University Relations Research Questions: Focus Group and Survey Questions

Instruments that can be used to answer the questions:
        1. Focus Groups
        2. Mailed or Online Surveys
        3. Analog Institution Research
        4. Archival Research

The subcommittee began to explore some of the specific questions to alumni that we would need to have answered, and how best to get those answers.  We initially worked our way through a consolidated list of questions that Larry Penwell provided at the Steering CommitteeÌs Airlie Retreat in August.  These questions provided a basis for sorting into two basic groups: 1) those questions on which we would need to have alumni opinion, and 2) those that would be of a more administrative nature and would be answered by the UR&D committee.

As the subcommittee deliberated on the best way of getting information from Alumni, the focus group method began to appear to be the most effective.  In light of other recent surveys (e.g. Mehfoud Committee Report), most questions that would be asked by this or other committees on a mailed survey have already been asked and satisfactorily answered.  Continuing George Van SantÌs research may be adequate to answer most, if not all, of our survey questions.

Analog institution research being done by Jeff Rountree and Cindy Snyder should be sufficient in that category.

Focus groups
The research subcommittee is proposing the following, pending approval by the full committee:

Number of Focus Groups:

MWC:
        1. Fredericksburg (local alumni)
        2. Richmond
JMC:
         1. Current and Graduate BPS students
         2. Current Graduate Program students
Business Community
        (if this is within our mission)
        Two groups of local business leaders