Beginning on Feb. 17 through March 6, Madison College is giving their students a way to share their voice. The Ruffalo Noel Levitz survey is a student satisfaction survey available for those who are completing degree credit courses. Students will be receiving an invitation via email to complete the survey online. You can also access the survey by visiting https://madisoncollege.edu/satisfaction.

Students are highly encouraged to participate because Madison College wants their students to feel satisfied in all aspects of their education. With the help of everyone that takes this survey, change is more likely to appear.

Zong Her, the manager of Institutional Research and Effectiveness at Madison College, shares, “What I would really like to emphasize is that we listen to our students’ collective voice.”

Since each student experience is different from the next, having a wide range of people involved with this study will provide the most accurate reflection of the college.

The study is based on student’s perceptions on different categories relating to their experience at Madison College. Individuals get the chance to rate topics based off importance and the satisfaction level they feel.

The past study done in 2018 demonstrates the large number of topics that showed major improvement, ranging from learner’s success, enrollment services, academic advising and student support services, to library and academic support services, and financial services as well as safety and security on campus.

The Ruffalo Noel Levitz survey takes place at Madison College every two years for a reason. This two-year time frame gives the college an opportunity to put results into action. For example: in the past 2018 survey the childcare facility category showed a large gap in results.

“The difference between how satisfied they are and how important they rate something is what they call a gap,” explains Her.

The college wants to improve those gaps. So, this year in 2020, they are developing plans for a new childcare center on campus.

Textbooks were another concern that students had. Her mentioned that the student senate got to use this survey as a “tool” to see that this was an issue. With that discovery, the new and improved textbook program came shortly after.

Madison College is one of of 250 colleges that participate in this survey.

“It is not just comparing ourselves to our ourselves or comparing ourselves to four-year colleges. It is a two-year college instrument,” shares Her. With a nation-wide comparison, it gives Madison College the opportunity to study a range of “perspective and depth” within a whole community of students.

The goal of this survey is to create the change the students seek. It gives individuals a way to speak up about their concerns, feelings and interests on campus. As Her puts it, “It is your turn to grade us. This is your voice.”