The Orange Survey is a forward-looking measure because it allows Syracuse University to consider student input while making institutional decisions. But to get representative results, students have to be aware of the opportunity.

SU undergraduate students will be able to share their collegiate experiences with university staff through the online, anonymous survey starting Monday. The survey will ask participants about academics, social experiences, financial concerns and other areas of student life at SU.

Libby Barlow, assistant vice president of the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, said in an email that once the data from the survey is collected, the university will locate the areas where the issues are and work to improve them accordingly.

But the minimal promotion of the survey hinders its potential to generate effective change on the SU campus. Though the survey is not mandatory, and should not be, it should be publicized among the student body to encourage students to take part.

While requiring all students to take part in the survey would produce significantly more results, responding to the Orange Survey should not be mandatory. Making the survey a requirement for the student body would produce inaccurate results from students who don’t want to take the time to contribute genuine responses.

Instead, the university should push for increased student participation in the survey by strongly encouraging professors to promote the survey and the importance of student input in university matters in the classroom.

The Orange Survey precedes the upcoming campus-wide climate survey, a survey of all students, faculty and staff to assess the climate of SU and draw data that can be used to produce a more inclusive university environment.

There is no reason for students to not take part in the 15-minute survey. However, if students choose to not respond to university requests for input, such as the Orange Survey and climate assessment survey, they should realize that they are missing an opportunity to shape their time at SU, and shouldn’t complain about the outcome.

Still, for responses to be expected, the publicity of these initiatives must be valued.

Improving SU is a task that requires balanced perspectives to create meaningful improvement. But to have a survey in place to increase communication between university staff and the student body is counterproductive if students are not informed of the chance to take part.

Published on November 2, 2015 at 12:17 am

Contact: opinion@dailyorange.com