Constituency Research Survey marks turning point for Rutgers
Archived article from Oct 18, 2004
By Ashanti M. Alvarez
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The president said that the findings reinforce the need for initiatives already underway to revamp undergraduate education and improve student services. “The study confirms some things that we already know and have begun to address,” McCormick said. "It also makes clear that we need to tell Rutgers' story better. Too many New Jerseyans still do not know about the benefits that our research and direct service bring the state."
“Based on this research, we intend to develop a comprehensive communications campaign that embraces both internal and external constituencies,” Manning-Lewis said. “The involvement of faculty, staff, students and alumni will be critical if we are to develop an effective response to what we have learned.”
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of any communications campaign stemming from the Constituency Research Project is ensuring that individuals in New Jersey receive targeted messages. The survey showed that most people hear about Rutgers through word-of-mouth accounts from family and friends rather than from television, radio, the Internet or school publications.
“If New Jerseyans don’t know Rutgers’ mission, how are they going to be excellent ambassadors for Rutgers?” asked Mark Schulman, a partner with SRBI. “We want a communications program with laser-like precision.” Schulman noted that more than one-quarter of state residents say “nothing” comes to mind when they think about Rutgers, and other responses were vague, such as good reputation, good academic programs and location.
In addition, while a high percentage of high school students receive their information about Rutgers from friends (69 percent) and admissions brochures (67 percent), 53 percent learn about Rutgers from college guides, such as The Princeton Review. Although the methodology of these rating guides has been much debated, the results may indicate a need to more closely monitor the messages published in such books.
SRBI conducted the survey via telephone and the Internet from February to May of this year. The constituencies surveyed were: state residents, business leaders, alumni, prospective undergraduate students, parents of prospective undergraduate students, high school teachers and college advisers, faculty, staff, Rutgers students and parents of Rutgers students.
Gene O’Hara, former chair of the board of governors and current chair of the body’s university relations committee, said that the idea for a broad research project began in 2001 when the board had several unanswered questions with no data to reference. “We could never understand why Rutgers, being the jewel that it is, is not appreciated locally. We had nothing to tell us what people thought of us.” Through a competitive bidding process, the university hired SRBI for about $348,000, funded by the board of governors and board of trustees.
In the end, Manning-Lewis said, a good communications plan must be squarely rooted in a positive experience for our constituents. “One of the most significant findings of the research is that Rutgers faculty, staff and students are our most valuable ambassadors,” she said. “We all have a role to play in shaping the perceptions of the university.”
Some of the main perceptions about Rutgers that need to be addressed are:
•Most residents don’t see a difference between Rutgers and other state colleges and universities in New Jersey.
•There are too many Rutgers logos and messages. No clear message has broken through.
•Each of the three Rutgers campuses has its own identity, suggesting a need to develop an overall plan that includes distinguishing messages about the unique features of each campus.
•Most people surveyed prefer the name “Rutgers University,” even though “Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey” is embedded in the official logo.
•Rutgers research and service contributions are poorly understood and underrated.
•All N.J. constituencies value teaching over service to the state and research faculty. Rutgers messaging should emphasize how research and service contribute to the quality of classroom education in ways unique to a major research university.
Some of the key operational findings of the report:
•There are strong concerns about safety on all three campuses, particularly in New Brunswick.
•Students cite an inability to get the courses they want.
•Students rate academic advising, career counseling and dormitory housing relatively low.
The constituency research report is available on the Web at:
president.rutgers.edu/constituency_research.pdf
•Patricia Lamiell contributed to this report.
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