What it Takes to make the grade Ten years of our student survey have shown that the best-liked schools make their students feel that they are in a modern, nurturing learning environment Y LEX USHER When the anadian University Report survey was introduced a decade ago, it was not to universal acclaim from the universities themselves. major criticism at the outset was the sample selection process, which involved finding students from each school via a scholarships website database. Over time, we worked to address this criticism by working with institutions to get a better sample of their students directly through their own databases. Now, close to 95% of our sample comes through such partnerships. nother criticism was that student views on institutional services weren t valid, many said, as they had no idea what was available at any school other than their own. That s true to some extent but if year after year a particular institution gets results which are particularly good or particularly bad compared to other institutions of its type, then the results start to gain in validity. nd so it has proved UR results are highly reliable, year-on-year, and schools that have invested heavily in the student experience (hello, Western!) have been consistently rewarded accordingly final criticism was that institution-wide rankings were too broad to be useful, given how much of the student experience is specific to an individual program or faculty. That s a fair point, so last year, armed with the much larger survey samples available to us from our partnership with institutions, we began publishing some results by field of study. globeandmail.com/education Though some schools have risen and others fallen over time, overall, students report being mostly satisfied with their institutions. There are differences, of course, notably that students at smaller schools tend to report much higher levels of satisfaction than students at larger ones. That s something that most sociological theory would have predicted people like feeling like connected insiders, and that s much easier to achieve at small schools than at big ones but even controlling for size, there are some significant differences between institutions. That s one of the reasons we portray schools by size; to better show institutions against their real peers. Of course, small schools don t have everything their own way. When it comes to things like teaching, school spirit and (for reasons we don t completely understand) campus buildings and facilities, they have a clear advantage over their larger brethren. ut when it comes to things like information technology and career preparation, small schools lose their advantage, as students give all institutions relatively low marks on those fronts. nd, interestingly, the aspects of student life with which students express the most dissatisfaction the availability of jobs and affordable housing are the ones over which institutions have almost no control. One piece of good news from this year s survey, especially if you re a concerned parent watching a student go off to school for the first time, is that students gave their schools overwhelmingly positive marks for safety and security. Ninety per cent of schools received an - rating or higher and only one school (York, for fairly obvious reasons) got less than a +. Over the ten years of the UR, there has been a steady shift in the way institutions have reacted to satisfaction surveys. For one thing, institutions have come to see themselves as being in much greater competition with one another for tuition dollars. For another, highly mobile international students become ever more important to university budgets (in case you were wondering, international students tend to rate their schools the same way domestic students do). The upshot of all this is that universities are listening to their students more than ever before. nd comparative report cards like this one are a chance to give pride of place to institutions doing the best jobs of that. s a result, the schools that come top in these ratings aren t necessarily the ones with long histories and illustrious alumni. Rather they re the ones that make their students feel that they are in a modern, nurturing learning environment. nd that s really what we want from our schools isn t it? lex Usher is president of Higher Education Strategy ssociates 2012 anadian University Report 75 UR_2012_harts.indd 75 10/17/11 3:12:39 PM
most satisfied students quality of Teaching & learning Instructors teaching style student-faculty interaction Methodology This year s anadian University Report survey reflects the opinion of 33,000 current undergraduate students. The results are derived from answers to approximately 100 questions. number of strict controls were built into the process to help ensure that those included in the sample represent anadian undergraduates. The data were furthered weighted to reflect the gender split of the actual undergraduate student population at each participating institution. mean score for each university is calculated for each question based on the responses of students who attend that school. Universities are assigned a letter grade that matches their mean scores (out of a maximum of 9.0) for each variable. The letter grading is based on the following grid: + = 8.2 or greater = 7.8 to 8.2 - = 7.4 to 7.8 + = 7.0 to 7.4 = 6.6 to 7 - = 6.2 to 6.6 + = 5.8 to 6.2 = 5.4 to 5.8 - = 5.0 to 5.4 D = Less than 5.0 This approach to grading was developed from analyzing the distribution of mean scores from an index variable, which was developed from an aggregate score based on each of the measurements of satisfaction about the university experience examined in the survey. The grid was then applied to the mean score of the responses received from each university, for each variable, and grades were assigned based on the mean score received. ecause sample sizes are significantly smaller when comparing one university to another, there may not be statistically significant differences separating universities that receive different letter grades, although their mean scores are different. For the full database of results, go to globeandmail.com/education (Enrolment over 22,000) University of Western Ontario - University of ritish olumbia + + + University of lberta arleton University oncordia University University of algary - - - - + (Enrolment 10,000 22,000) - - - + + + rock University Memorial University of Newfoundland - - University of Toronto - Mississauga + (Enrolment 4,000 10,000) - - University of the Fraser Valley + + + University of Prince Edward Island + + + Kwantlen Polytechnic University University of New runswick - Fredericton University of Ontario Institute of Tech. - - University of Toronto - Scarborough + Very (Enrolment under 4,000) cadia University Redeemer University ollege University of Western Ontario - Huron oncordia University ollege of lberta - Mount llison University - - The King s University ollege (Edmonton) - University of Western Ontario - rescia - University of Western Ontario - King s - randon University + University of Northern ritish olumbia + ape reton University Mount Saint Vincent University OD University - University of Western Ontario - University of ritish olumbia + arleton University + + + + University of lberta oncordia University University of algary - - - - - rock University + + Memorial University of Newfoundland + + + + + University of Toronto - Mississauga University of the Fraser Valley - - - - - - - Kwantlen Polytechnic University + University of Prince Edward Island + + + + University of New runswick - Fredericton University of Ontario Institute of Tech. University of Toronto - Scarborough Very + cadia University oncordia University ollege of lberta Redeemer University ollege The King s University ollege (Edmonton) University of Western Ontario - Huron University of Western Ontario - King s Mount llison University - - University of Western Ontario - rescia - randon University + ape reton University + Mount Saint Vincent University + University of Northern ritish olumbia + OD University - + University of Western Ontario + University of ritish olumbia arleton University oncordia University University of lberta - University of algary - - - - + - + + + + + rock University Memorial University of Newfoundland University of Toronto - Mississauga - University of the Fraser Valley - - - - Kwantlen Polytechnic University + + University of Prince Edward Island + + + + + University of New runswick - Fredericton University of Ontario Institute of Tech. University of Toronto - Scarborough - Very Redeemer University ollege University of Western Ontario - Huron cadia University - oncordia University ollege of lberta - Mount llison University - The King s University ollege (Edmonton) - University of Western Ontario - rescia - University of Western Ontario - King s - randon University + ape reton University + Mount Saint Vincent University + + University of Northern ritish olumbia OD University arleton University + + + University of Western Ontario + University of lberta University of ritish olumbia oncordia University University of algary - - - + - - - rock University + + + + + Memorial University of Newfoundland University of Toronto - Mississauga University of the Fraser Valley - - - - - - + + University of Ontario Institute of Tech. + University of Prince Edward Island + + + Kwantlen Polytechnic University University of New runswick - Fredericton University of Toronto - Scarborough - Very cadia University + Redeemer University ollege + The King s University ollege (Edmonton) + + oncordia University ollege of lberta University of Western Ontario - rescia University of Western Ontario - Huron randon University - Mount llison University - University of Northern ritish olumbia - - University of Western Ontario - King s - ape reton University + Mount Saint Vincent University + OD University - 76 anadian University Report 2012 globeandmail.com/education globeandmail.com/education 2012 anadian University Report 77 UR_2012_harts.indd 76-77
ourse registration lass Size cademic ounselling reputation with employers areer Preparation Research Opportunities (Enrolment over 22,000) University of Western Ontario - + University of lberta University of ritish olumbia arleton University oncordia University University of algary - - - - + - arleton University + oncordia University + + + University of Western Ontario + University of lberta University of ritish olumbia University of algary - - - - + arleton University + University of Western Ontario + University of ritish olumbia University of algary oncordia University University of lberta - - - + + + + University of ritish olumbia University of Western Ontario University of lberta - - University of algary arleton University - oncordia University - - + University of Western Ontario + University of ritish olumbia University of lberta - University of algary - arleton University - oncordia University - - - + University of Western Ontario University of algary - arleton University - oncordia University - - University of lberta + University of ritish olumbia + + + (Enrolment 10,000 22,000) + + Memorial University of Newfoundland rock University - - - + University of Toronto - Mississauga + + + - - - rock University + + + Memorial University of Newfoundland + + + + + University of Toronto - Mississauga - rock University + + + + + Memorial University of Newfoundland - - - University of Toronto - Mississauga + + - University of Toronto - Mississauga - + + + + + + Memorial University of Newfoundland rock University - - + - - + + rock University - Memorial University of Newfoundland - - University of Toronto - Mississauga - + + rock University - - Memorial University of Newfoundland - - - - - - + University of Toronto - Mississauga (Enrolment 4,000 10,000)) University of New runswick - Fredericton + + University of Ontario Institute of Tech. University of Prince Edward Island University of the Fraser Valley - - - - - Kwantlen Polytechnic University + + University of Toronto - Scarborough + + + University of the Fraser Valley Kwantlen Polytechnic University - University of Ontario Institute of Tech. - University of Prince Edward Island - - - - University of New runswick - Fredericton + University of Toronto - Scarborough - University of the Fraser Valley + + + + University of New runswick - Fredericton University of Ontario Institute of Tech. University of Prince Edward Island Kwantlen Polytechnic University - - University of Toronto - Scarborough - - - + + + University of Toronto - Scarborough + University of the Fraser Valley University of New runswick - Fredericton University of Prince Edward Island - - - - Kwantlen Polytechnic University + + University of Ontario Institute of Tech. + + + + + University of the Fraser Valley University of Ontario Institute of Tech. Kwantlen Polytechnic University - - University of New runswick - Fredericton - University of Prince Edward Island - - University of Toronto - Scarborough - - - + + + + University of the Fraser Valley University of Prince Edward Island Kwantlen Polytechnic University - - - University of New runswick - Fredericton - University of Ontario Institute of Tech. - - - - University of Toronto - Scarborough - Very (Enrolment under 4,000) Redeemer University ollege - - University of Western Ontario - Huron - cadia University + randon University + University of Western Ontario - rescia + University of Western Ontario - King s + ape reton University oncordia University ollege of lberta Mount llison University University of Northern ritish olumbia The King s University ollege (Edmonton) Mount Saint Vincent University - - OD University + Very cadia University + oncordia University ollege of lberta + Redeemer University ollege + The King s University ollege (Edmonton) + + + University of Western Ontario - Huron + University of Western Ontario - King s + randon University Mount llison University Mount Saint Vincent University University of Northern ritish olumbia University of Western Ontario - rescia ape reton University - OD University + Very cadia University - Redeemer University ollege - The King s University ollege (Edmonton) - - University of Western Ontario - rescia - randon University + ape reton University + University of Western Ontario - King s + oncordia University ollege of lberta Mount llison University Mount Saint Vincent University University of Northern ritish olumbia University of Western Ontario - Huron OD University - Very cadia University Mount llison University - University of Western Ontario - rescia - University of Western Ontario - Huron - University of Western Ontario - King s - oncordia University ollege of lberta + Redeemer University ollege + The King s University ollege (Edmonton) + randon University Mount Saint Vincent University University of Northern ritish olumbia OD University ape reton University - Very cadia University - Redeemer University ollege - oncordia University ollege of lberta + The King s University ollege (Edmonton) + University of Western Ontario - rescia + University of Western Ontario - Huron + University of Western Ontario - King s + randon University Mount Saint Vincent University ape reton University - Mount llison University - University of Northern ritish olumbia - - OD University Very cadia University - Redeemer University ollege - The King s University ollege (Edmonton) - - Mount llison University + University of Western Ontario - Huron + University of Western Ontario - King s + randon University ape reton University oncordia University ollege of lberta University of Northern ritish olumbia University of Western Ontario - rescia Mount Saint Vincent University - - OD University 78 anadian University Report 2012 globeandmail.com/education globeandmail.com/education 2012 anadian University Report 79 UR_2012_harts.indd 78-79
uildings and Facilities Student Residences Recreation and thletics Libraries Information Technology ampus tmosphere (Enrolment over 22,000) University of Western Ontario + + University of ritish olumbia oncordia University University of lberta - arleton University - - - - University of algary + University of Western Ontario - University of ritish olumbia - arleton University - - - University of algary + oncordia University + + University of lberta - University of Western Ontario + - University of lberta + University of ritish olumbia + University of algary + arleton University + oncordia University + + + + - oncordia University - - - University of Western Ontario - University of lberta + University of ritish olumbia + arleton University + + + + + University of algary - - University of lberta + University of ritish olumbia + oncordia University + + + + University of algary arleton University University of Western Ontario - + University of Western Ontario - University of ritish olumbia + arleton University + oncordia University + + + + University of lberta University of algary - - - + (Enrolment 10,000 22,000) - + + + rock University University of Toronto - Mississauga - Memorial University of Newfoundland + + + + + + rock University - - University of Toronto - Mississauga + + Memorial University of Newfoundland - University of Toronto - Mississauga - rock University + + Memorial University of Newfoundland + + + + + - - + + Memorial University of Newfoundland + + + + + + rock University University of Toronto - Mississauga - - - - - + + + rock University Memorial University of Newfoundland - - University of Toronto - Mississauga - - - - - rock University + + Memorial University of Newfoundland + + University of Toronto - Mississauga - (Enrolment 4,000 10,000) - + University of Ontario Institute of Tech. + University of Prince Edward Island + + University of the Fraser Valley University of New runswick - Fredericton Kwantlen Polytechnic University - - - + + University of Toronto - Scarborough - + University of Prince Edward Island University of Ontario Institute of Tech. - - - - University of the Fraser Valley + + + + University of New runswick - Fredericton University of Toronto - Scarborough Kwantlen Polytechnic University N/ - University of Ontario Institute of Tech. - - + + + University of Prince Edward Island + + + + University of the Fraser Valley University of New runswick - Fredericton Kwantlen Polytechnic University - - University of Toronto - Scarborough - - University of New runswick - Fredericton - University of the Fraser Valley + + University of Prince Edward Island + + + + + + Kwantlen Polytechnic University University of Ontario Institute of Tech. - University of Toronto - Scarborough - - University of New runswick - Fredericton - University of the Fraser Valley + + + + Kwantlen Polytechnic University University of Ontario Institute of Tech. University of Prince Edward Island - - + University of Toronto - Scarborough + + - - - University of the Fraser Valley + University of New runswick - Fredericton + University of Ontario Institute of Tech. + University of Prince Edward Island + + + + + Kwantlen Polytechnic University University of Toronto - Scarborough - Very (Enrolment under 4,000) Redeemer University ollege cadia University - - University of Western Ontario - rescia - University of Western Ontario - Huron - University of Western Ontario - King s - oncordia University ollege of lberta + Mount llison University + University of Northern ritish olumbia + The King s University ollege (Edmonton) + randon University ape reton University Mount Saint Vincent University - OD University + Very Redeemer University ollege + cadia University - Mount llison University + The King s University ollege (Edmonton) + University of Western Ontario - Huron + University of Western Ontario - King s + ape reton University - - - University of Western Ontario - rescia - Mount Saint Vincent University + University of Northern ritish olumbia + randon University - oncordia University ollege of lberta - OD University N/ Very University of Western Ontario - Huron University of Western Ontario - King s - University of Western Ontario - rescia - ape reton University + Mount llison University + University of Northern ritish olumbia + Redeemer University ollege + cadia University randon University The King s University ollege (Edmonton) oncordia University ollege of lberta - Mount Saint Vincent University - OD University N/ Very University of Western Ontario - rescia University of Western Ontario - Huron University of Western Ontario - King s cadia University - randon University - oncordia University ollege of lberta - Redeemer University ollege - - The King s University ollege (Edmonton) - - Mount llison University + Mount Saint Vincent University + University of Northern ritish olumbia + ape reton University OD University - Very - University of Western Ontario - Huron - cadia University + randon University + oncordia University ollege of lberta + University of Northern ritish olumbia + OD University + Redeemer University ollege + + University of Western Ontario - rescia + University of Western Ontario - King s + ape reton University Mount llison University Mount Saint Vincent University + The King s University ollege (Edmonton) + Very Redeemer University ollege + + cadia University oncordia University ollege of lberta Mount llison University The King s University ollege (Edmonton) University of Western Ontario - rescia University of Western Ontario - Huron University of Western Ontario - King s randon University - University of Northern ritish olumbia - ape reton University + Mount Saint Vincent University + OD University 80 anadian University Report 2012 globeandmail.com/education globeandmail.com/education 2012 anadian University Report 81 UR_2012_harts.indd 80-81
Environmental ommitment Work-Play alance ITY STISFTION (Enrolment over 22,000) University of ritish olumbia + oncordia University University of Western Ontario University of lberta - University of algary - arleton University - - - - - - + + (Enrolment 10,000 22,000) + + University of Toronto - Mississauga rock University - Memorial University of Newfoundland - - - (Enrolment 4,000 10,000) - - + University of Ontario Institute of Tech. + + University of the Fraser Valley Kwantlen Polytechnic University - - - - University of Prince Edward Island - - University of Toronto - Scarborough - University of New runswick - Fredericton + Very (Enrolment under 4,000) University of Northern ritish olumbia cadia University - Redeemer University ollege - The King s University ollege (Edmonton) - Mount llison University + + University of Western Ontario - King s + randon University ape reton University oncordia University ollege of lberta Mount Saint Vincent University University of Western Ontario - rescia University of Western Ontario - Huron OD University - + University of Western Ontario - arleton University University of ritish olumbia - oncordia University - - - - - - University of lberta + University of algary + D - - + rock University - Memorial University of Newfoundland - - - + + University of Toronto - Mississauga - - - + University of the Fraser Valley University of Prince Edward Island - University of New runswick - Fredericton - University of Ontario Institute of Tech. - - - - Kwantlen Polytechnic University + University of Toronto - Scarborough Very Redeemer University ollege cadia University - The King s University ollege (Edmonton) - - University of Western Ontario - Huron - University of Western Ontario - King's - oncordia University ollege of lberta + Mount llison University + + University of Western Ontario - rescia + randon University ape reton University Mount Saint Vincent University - University of Northern ritish olumbia - OD University + oncordia University - - - University of ritish olumbia + arleton University + + University of Western Ontario + University of lberta - University of algary - - - - - - - - + + + rock University Memorial University of Newfoundland - University of Toronto - Mississauga - + + + + University of New runswick - Fredericton University of Prince Edward Island University of the Fraser Valley - Kwantlen Polytechnic University - - University of Toronto - Scarborough + + University of Ontario Institute of Tech. Very cadia University - Redeemer University ollege - randon University + Mount Saint Vincent University + OD University + + University of Western Ontario - rescia + University of Western Ontario - Huron + University of Western Ontario - King's + oncordia University ollege of lberta Mount llison University The King s University ollege (Edmonton) ape reton University - University of Northern ritish olumbia + The Personality Test This year s anadian University Report survey added some new questions designed to discover what undergrads thought about various aspects of their institution s personality. re the schools undergrad-focused or research-inclined? How diverse are they? Do teachers nurture students or just let them get on with it? Here are the top ten for some of the questions we asked. The complete set of personality test results can be found at globeandmail.com/education cademically, is your university nurturing and supportive? 1 Redeemer University ollege 2 3 The King s Univ. ollege (Edmonton) 4 cadia University 5 oncordia University ollege of lberta 6 University of Western Ontario - rescia 7 University of Western Ontario - Huron 8 9 10 Is your university s curriculum more theoretical than applied/practical? 1 2 3 University of Toronto - Mississauga 4 University of Toronto - Scarborough 5 6 University of Western Ontario - King s 7 8 9 University of Western Ontario - Huron 10 arleton University Does your university have a diverse student body? 1 oncordia University 2 arleton University 3 4 5 6 7 University of the Fraser Valley 8 9 10 cademically, does your university expect you to be self-sufficient? 1 2 3 University of Toronto - Mississauga 4 University of algary 5 University of lberta 6 7 University of Toronto - Scarborough 8 9 10 Is your university s curriculum more applied/practical than theoretical? 1 2 3 4 OD University 5 Kwantlen Polytechnic University 6 7 8 University of the Fraser Valley 9 10 oncordia University ollege of lberta Does your university have a homogenous student body? 1 Redeemer University ollege 2 3 4 5 The King s Univ. ollege (Edmonton) 6 7 8 9 10 University of Western Ontario - Huron 82 anadian University Report 2012 globeandmail.com/education globeandmail.com/education 2012 anadian University Report 83 UR_2012_harts.indd 82-83 10/17/11 3:12:41 PM