Communication Survey Results

In May, Public Affairs and Publications conducted an e-mail survey of our campus communication media: Campus Announcements (e-mail), Inside Chico State, and the university's Web home page. There were 468 responses to the survey. Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond.

The complete results of that survey are listed below.

General Questions

1. How do you typically receive information about upcoming campus events?
(Respondents were able to select more than one.)

• Campus E-mail announcements = 97%
• Inside Chico State = 42%
• Local media = 32%
• University home Web page = 12%
• University memos/flyers = 54%
• Word of mouth = 43%
• Other = 7%

2. How do you typically receive information about campus news (new awards, grants, honors, etc.)? (Respondents were able to select more than one.)

• Campus E-mail announcements = 81%
• Inside Chico State = 59%
• Local media = 24%
• University home Web page = 6%
• University memos/flyers = 37%
• Word of mouth = 28%
• Other = 7%

3. How do you typically receive information about work-related information (policy changes, training, programs, etc.)? (Respondents were able to select more than one.)

• Campus E-mail announcements = 82%
• Inside Chico State = 14%
• Local media = 8%
• University home Web page = 8%
• University memos/flyers = 59%
• Word of mouth = 38%
• Other = 7%

Campus E-mail Announcements

1. Campus Announcements are sent via e-mail to faculty and staff each day the campus is open. On average, how many days per week do you read the e-mail Announcements?

• zero = 1%
• one = 2%
• two = 3%
• three = 10%
• four = 14%
• five = 70%

2. On average, how many of the individual messages in the Announcements do you read?

• All or most items = 20%
• About half = 37%
• Very few = 43%

3. In general, do you find the individual Announcement messages too long, too short, or about right?

• Too long = 15%
• Too short = 0%
• About right = 85%

4. Are Announcements helpful in finding out what is going on around campus?

• Very helpful = 80%
• Somewhat helpful = 19%
• Not very helpful = 1%

5. What types of Announcements do you tend to read?
(Respondents were able to select more than one.)

• Event notices = 92%
• Workshop notices = 61%
• Campus business related = 59%
• News Releases and Heads-Ups = 74%
• Job listings = 38%
• Other = 16%

Inside Chico State

1. Inside Chico State comes out every other week during each semester. How much of Inside Chico State do you typically read?

• All = 9%
• Most = 30%
• Some = 35%
• Very little = 18%
• None = 8%

2. How would you rate different aspects of Inside Chico State?
Respondents were asked to use a scale of 1-5 (1 = poor, 5 = excellent).

a. General appearance

• 1 = 7%
• 2 = 13%
• 3 = 20%
• 4 = 27%
• 5 = 33%

b. Type of stories

• 1 = 2%
• 2 = 10%
• 3 = 35%
• 4 = 38%
• 5 = 15%

c. Quality of writing

• 1 = 1%
• 2 = 4%
• 3 = 20%
• 4 = 50%
• 5 = 25%

d. Photography

• 1 = 2%
• 2 = 5%
• 3 = 27%
• 4 = 42%
• 5 = 24%

e. Overall

• 1 = 1%
• 2 = 4%
• 3 = 25%
• 4 = 52%
• 5 = 18%

3. How valuable to you are each of these sections of Inside Chico State?

a. "Upfront" (campus news)

• Very valuable = 32%
• Somewhat valuable = 60%
• Not very valuable = 8%

b. Calendar of Events

• Very valuable = 41%
• Somewhat valuable = 45%
• Not very valuable = 14%

c. Administrator’s columns (President, Provost)

• Very valuable = 19%
• Somewhat valuable = 53%
• Not very valuable = 28%

d. Faculty/staff columns (librarian, Academic Senate chair)

• Very valuable = 17%
• Somewhat valuable = 63%
• Not very valuable = 20%

e. Achievements (publications, awards, grants)

• Very valuable = 38%
• Somewhat valuable = 47%
• Not very valuable = 15%

f. Profiles about campus people

• Very valuable = 45%
• Somewhat valuable = 46%
• Not very valuable = 9%

g. Features about departments or programs

• Very valuable = 42%
• Somewhat valuable = 52%
• Not very valuable = 6%

4. How would you rate the frequency that Inside Chico State is published?

• Too much = 19%
• Just right = 77%
• Not enough = 4%

5. How often do you access Inside Chico State on its Web site?

• Usually = 1%
• Sometimes = 3%
• Occasionally = 13%
• Never = 83%

6. Would you like to see Inside Chico State move from a print and Web publication as it is now, to a Web-only publication?

• Yes = 20%
• No = 48%
• Keep both, but publish print version less often and promote Web use = 32%

Home Page

1. The university’s home page has a link called “Chico Today” that lists upcoming campus events. Is the “Chico Today” link helpful in finding out what is going on around campus?

• Very helpful = 23%
• Somewhat helpful = 47%
• Not very helpful = 30%

2. The university’s home page also has a link called Inside Chico State that leads to an online version of Inside Chico State. Is the Inside Chico State link helpful in finding out what is going on around campus?

• Very helpful = 12%
• Somewhat helpful = 43%
• Not very helpful = 45%

Other

1. Are you staff or faculty?

• Staff = 67%
• Faculty = 33%