Dear Widener Families,
 
As we prepare for the arrival of students, I wanted to share some excellent results from a survey we use to track student satisfaction at Widener. Students took this nationally administered survey in the spring, and it allows us to track their satisfaction and compare ourselves with hundreds of similar institutions. We experienced the highest survey participation rate in Widener’s history this year, making the results even more meaningful!  
 
In almost every category, student satisfaction at Widener has increased dramatically since 2018. Widener students have also demonstrated a higher level of overall satisfaction when compared to students at similar institutions in the eastern region. 

I was personally excited to see dramatic improvements in the Campus Life category. As we all know, 2021-22 was a challenging year as the pandemic persisted. Despite that, student satisfaction has improved in every category since 2018, including Campus Support Services, Academic Advising, Service Excellence, Student Centeredness, Campus Climate, Registration Effectiveness, Campus Life, Instructional Effectiveness, Recruitment and Financial Aid, Safety and Security, and Concern for the Individual Student.  We had the highest satisfaction rates since 2014 in nine of 11 categories.

Below are some examples of findings, particularly as they pertain to Campus Life and the out-of-class experience:
 
1.    83 percent of our students said their Widener experience so far has met or exceeded their expectations, as compared to 76 percent for students at similar institutions.

2.    Among 90 items measured, the area that improved most dramatically from 2018 was in Student Health Services (“The staff in the health services area are competent”), which is notable given the pandemic circumstances!

3.    These additional items pertaining to students’ out-of-class experiences either demonstrated significant improvement from our 2018 results, achieved higher scores when compared to other private institutions, or both:

a)    The staff in health services area are competent (both)
b)    New student orientation services help students adjust to college (both)
c)    Residence hall regulations are reasonable (both)
d)    The student center is a comfortable place for students to spend their leisure time (both)
e)    I seldom get the run-around when seeking information on this campus (both)
f)    The intercollegiate athletic programs contribute to a strong sense of school spirit (both)
g)    There are a sufficient number of weekend activities for students (both)
h)    There is a strong commitment to racial harmony on this campus (*results are lower for students from under-represented groups) (both)
i)    Students are made to feel welcome on this campus (vs. other institutions)
j)    Most students feel a sense of belonging here (vs. other institutions) 
k)    I can easily get involved in campus organizations (vs. other institutions) 
l)    A variety of intramural programs are offered (vs. other institutions) 
m)    The student handbook provides helpful information about campus life (vs. 2018)
n)    Counseling staff care about students as individuals (vs. 2018)
o)    There is an adequate selection of food available in the cafeteria (vs. 2018)
p)    Males and females have equal opportunities to participate in intercollegiate athletics (vs. 2018)
 
As you can see, Widener student satisfaction is moving in a terrific direction. We look forward to students arriving for classes this month as we continue to build on our excellent results.  As always, we are committed to exceeding student expectations.

With pride,

John P. Downey, Ph.D.
Dean of Students

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/node/26391/