In spring 2015, undergraduate students participated in a nationally benchmarked survey that measures student satisfaction with the qualities students feel are most important.
UAB students expressed the highest levels of satisfaction with instructional effectiveness, campus support services and service excellence. These also are areas where UAB scored higher than the national average for four-year public institutions. Safety and security were students’ greatest concerns.
“This Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory is one of the ways we invite students to tell us how well we are meeting their expectations,” said Provost Linda Lucas. “UAB’s overriding commitment to academic excellence is reflected in high student-satisfaction ratings for instructional effectiveness.”
Specifically, students expressed the greatest satisfaction with the variety of courses provided, faculty availability after class and during office hours and the ability to experience intellectual growth. Students also ranked UAB’s support services and service excellence as strengths.
“Not only do we have quality support programs that contribute to our students’ success outside the classroom,” Lucas said, “but we have staff who are caring and demonstrate personal concern for our students.” Helpful support services include the One Stop, libraries, tutoring services, career guidance, counseling and health services.
Students voiced the greatest dissatisfaction with UAB’s responsiveness to their personal safety and security on campus, a concern that was already under review. The survey feedback coincided with the completion of a report from UAB’s Safety Task Force, which had been initiated by President Ray Watts in summer 2014 to review threat preparedness and develop an action plan. UAB continues to implement and build on safety initiatives recommended by the task force in April 2015 to help ensure the perception meets the reality.
A recent review of safety data by the National Center for Education Statistics suggests UAB performs as well as or better compared to similar urban institutions — and many traditional, non-urban college campuses across the region and beyond.
To safeguard the campus community, UAB employs many safety and security measures, including accredited police officers, partnerships with outside law-enforcement agencies, more than 450 emergency telephones, emergency notification messaging system, security card access, more than 2,800 cameras, Blazer Express and escort transportation system, motorist assistance roadside service and the free UAB RAVE Guardian safety app.
