University Union is transitioning its survey process to meet stipulations set by a Student Association bill passed in fall 2011.

UU’s survey for Juice Jam 2013 will be sent through the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment this summer to comply with SA’s legislation. The organization’s previous surveys were sent through Survey Monkey, a system SA Comptroller Stephen DeSalvo said got “a lot of complaints.”

OIRA is the office that provides research services and collects data for Syracuse University.

The SA Disbursement of Surplus Funds bill, approved in October 2011, granted UU an immediate sum of $1,005,172 from surplus money in that year’s budget. The legislation also granted a later sum of $505,172 if UU complied with the bill. DeSalvo, who was a member of SA’s general assembly when the bill passed, said the bill was intended to improve performer options.

UU hasn’t worked with OIRA for past surveys, but is making the transition to meet the seed funding stipulations.

“It’s just a matter of using updated surveys to align with the seed funding bill,” said UU President Lindsey Colegrove in an email.

The legislation states that assistance from OIRA in UU’s surveying process will ensure “that a broader base and more representative sample of the student body is surveyed.”

“The discussion was about receiving the best input from students for who they want to see,” DeSalvo said.

DeSalvo said one problem that came up when considering working with OIRA to conduct surveys to gauge interest in potential performers was managing the time constraints that come with the surveys.

During these discussions, he said, an issue regarding the “time scale” of an OIRA survey was brought up because it can take OIRA six months to a year to collect data. Because of this, some students who participate in the survey may no longer attend SU by the time data is collected, or that the artists will no longer be popular.

DeSalvo also said that when the bill was passed, UU knew it would have to switch from using Survey Monkey to working with OIRA.

“SA is aware that this year’s survey was sent through Survey Monkey,” Colegrove said. “I have also spoken to them about the transition into using OIRA, which could mean a tradeoff between surveying the entire student body to only a representative sample.”

Colegrove said the bill was passed to push UU to “constantly strive to improve our survey process” and not because of issues with past surveys.

“This is something we are always trying to do,” she said.

The organization uses student surveys as the main focus when selecting artists to bring to campus. Colegrove said UU puts realistic artist names on the survey so the organization can reach out to their agents about availability.

“Sometimes everything works out perfectly and we are able to bring the top choice, such as Ke$ha for this year’s Block Party,” she said.

Colegrove said UU’s annual Juice Jam artist survey, coming out this summer, will be sent through OIRA.

Published on April 3, 2013 at 12:38 am

Contact Erik: ervanrhe@syr.edu | @therealvandyman