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Western tops Globe survey

The Globe and Mail has released their annual university report, giving Western another A grade in student satisfaction.

The report rankings were determined by surveys filled out by current undergraduate students.  Their answers were then turned into average scores and given a letter grade.

Other top grades for Western included an A for quality of education and academic reputation, and an A+ for campus atmosphere. Lower rankings included a B- for environmental commitment and a B for career preparation.

“It is gratifying to see that [Western’s] commitment to student experience is recognized in this way,” John Doerksen, vice-provost academic programs and students at Western, said.

“In surveys such as this, we want to pay attention to areas needing improvement,” Doerksen added.

Carolyn Hawthorn, communications officer for the University Students’ Council confirmed this sentiment.

“We are very pleased with the ranking but don’t feel as though it is a reason for us to get complacent,” Hawthorn said. “There is always room for improvement and we at the USC are always looking for ways to better our campus and the student experience here at Western.”

Both Doerksen and Hawthorn acknowledged appreciation for Western’s high ranking, but maintained a humble attitude.

“External accolades such as the Globe and Mail rankings are nice, but the real reason we all get out of bed in the morning is to enhance student experience,” Hawthorn added.

“The rankings are but one of the many factors [Western] takes into account in setting priorities,” Doerksen added.

Ultimately, the rankings may not even be an influential factor for some students.

“I basically neglected rankings [when I applied],” Kaiyman Para, a first-year social science student, said. He admitted program quality was a larger concern.

“I’m not really sure what standards it’s based on so I don’t trust it,” Para said.

Hawthorn as well as Doerksen said Western’s high rankings were related to the opportunities to learn outside of the classroom.

“At Western, we have an excellent learning environment that combines work in the academic programs with opportunities beyond the classroom,” Doerksen noted.

“The USC provides opportunities for out of classroom learning,” Hawthorn echoed. She cited clubs and services as examples.

Lori Bunt, assistant director of communication and public affairs at the University of Guelph noted the importance of taking student opinion into account in regards to the surveys.

“Asking [students] what do you think, what do you want to see […], we take those comments very seriously,” Bunt said.

Areas where Western scored poorly in were class-size and student-faculty interaction. Western received a B and a B+ respectively, in comparison to smaller schools such as Nipissing University, which received an A+ in class-size and an A in student faculty interaction.

“The survey indicates that smaller institutions do score higher in areas such as student-faculty interaction and class size, and at Western we will want to explore ways of making our courses more effective, whatever the class size,” Doerksen said.

Doerksen also mentioned this is the eighth year in a row Western has had the highest ranking in its category.

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