When it is published |
n |
% |
n |
% |
n |
% |
n |
% |
n |
% |
Main University Web site |
105 |
20.0% |
124 |
23.6% |
241 |
45.8% |
56 |
10.6% |
0 |
0.0% |
University Gazette Web site |
0 |
0.0% |
8 |
1.5% |
152 |
28.8% |
356 |
67.6% |
11 |
2.1% |
Printed University Gazette |
2 |
0.4% |
19 |
3.6% |
208 |
39.7% |
76 |
14.5% |
219 |
41.8% |
Communications from Faculty Council/Employee Forum |
7 |
1.3% |
29 |
5.6% |
283 |
54.4% |
110 |
21.2% |
91 |
17.5% |
Communications from your unit (college, school, dept.) |
141 |
27.1% |
179 |
34.4% |
131 |
25.1% |
9 |
1.7% |
61 |
11.7% |
News Services Web site |
19 |
3.6% |
34 |
6.5% |
138 |
26.5% |
316 |
60.7% |
14 |
2.7% |
Departmental manager, campus communicator or HR facilitator |
84 |
16.2% |
162 |
31.2% |
190 |
36.6% |
30 |
5.8% |
53 |
10.2% |
Other Web sites you typically use (please specify) |
36 |
29.5% |
28 |
23.0% |
19 |
15.6% |
36 |
29.5% |
3 |
2.5% |
What are the two most credible sources of University information?
Please select only two.
|
n |
% |
Communications from your unit (college, school, dept.) |
238 |
44.9% |
Main University Web site |
225 |
42.5% |
Departmental manager, campus communicator or HR facilitator |
207 |
39.1% |
Printed University Gazette |
144 |
27.2% |
Other (please specify) |
56 |
10.6% |
Communications from Faculty Council/Employee Forum |
55 |
10.4% |
News Services Web site |
28 |
5.3% |
University Gazette Web site |
18 |
3.4% |
Other Web sites |
15 |
2.8% |
Please rate your interest in receiving information on each of the following topics:
|
No |
Little |
|
Some |
High |
Interest |
Interest |
Neutral |
Interest |
Interest |
n |
% |
n |
% |
n |
% |
n |
% |
n |
% |
Events and opportunities (things you might attend or want to know about) |
4 |
0.8% |
12 |
2.3% |
25 |
4.8% |
223 |
42.5% |
261 |
49.7% |
Alerts (safety precautions, emergencies, severe weather) |
2 |
0.4% |
11 |
2.1% |
17 |
3.2% |
90 |
17.1% |
405 |
77.1% |
Policies and procedures (e.g., leave, no-smoking policy, etc.) |
7 |
1.3% |
16 |
3.1% |
53 |
10.2% |
212 |
40.6% |
234 |
44.8% |
Features on individual campus departments or programs |
19 |
3.6% |
60 |
11.4% |
129 |
24.6% |
264 |
50.3% |
53 |
10.1% |
Profiles of faculty and staff |
35 |
6.7% |
89 |
16.9% |
145 |
27.6% |
210 |
39.9% |
47 |
8.9% |
Research news |
22 |
4.2% |
66 |
12.5% |
111 |
21.1% |
228 |
43.3% |
99 |
18.8% |
Endowed professorships and faculty awards or honors |
54 |
10.2% |
102 |
19.4% |
146 |
27.7% |
178 |
33.8% |
47 |
8.9% |
Staff recognition |
29 |
5.5% |
67 |
12.7% |
131 |
24.8% |
227 |
43.0% |
74 |
14.0% |
Collaboration among departments |
23 |
4.4% |
66 |
12.5% |
130 |
24.7% |
225 |
42.8% |
82 |
15.6% |
Public outreach (how the University makes a difference in N.C., the U.S., globally) |
16 |
3.0% |
46 |
8.7% |
81 |
15.4% |
248 |
47.1% |
136 |
25.8% |
Salaries, benefits and workplace issues |
5 |
0.9% |
15 |
2.8% |
60 |
11.4% |
165 |
31.3% |
282 |
53.5% |
The arts at Carolina |
22 |
4.2% |
38 |
7.2% |
92 |
17.5% |
245 |
46.5% |
130 |
24.7% |
Technology in the classroom or workplace |
15 |
2.9% |
51 |
9.7% |
151 |
28.8% |
219 |
41.8% |
88 |
16.8% |
Campus history |
26 |
4.9% |
64 |
12.2% |
137 |
26.0% |
220 |
41.8% |
79 |
15.0% |
Other (please specify) |
11 |
19.0% |
0 |
0.0% |
9 |
15.5% |
10 |
17.2% |
28 |
48.3% |
The University Gazette, the newspaper for Carolina's faculty and staff, is available both in print and online. What format do you use most often?
|
n |
% |
I read only the print version. |
355 |
68.7% |
I read it only online. |
16 |
3.1% |
Sometimes I read it in print and sometimes I read it online, depending where I am. |
68 |
13.2% |
I do not read the Gazette. |
78 |
15.1% |
If the Gazette Web site included current University news and upcoming events in addition to all the information the printed publication contains, would you visit the site more often?
|
n |
% |
Yes |
303 |
63.1% |
No |
177 |
36.9% |
|
What is your employee classification?
|
n |
% |
SPA employee |
258 |
50.1% |
Faculty |
117 |
22.7% |
EPA non-faculty |
140 |
27.2% |
|
