ASUCD Student Computer Survey - Winter 1997

1. Do you own a personal computer?
   {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Skip to #5}

2. Do you own a laptop computer or a desktop computer?
   {Laptop -> Next Question, Desktop -> Next Question, Both -> Next Question}

3. Do you bring your laptop computer to campus?
   {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Next Question}

4. Do you have Internet access (i.e. access to email, newsgroups, the and the World Wide Web) from your personal computer?
   {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Next Question, Don't Know -> Next Question}

5. Do you have a campus computing account (i.e. email, "ez", Internet)?
   {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Skip to #9}

6. Do you use your campus account for email?
   {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Next Question}

7. Do you use your campus account for newsgroups?
   {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Next Question}

8. Do you use your campus account to access the World Wide Web?
   {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Next Question}

9. How likely are you to subscribe to an Internet Service Provider after graduating from UC Davis?
   {Very likely -> Next Question, Somewhat likely -> Next Question, Somewhat unlikely -> Next Question, Very unlikely -> Next Question, Don't know/Not sure -> Next Question}

10. Do you have an account with a private Internet Service Provider (such as Earthlink, Mother.com, America Online, etc.)
    {Yes -> Skip to #12, No -> Next Question}

11. If you didn't have access to a free campus computing account, do you think you would be very likely, somewhat likely, somewhat unlikely, or very unlikely to subscribe to a Internet Service Provider?
    {Very likely -> Skip to #15, Somewhat likely -> Skip to #15, Somewhat unlikely -> Skip to #15, Very unlikely -> Skip to #15, Don't know/Not sure -> Skip to #15}

12. Do you use your private account for email?
    {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Next Question}

13. Do you use your private account for newsgroups?
    {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Next Question}

14. Do you use your private account to access the World Wide Web?
    {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Next Question}

15. Have you ever used public computers in the computer labs on campus or in the dorms?
    {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Skip to #17}

16. And how often do you use these campus computers?
    {Every day -> Next Question, A few times a week -> Next Question, Once a week -> Next Question, A few times a month -> Next Question, Once a month -> Next Question, Less than once a month -> Next Question}

17. In general, do you feel that having access to computer technology is very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not at all important to your academic success?
    {Very important -> Next Question, Somewhat important -> Next Question, Not very important -> Next Question, Not at all important -> Next Question, Insists on Depends -> Next Question}

18. In general, do you feel that having access to computer technology is very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not at all important to your (future) professional success?
    {Very important -> Next Question, Somewhat important -> Next Question, Not very important -> Next Question, Not at all important -> Next Question, Insists on Depends -> Next Question}

19. Have you personally ever taken a class that recommended that you conduct research via the Internet?
    {Yes -> Skip to #21, No -> Next Question}

20. Have you personally ever taken a class that required that you conduct research via the Internet?
    {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Next Question}

21. Have you personally ever taken a class that recommended that you subscribe to a class newsgroup accessible through an email account?
    {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Skip to #23}

22. Have you personally ever taken a class that required that you subscribe to a class newsgroup accessible through an email account?
    {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Next Question}

23. Have you personally ever taken a class that required you to have an email account?
    {Yes -> Next Question, No -> Next Question}

24. As you may know, Information Technology is the department on campus that provides a wide variety of computing services for students, and for the University at large. (Information Technology is the department that issues campus computing account to students, faculty and staff). If Information Technology was offer the following various improvements, rank each in order of importance to you with 1 being most important, 2 being second most important and so on...
    {Ranking: Having more general access labs, having improved off campus (i.e. modem) access, having our campus network improved, having subsidized computer purchases for students, and having improved training and support in computer technology for students -> Next Question}

25. How important is it to you that Information Technology at UC Davis has the most up-to-date equipment and service in terms of computing technology?
    {Very important -> Next Question, Somewhat important -> Next Question, Not very important -> Next Question, Not at all important -> Next Question, Insists on Depends -> Next Question}

26. Due to increasing demands for computing accounts, support and technology, Information Technology requires additional funding for its services. In general would you support or oppose a quarterly student fee that would go to pay for improved information technology on campus?
    {Support -> Skip to #28, Oppose -> Next Question, Depends on what for -> Skip to #28, Depends on Amount -> Skip to #28, Don't Know -> Skip to #28}

27. Supposing there was danger of losing services that are currently offered by Information Technology to the campus, would you support or oppose a quarterly student fee?
    {Support -> Next Question, Oppose -> Skip to #31, Depends on what for -> Next Question, Depends on Amount -> Next Question, Don't Know -> Next Question}

28. Would you favor or oppose a fee that was $40.00 per student per quarter?
    {Support -> Next Question, Oppose -> Skip to #31, Don't Know -> Next Question}

29. Would you favor or oppose a fee that was $55.00 per student per quarter?
    {Support -> Next Question, Oppose -> Skip to #31, Don't Know -> Next Question}

30. Would you favor or oppose a fee that was $70.00 per student per quarter?
    {Support -> Next Question, Oppose -> Next Question, Don't Know -> Next Question}

31. What is your class standing?
    {Freshman -> Next Question, Sophomore -> Next Question, Junior -> Next Question, Senior -> Next Question}

32. (Not published in survey data) What is your major?
    {End survey}

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete this survey!

• 75% of the students interviewed owned their own computer.
• Of that 75%, 84% owned desktops, 12% owned laptops, and 4% owned both.
• Of the 16% that owned laptops, 49% brought their laptops to campus.
• 80% of those that owned a personal computer had Internet access from that computer.

• 97% of the students interviewed had a campus computing account.
• Of that 97%, 98% used their accounts for email, 42% used their accounts to access newsgroups, and 80% used their accounts for access to the World Wide Web.

• 51% of the students surveyed said that they were very likely to subscribe to an Internet service provider after graduating from UC Davis. 32% said that they were somewhat likely to subscribe.

• 16% of those surveyed said that they had an account with a private Internet service provider.
• Of that 16%, 79% used their accounts for email, 31% used their accounts to access newsgroups, and 84% used their accounts for access to the World Wide Web.

• Of those that did not currently have an account with a private Internet service provider, 29% said that they would be very likely to subscribe if UC Davis did not offer free service, 31% said that they would be somewhat likely to subscribe, 18% said that they would be somewhat unlikely to subscribe, and 22% said that they would be very unlikely to subscribe.

• 91% of the student surveyed used computer labs on campus.
• Of that 91%, 16% used a lab every day, 26% used a lab a few times a week, 16% used a lab once a week, 12% used a lab a few times a month, 11% used a lab once a month, and 17% used a lab less than once a month.

• 78% of those surveyed said that having access to computer technology was very important to their academic success.
• 71% of those surveyed said that having access to computer technology was very important to their professional success.

• 51% of the students surveyed said that they had been in a class that had recommended research via the Internet. Of that 51%, 53% had been required to conduct research via the Internet.
• 47% of the students surveyed said that they had been in a class that had recommended that they subscribe to newsgroups (class related or otherwise). Of that 47%, 63% had been required to subscribe.
• 66% of the students surveyed said that they had been required to have an email account for a class.

• Of the students surveyed, 50% said that having more general access computer labs was the most important improvement that could be made on campus by the department of Information Technology.
• 28% said that having more (or improved) modem access was the most important possible improvement.
• 10% said that improved computer support (i.e. more classes, better training) was the most important possible improvement.
• 7% said that subsidizing computer purchases was the best idea.
• 5% said that improved an campus network was the top priority.

• 53% of students surveyed said that it was very important for UC Davis to make available to students the most up-to-date technology. 42% said that it was somewhat important.

• When asked whether they would support a technology fee for some of the possible improvements listed above, 58% said that they would, and 25% said that they wouldn't. Of that 25%, 61% said that they would support such a fee if there was a loss of current service.

• Of all the students surveyed, 36% were Freshmen, 11% were Sophomores, 20% were Juniors, and 33% were Seniors.

As 75% of the students at UC Davis already own their own computer, it seems that the educational value of computers is already well understood. There should probably be further research done into why 25% of the students do not own a personal computer.

Almost everybody has a campus computing account; this isn't really a big surprise. They're free, easy to obtain, and almost a necessity for quite a large number of people.

Oddly, only 51% of the students surveyed said that they were very likely to subscribe to a private Internet service provider after finishing at UC Davis, even though over 70% said that having access to computer technology was very important to both their academic and professional success. This may be due to the perceived high cost of accounts; only 16% of those surveyed had a private account. More should be done to find low-cost, high quality, private Internet service for students attending UC Davis.

91% of the students surveyed used a lab in the past year. Labs are tremendously important to students, partly because of convenience, partly because of access issues. This is further investigated in the Winter 1997 Student Survey conducted by campus Lab Management. The survey and its results may be found at http://clm.ucdavis.edu/pubs/survey/student_w97. Also not surprisingly, students said that improved lab access was the most important improvement possible for campus information technology.

Despite the reluctance of people to self-impose fees, there was relatively strong support for a campus technology fee. This may reflect students' frustration with the current state of access to information technology.