RecSports will release its first Student Voice survey to students randomly chosen from the University population in order to obtain feedback on the RecSports programs and facilities today.
"We're always interested in trying to make our programs better and it's really hard to reach people who don't participate," RecSports Fitness Coordinator Shellie Dodd-Bell said. "We really wanted to find out from everyone, or at least a random sample of campus, what you like about RecSports, what makes you participate, and if you don't, why don't you?"
Dodd-Bell said she hopes the survey will help provide RecSports with direction for improvement.
"The ultimate goal is to be able to look at the statistical data and make the changes necessary to improve our program as soon as possible, " Dodd-Bell said. "We can use the survey as statistical evidence that certain amenities are needed in order to justify why certain expenditures are needed down the road."
Director of RecSports Sally Derengoski said she would like to see a place where everyone can be satisfied.
"First and foremost, it is about satisfaction, so we should learn about where people are really happy with our programs and facilities and where we need improvement," Derengoski said.
The survey will be sent out to a sample of students selected by Notre Dame's Department of Institutional Research, Dodd-Bell said.
"Since there are other surveys that are also going out, we wanted to make sure we didn't bombard the same people and overwhelm them," Dodd-Bell said. "Once the survey is received by the selected group, students will have a week and a half until a reminder is sent out to them which will give them another week and a half, so they'll have a total of three weeks to finish it," Dodd-Bell said.
Derengoski said this survey has been done in universities across the nation and has led to great results.
"We're actually one of about 100 universities that has participated in this survey," Derengoski said. "It's a survey that has been created for rec programs all over the country. The company that does this makes them and then gives us not only feedback about Notre Dame students and employees, but also how we rank relative to other universities. It should really give us some great direction with our program."
The students selected to take the survey have not only the chance to provide feedback, but also the opportunity to win various prizes.
Every student who completes the survey will receive a free order of breadsticks from Papa John's and a free appetizer from Granite City Food and Brewery in Mishawaka, Dodd-Bell said. There will also be a drawing to win $500 certificates to Meijer and an iPod touch, she said.
