With approximately 15,000 undergraduate students, it seems evident that there would be a diverse and opinionated student body at the university. This presumption will soon be put to the test with the Blue Hen Poll 2008.
Professor David C. Wilson said the Blue Hen Poll 2008 stems from Wilson's Political Science 413 course, Problems in American Politics. Wilson said the Blue Hen Poll 2008 is the first annual public opinion survey for full-time undergraduate students at the university.
The poll is the core project for his course, he said. Thirteen to 14 classmates will have a chance for first-hand experience of conducting research and quantitative analysis and will be able to create an opportunity for students to have a political voice.
Wilson said a random sample of 1,500 full-time, undergraduate students will receive a computer-assisted, self-interviewing questionnaire through an e-mail message. The poll will include topics such as satisfaction with the university, career preparation, civic engagement, the War in Iraq and terrorism, United States foreign policy, moral values and more.
POSC413 student Justine Winkler said the Blue Hen Poll 2008 is the first of its kind.
"The goal is to find out how full-time students feel on a variety of issues," Winkler said. "What makes it great is that it is being administered for the students, by the students."
Wilson said the students designed, planned and organized the poll without administrative involvement.
"One of our goals is to have as much student involvement as possible," he said. "We want to find out if students are involved, or even interested, in politics."
Winkler said the class is divided into three teams of analysts, marketing and public relations. The analysts' duties include organizing the poll on the computer and interpreting the respondent's answers. The marketing team is responsible for spreading the word about the poll around campus using kiosks in Trabant University Center, flyers and posters.
Lastly, the public relations team organizes the kick-off event, which will take place March 13, from 2-3 p.m. in room 209/211 of Trabant, she said.
There will be a presentation about the survey and involved students will speak on its behalf, Winkler said.
"We want students to know that if they are randomly chosen, there is only something for them to gain and absolutely nothing to lose," she said. "Based on their answers, we will be able to figure out what UD is doing right and what needs to be tweaked. The answers of this poll could cause some changes on campus in the near future."
Wilson said the Blue Hen Poll 2008 will begin after the kickoff event at midnight on March 13 and analysis of student responses begins April 11.
On May 6, a public presentation of the final results will take place from 1:30-3:00 p.m. in Trabant's Multipurpose Room A, he said. Prominent U.S. television networks such as CBS and ABC, as well as the Gallup polls, have been invited for the results presentation to see the talent and opinion of university undergrads.
POSC413 student Richard Goldschein said he is excited for the results of the survey.
"We're excited to see what people feel about the university through a means other than word of mouth," Goldschein said. "It will be nice to have meaningful results, and for the students to know that these questions are solely being used to benefit them, rather than coming from the long arm of the university's administration."
Wilson said the Blue Hen Poll 2008 is beneficial because it gives a voice to students.
"Students need a voice for political matters and they don't want someone else to speak for them," he said. "Sometimes we take for granted that we aren't just learning here on campus, but we have something to say."
Winkler said in 2007, the Princeton Review ranked the university 4th out of 361 schools in the "Election, What Election?" category.
"For such a competitive college, it doesn't make sense that our students were lethargic towards the upcoming presidential election," she said. "Our poll gives students the chance to re-deem themselves and let their voices be heard."
Winkler said the Blue Hen Poll 2008 might be able to reveal whether or not students at the university are apathetic.
"With the Blue Hen Poll 2008, we will be able to determine if UD is still the same apathetic school it once was," she said, "or if we have a new Bono or Reverend Al Sharpton in the crowd."
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our feed
Contact us through email
Be the first to comment on this article!