York University’s Reputation: Challenges and Opportunities

1. York University’s Reputation: Challenges and Opportunities A Presentation to the Planning Forum on the Draft White Paper March 9, 2010

2. Introduction • This presentation features the results of two external research initiatives undertaken by Strategic Counsel as input for the White Paper: • Surveys of key student groups; and • A series of in-depth interviews. • On line surveys were undertaken among: • Current York University students; • Students accepted to York University but who declined; and • GTA high school and university students who are not considering/did not consider York, but intend to/did apply to a TO based PS institution. • A total of 4,951 questionnaires were completed by York students, 1,468 by declining students, and 500 by students not intending/not applying to York. • Ten, one-on-one interviews with key York and external influencers.

3. Objectives • For the student surveys primary objectives were: • Overall perceptions of York; • Perceived strengths/attributes of York; • Primary reasons students chose York; and • Primary barriers to choosing York. • Additional objectives of the one-on-one interviews were: • Overall assessment of York’s reputation; and • Assessment of options for York in moving forward.

4. Major Findings • York’s reputation in terms of both academic performance and the quality of the student experience is in need of significant improvement. • York is generally perceived to be well below the U of T and McMaster and on a par with Laurier and Guelph, in terms of the quality of the education offered. Among those who did not apply or do not plan to apply, York’s reputation in this area is particularly low. • In terms of reasons for choosing a university, York students are least concerned about reputation as a factor, while among those who declined a York offer or did not apply reputation is considerably more important in making a choice. • York students appear to share many of the feelings about York of other students, they are less likely than students at other institutions to say they would recommend the university and to say they would make the same choice again. • A number of factors appear to act as barriers for students in either accepting a York offer or for considering applying and they are somewhat different for the two groups.

5. Major Findings • Essentially, those who did not apply or would not consider applying are far more likely to say that program availability issues are major factor. However, for both groups the strike, location and York’s reputation are also key factors. • In n order to enhance the student experience four actions were identified by all three student groups surveyed: • Expand experiential learning opportunities; • Reduce class sizes, • Enhance campus safety; and • Provide more academic advising • One-on-one interviewees generally believe that York has a significant reputation problem that they believe has a basis in reality and arises from: • The extensive use of part-time faculty; • Recent strike; and • Lowering of admission standards.

6. Major Findings • This has contributed, they believe, to what is seen as a diminished student experience and is a major issue to address; • While the northern part of the GTA is a natural catchement area for York, interviewees believe that this could no longer be relied upon as a reliable source due to changes in the area and that the reputation issue was exacerbating this situation. • Finally, interviewees believe that York must continue to grow, but must diversity its program areas and especially into the “hard sciences”, in order to reach students not now thinking of York and to establish York as a complete university.

7. Quantitative Findings

8. Assessments of Ontario Universities

9. A York education is seen as good, but not exceptional Ratings of specific universities in terms of education offered (undergraduates rate undergraduate education and graduate-level students rate graduate-level education Q. 14. Irrespective of your status as a York student, how would you rate the following colleges and universities in terms of the overall quality of (undergraduate-level/graduate-level or professional-level) education offered by each? (Current Students) Q. 13. How would you rate the following colleges and universities in terms of the overall quality of (undergraduate/graduate-level or professional-level) education offered by each?(Declining Students) Q. 16. To the best of your knowledge, how would you rate the following universities in terms of the overall quality of undergraduate education offered by each? (Did not/Will not apply) Base: Total base * Totals have been repercentaged to exclude the no opinion/don’t know responses

10. Among current students, York is seen as well below U. of T. and McMaster in the quality of education. Q. 14. Irrespective of your status as a York student, how would you rate the following colleges and universities in terms of the overall quality of (undergraduate-level/graduate-level or professional-level) education offered by each? (Current Students) Base: Total base (* Totals have been repercentaged to exclude the no opinion/don’t know responses)

11. Among declining students, York is seen to be on a par with Guelph, Laurier and Ryerson. Q. 13. How would you rate the following colleges and universities in terms of the overall quality of (undergraduate/graduate-level or professional-level) education offered by each? (Declining Students) Base: Total base (* Totals have been repercentaged to exclude the no opinion/don’t know responses)

12. Those who did not apply have the lowest regard for York. Q. 16. To the best of your knowledge, how would you rate the following universities in terms of the overall quality of undergraduate education offered by each? (Did not/Will not apply) Base: Total base (* Totals have been repercentaged to exclude the no opinion/don’t know responses)

13. Assessing York

14. York students are notably less likely than others to report that they would still choose their university if they could choose again. Percentage who would choose to attend their current university if they could choose again Q. 10. If you could choose again, would you still choose to attend York? (Current Students) Q. 11. If you could choose again, would you still choose to attend the college or university you are currently attending? (Declining Students) Q. 14. If you could choose again, would you still choose to attend the college or university you are currently attending? (Did not/Will not apply) Base: Total base

15. Just over half of York’s students would recommend the University for undergraduate studies, notably less than those attending other schools. Likelihood of recommending current university to friends or family Q. 13. How likely would you be to recommend York University to friends or family… (Current Students) Q. 12. How likely would you be to recommend the college or university that you are currently attending to friends or family? (Declining Students) Q. 15. How likely would you be to recommend (UNIVERSITY SELECTED IN FIRST COLUMN AT Q.2) to friends or family… (Did not/Will not apply) Base: Total base

16. Less than half of York’s students report that the University provides a positive student experience. Ratings of York in terms of overall student experience (among York students) Q. 12. How would you rate York University in terms of your overall experience as a student? (Current Students) Base: Total base

17. Reasons for not Choosing York

18. Location, the strike and programs are top-of-mind reasons for not applying to York. Reasons for declining/not apply to York. Q. 17 What are the main reasons that you decided not to attend York? Please list up to three reasons, in order of importance. (Declining Students) Q. 20. What are the main reasons that you (UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: did not consider, GRADE 12 STUDENTS: have not considered) applying to York University? Please list up to three reasons, in order of importance. (Did not/Will not apply) Base: Total base Note: Responses of 1% or less not shown.

19. York’s reputation is also a top-of-mind reason for not applying to York. Reasons for declining/not apply to York. Q. 17 What are the main reasons that you decided not to attend York? Please list up to three reasons, in order of importance. (Declining Students) Q. 20. What are the main reasons that you (UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: did not consider, GRADE 12 STUDENTS: have not considered) applying to York University? Please list up to three reasons, in order of importance. (Did not/Will not apply) Base: Total base Note: Responses of 1% or less not shown.

20. Reducing labour strikes and improving perceptions of York academically are two critical factors to increasing student interest. Importance of the following as reasons for declining/not applying to York University Q. 18 How important were the following as reasons why you did not attend York University? (Declining Students) Q. 22. How important were the following as reasons why you did not attend York University / for not applying to York University? (Did not/Will not apply) Base: Total base

21. Enhancing York’s Student Experience

22. Expanding experiential learning, improving campus safety, more academic advising, and improving student support services will increase interest from current and potential students. Importance of York doing the following to improve the quality of the student experience Q. 17 How important would it be to undertake the following initiatives to improve the quality of the student experience at York? (Current Students) Q. If the following changes had been implemented when you applied/were implemented before you applied to University, to what extent, if at all, would they have affected/affect your decision to attend/apply to York University? (Declining Students: Q.20, Did not/Will not apple: Q24) Base: Total base

23. Increasing experiential education opportunities is of significant interest to all Most important things that York can do to improve the quality of the student experience Q. If York could only undertake two of these initiatives, which two do you feel are the most important? (Current Students: Q19, Declining Students: Q22, Did not/Will not apply: Q.26) Base: Total base Note: Responses of less than 1% not shown.

24. One-on-One Findings

25. Main findings • General sense York has a significant reputation problem arising from: • Extensive use of part time staff; • Recent strike; and • Lowering of admission standards. • These issues have all contributed to what is seen as a diminished student experience and this is seen as a major issue to address; • While there is agreement regarding the importance of the northern GTA for York there is also a sense that it cannot automatically be relied upon as a source of students, and as a result of: • Growing aspirations of the regions students; • York’s more limited program offerings; • Increased competition from Ryerson; and • York’s current reputation.

26. Main Findings • There is broad recognition that York must continue to grow, but also must diversify in terms of its programs; • However, there is no real consensus in terms of the type of program areas to develop, aside from a preference for the “hard sciences”; • Many respondents articulated, in various ways, the need for York to develop a clear vision of how it wants to evolve, and importantly, why and to build a consensus around this vision; • Finally, in moving forward most advised to build on York’s existing strengths.