APPENDIX B

Online Survey Analysis

Executive Summary

In November 2022, FGCU conducted a survey of FGCU students, faculty, staff, and community members to gather opinions on strategic priorities for the coming years. The 24-question survey asked respondents their opinion relating to FGCU’s strategic plan and sentiment on statements about the university. The survey was active from November 7, 2022, to November 18, 2022, and received 877 responses over the two-week period. A summary of the results can be found below: u Community members represented the largest share of respondents (26.8 percent), followed by alumni (22.6 percent) and parents (20.1 percent). u Academic excellence was considered the most important strategic area of focus, followed by student success. u 86.6 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is an important part of the cultural, social, health, and economic life of Southwest Florida. u 86.9 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU provides affordable higher education in our region and Florida. u 74.7 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU graduates are well prepared for productive and civically engaged lives and careers. u 75.3 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is an innovative and entrepreneurial university. u 72.6 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is a collaborative learning environment, where people work together to find solutions. u 61.0 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is a technologically advanced learning environment that reflects global technology advances. u 72.7 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is a diverse and inclusive community. u 79.0 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is connected to meaningful partners in the community. u 64.5 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU makes it easy to access publicly available resources. u 89.9 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that they would recommend FGCU to potential students. u 90.4 percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that they are proud that FGCU is part of the Southwest Florida community. u 25.8 percent of participants said they visit FGCU’s campus daily or weekly, while 12.9 percent visit the campus six to ten times a year.

Prepared by the Regional Economic Research Institute at Florida Gulf Coast University. Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Survey Analysis

What best describes your FGCU affiliation?

Respondents were asked to provide their affiliation with FGCU and allowed to select multiple answers. Community members had the largest representation in the survey, measured at 26.8 percent. Alumni represented 22.6 percent of all respondents, followed by parents (20.1 percent), students (14.1 percent), faculty members (11.6 percent), and staff members (8.9 percent). Slightly less than 10 percent of respondents indicated they had some other type of affiliation not specified in the survey.

Table 1. What best describes your FGCU affiliation?

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey

Prepared by the Regional Economic Research Institute at Florida Gulf Coast University. Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

The following are FGCU’s current strategic focus areas. Please rank these areas 1 to 5 in order of importance, with 1 being the most important and 5 being the least important.

Respondents were asked to rank the five areas of strategic focus for FGCU. The five areas were: u Academic Excellence u Community Engagement & Outreach u Entrepreneurship u Health Science u Student Success

Strategic focus areas were ranked 1 to 5, with one meaning that the respondent felt the area was the most important, while five meant that the respondent felt the strategic area was the least important for FGCU. Two methods were used to analyze the results from this question.

Weighted Method

The first method used was the weighted method, where results were compared by assigning point values to each of the responses. A first-place vote assigned five points, a secondplace vote assigned four points, a third-place vote assigned three points, a fourth-place vote assigned two points, and a fifth-place vote was assigned one point. The weighted total takes on a value between one and five, where one means that the area of strategic focus was universally selected as the fifth choice and five means the area of strategic focus was universally selected as the first choice.

Table 2 depicts the results from using the weighted method. Academic excellence was considered the most important area of strategic focus with a score of 4.20. Closely behind academic excellence was student success (3.93), followed by community engagement and outreach (2.88), health science (2.08), and entrepreneurship (1.92). Most affiliated groups shared a similar sentiment of viewing academic excellence as the most important area of strategic focus. The only exceptions were for both students and staff members, both of which rated student success the most important area.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

First-Place Vote Method

The second method used was the first-place method, where the percent of first-place votes only were tallied. Table 3 displays the results of this method. Academic excellence received 51.4 percent of all first-place votes, most of all five areas. Student success received 34.9 percent of first-place votes, while community engagement and outreach received 7.8 percent of votes. Both entrepreneurship and health science each received 3.0 percent of first-place votes.

Academic excellence was also the first choice among most affiliation groups. Students and staff members were exceptions to this, with the groups giving 49.2 and 51.3 percent of first-place votes to student success, respectively.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements.

FGCU is an important part of the cultural, social, health, and economic life of Southwest Florida.

Table 4 shows that 86.6 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is an important part of the cultural, social, health, and economic life of Southwest Florida. Furthermore, 7.9 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 5.5 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Alumni respondents had the highest share of agreement (91.5 percent) while students had the lowest share of agreement (70 percent).

FGCU provides affordable higher education in our region and Florida.

Table 5 shows that 86.8 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU provides affordable higher education in our region and Florida. Furthermore, 8.8 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 4.3 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Parents had the highest share of agreement (93.1 percent) while students had the lowest share of agreement (75.4 percent).

Table 4. FGCU is an important part of the cultural, social, health, and economic life of Southwest Florida.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Table 5. FGCU provides affordable higher education in our region and Florida.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

FGCU graduates are well prepared for productive and civically engaged lives and careers.

Table 6 shows that 74.7 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU graduates are well prepared for productive and civically engaged lives and careers. Furthermore, 16.7 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 8.6 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Community members had the highest share of agreement (76.1 percent) while faculty members had the lowest share of agreement (69.3 percent).

FGCU is an innovative and entrepreneurial university.

Table 7 shows that 75.3 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is an innovative and entrepreneurial university. Furthermore, 16.6 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 8.1 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Parents had the highest share of agreement (81.7 percent) while faculty members had the lowest share of agreement (59.4 percent).

Table 6. FGCU graduates are well prepared for productive and civically engaged lives and careers.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Table 7. FGCU is an innovative and entrepreneurial university.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

FGCU is a collaborative learning environment where people work together to find solutions.

Table 8 shows that 72.6 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is a collaborative learning environment where people work together to find solutions. Furthermore, 18.5 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 8.9 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Alumni had the highest share of agreement (80.2 percent) while faculty members had the lowest share of agreement (59.8 percent).

FGCU is a technologically advanced learning environment that reflects global technology advances.

Table 9 shows that 61.0 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is a technologically advanced learning environment that reflects global technology advances. Furthermore, 21.6 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 17.5 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Parents had the highest share of agreement (65.5 percent) while staff members had the lowest share of agreement (43.8 percent).

Table 8. FGCU is a collaborative learning environment where people work together to find solutions.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Table 9. FGCU is a technologically advanced learning environment that reflects global technology advances.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

FGCU is a diverse and inclusive community.

Table 10 shows that 72.7 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is a diverse and inclusive community. Furthermore, 17.0 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 10.3 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Business leaders had the highest share of agreement (80.3 percent) while faculty members had the lowest share of agreement (60.8 percent).

FGCU is connected to meaningful partners in the community.

Table 11 shows that 79.0 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU is connected to meaningful partners in the community. Furthermore, 16.2 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 4.8 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Business leaders had the highest share of agreement (85.3 percent) while students had the lowest share of agreement (67.2 percent).

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022 and November 18, 2022

FGCU makes it easy for me to access publicly available resources.

Table 12 shows that 64.4 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that FGCU makes it easy to access publicly available resources. Furthermore, 25.9 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 9.6 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Students had the highest share of agreement (70.9 percent) while business leaders had the lowest share of agreement (55.9 percent).

I would recommend FGCU to potential students.

Table 13 shows that 89.9 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that they would recommend FGCU to potential students. Furthermore, 5.2 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 4.9 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Alumni had the highest share of agreement (93.9 percent) while students had the lowest share of agreement (78.0 percent).

Table 12. FGCU makes it easy for me to access publicly available resources.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

Table 13. I would recommend FGCU to potential students.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022

I am proud that FGCU is part of the Southwest Florida community.

Table 14 shows that 90.3 percent of all respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that they are proud that FGCU is a part of the Southwest Florida community. Furthermore, 7.9 percent of respondents neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement, while 1.7 percent somewhat or strongly disagreed. Alumni had the highest share of agreement (96.1 percent) while students had the lowest share of agreement (75.2 percent).

How frequently have you visited the FGCU campus over the past year?

Table 15 shows that 25.8 percent of respondents visit the campus daily or weekly, while 3.8 percent visit the campus monthly. Furthermore, 12.9 percent stated that they visit the campus six to ten times a year, 18.1 percent visit the campus three to five times per year, and 22.7 percent visit the campus one to two times per year. About 10 percent of respondents said “none of the above,” while 7.1 percent gave an answer not specified in the survey.

Table 14. I am proud that FGCU is part of the Southwest Florida community.

Source: RERI analysis of data from the FGCU Strategic Roadmap Survey, conducted between November 7, 2022, and November 18, 2022