Last week, the Record sent its biannual approval ratings survey to 500 randomly selected students, who indicated their approval, disapproval, or neutrality toward various campus institutions and policies.
The survey indicated sustained support for the faculty, which had the highest overall approval rating by a wide margin. The College, the Record, and President of the College Maud S. Mandel all saw substantial decreases in their approval ratings, while the Three Pillars and Campus Safety Services (CSS) saw increases in approval from the spring.
Out of the survey’s 152 respondents — a response rate of 30 percent — 27 percent were seniors, 22 percent were juniors, 26 percent were sophomores, and 25 percent were first-years. Off-cycle students had their class years rounded up; a student graduating in the Class of 2023.5, for example, would be considered part of the Class of 2024. The survey had an 8 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level.
Roughly 50 percent of respondents reported that they received financial aid, slightly lower than the 53 percent of the total student body receiving some form of financial aid from the College. The number of respondents using she/her/hers and he/him/his pronouns were almost equal. Students identifying as white made up approximately 68 percent of survey respondents, compared to roughly 64 percent of the student body, as reported by the College in its most recent enrolled student survey. While differences in the way the Record and the College measure demographic variables may account for some of the difference, it is likely that students who identify as white were slightly overrepresented in this survey.
This semester, the Record received criticism for its handling of campus dialogue about the violence in Israel and Gaza. The Record also saw the largest decrease in approval ratings out of all institutions surveyed, with its overall approval rating dropping 18 percentage points from 64 percent in the spring to 46 percent this fall. The College and Mandel also saw decreases in approval, falling 9 and 12 percentage points from the spring ratings respectively.
As in the spring, the faculty was by far the institution with the highest overall approval rating, with 85 percent of students surveyed expressing approval and only 1 percent expressing disapproval.
The faculty were followed by the College, which garnered an approval rating of 59 percent, and the Office of Financial Aid, which received an approval rating of 51 percent.
CSS and the Three Pillars saw particularly large increases in approval from the spring. CSS saw an increase in approval of 8 percentage points (from 40 to 48 percent) and a decrease in disapproval of 10 percentage points, while the Three Pillars saw an increase in approval of 9 percentage points (from 21 percent to 30 percent) and a decrease in disapproval of 3 percentage points.
Along with CSS, Integrative Wellbeing Services and the Career Center saw the largest decreases in disapproval, with rates falling 13 percentage points (from 27 percent to 14 percent) and 10 percentage points (from 31 percent to 21 percent) compared to the spring, respectively. Both institutions also saw corresponding increases in their approval ratings.
The Record also surveyed students on their attitudes about several topics relevant to campus life this semester. With faculty Winter Study participation rates in decline, the survey found that the majority of students still support Winter Study, with 70 percent of respondents expressing approval of the program and only 13 percent expressing disapproval.
Students widely disapproved of the College’s handling of the Theme/Affinity/Program/Special Interest Housing (TAPSI) program, which sparked controversy earlier this semester after the College announced a proposal to relocate all TAPSI houses to Mark Hopkins before walking back the relocation two weeks later. Only 12 percent of students approved of the College’s handling of the TAPSI system, while 51 percent disapproved.
Students also expressed dissatisfaction with the College’s support for students of color and mental health resources. Only 16 percent of respondents agreed that the College provided sufficient support for students of color this semester, while 25 percent disagreed. Thirty-two percent of respondents agreed that the College offered sufficient mental health resources this semester, while 24 percent disagreed. These results mark increases in approval from the spring semester of three percentage points and six percentage points, respectively.
In the wake of the Supreme Court striking down affirmative action this June, which led the College to reevaluate its admissions practices, the majority of students surveyed still expressed support for affirmative action, with 59 percent expressing approval and 13 percent expressing disapproval. However, the results showed a decline in approval from the spring survey, when 67 percent approved of affirmative action and 11 percent disapproved.
The following items were also surveyed:
- The Dean’s Office: 29% approve, 49% neutral, 22% disapprove
- The JA system: 49% approve, 44% neutral, 7% disapprove
- The Entry System: 49% approve, 40% neutral, 11% disapprove
- The Registrar’s Office: 39% approve, 47% neutral, 14% disapprove
- The Davis Center: 40% approve, 45% neutral, 14% disapprove
- Chaplains’ Office: 44% approve, 52% neutral, 4% disapprove
- The Health Center: 40% approve, 36% neutral, 24% disapprove
- The Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (OIDEI): 29% approve, 62% neutral, 9% disapprove
- The Office of Campus Life (OCL): 35% approve, 53% neutral, 12% disapprove
- The Office of Accessible Education (OAE): 27% approve, 63% neutral, 11% disapprove
- The Athletics Department: 26% approve, 51% neutral, 23% disapprove
- Honor & Discipline Committee: 18% approve, 74% neutral, 7% disapprove
- Dining Services: 48% approve, 26% neutral, 26% disapprove
- Did the College offer sufficient mental health resources this semester?: 32% agree, 44% neutral, 24% disagree
- Did the College officer sufficient support to students of color this semester?: 16% agree, 59% neutral, 25% disagree
- Did the College offer sufficient support to students on financial aid this semester?: 44% agree, 44% neutral, 12% disagree
