Surveys Give UTC High Marks Results of a recent survey of UTC faculty and staff indicated that the university's major strengths are an emphasis on teaching, reasonable tuition, and the University of Chattanooga Foundation, but there is also widespread concern about state funding, salary levels, and technology needs. Students surveyed indicate that they are generally satisfied with their experiences at UTC, and feel that the quality of general education, small classes, excellent teachers, and preparation for jobs or graduate school are major elements in that satisfaction. Students also expressed concerns about state funding for UTC, and current library and technology facilities. The surveys were conducted during the winter by the university's Office of Institutional Research and Planning, under the direction of Dr. Richard Gruetzemacher to determine UTC's strengths, obstacles, and priorities. Nearly 500 faculty and staff members completed and returned the anonymous surveys. More than 900 students completed 15-minute, anonymous surveys on UTC's strengths and challenges. In a seperate scientific poll of 446 Hamilton County residents conducted late last year, 84 percent of those surveyed said they would be interested in attending UTC themselves or having their child attend the university. The phone survey was conducted by the Center for Applied Social Research at UTC, under the direction of Dr. James Fraser of the UTC sociology faculty. "UTC values its identity as a metropolitan university," said Chancellor Bill Stacy. "Knowing what community residents think of UTC, and finding out what the priorities of our faculty, staff and students are, will be an important part of our planning in coming months." Other findings of community perceptions and knowledge about UTC include: Some 77 percent rated academic quality at UTC at UTC as "excellent (24 percent), or "good (53 percent). Only one percent of respondents rated academic quality as "poor." Sixty-six percent rated UTC's faculty as "excellent" (18 percent), or "good" (48 percent) The quality of fine arts events at UTC earned favorable ratings from 58 percent of those polled, with 15 percent rating them "excellent" and 43 percent "good." Thirteen percent rated fine arts events unfavorably, while 29 percent couldn't rate them. Sixty-three percent rated UTC's general community service as "excellent" (16 percent), or "good" (47 percent). For more details concerning these surveys check out: Planning for the 21st Century. UTCnews Archives

Last updated: May 7, 1998.
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