SPEC analyzes end-of-year survey results

The Social Planning and Events Committee has begun looking at data from its end-of-year survey, which received almost 500 responses.

Over the summer SPEC will be using the comments and suggestions from the survey, which was open to students from May 15 to June 5, to help with the planning of next year’s events.

“Now, one of our goals for next year is to make these events stronger in the hopes of attracting even more students. With healthy funding from the Undergraduate Assembly, as well as the expertise and leadership of our directors, I am confident we can put together a great year of programming,” said SPEC President and rising College senior Shana Rusonis in a statement.

The survey had 53 questions and touched upon all of SPEC’s committees, and asked about the student body’s knowledge of SPEC events, the attendance to SPEC events, and for comments and ideas for improvement.

The results contained some interesting information. They showed that three-fourths of the respondents had used SPEC’s website within the last year. The survey also found that nearly three-fourths of the respondents attended the Spring Fling concert and that nearly 90 percent were in the Quadrangle for part of Spring Fling.

Although a small amount of the student body responded to the survey, members of SPEC ­— who used Facebook, Twitter, and email to contact the student body about the survey — were happy with the number of responses the survey received. “Considering the fact that the survey was open during the summer, after finals were over and students left campus, we were quite surprised that students continued to check their emails and decided to participate in the survey. This shows their commitment and desire to help SPEC improve its programming,” said SPEC Treasurer Dennis Johnson in a statement.

“I took the end of the year survey, and I thought it asked good questions,” rising Wharton sophomore Melissa Hong said.

One controversial topic on which students issued comments was the assigned seating for the Spring Fling Concert. “One thing I think SPEC could do to make Spring Fling stronger is to go back to not having sections for the concert,” Hong said.

“Although the seating at Fling was a hot-button issue in April, we want to stress that the issue will not be brought up until we begin planning for the 2012 concert. We included a question about students’ opinions in regard to the seating policy on our survey, and received plenty of feedback that reinforced our understanding of the policy at the time of the concert.”

“A goal for SPEC next year is to increase awareness that we take pride not only in putting on our own events, but helping other groups put on their events too. Part of our budget is earmarked solely to assist other groups in their programming,” said Rusonis.

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