University of Houston-Victoria (UHV) students believe the institution delivers on its promise of “Quality Education…Personally Delivered.” That’s what 90 percent of UHV students who responded to the 2004 Student Opinion Survey indicated.

Designed to gather information and satisfaction ratings from current UHV students, the survey was completed by 531 students in fall 2004. Its main components included student demographics and background information, satisfaction with UHV services and environment, and a comments section.

In the student background section, location was cited as the reason 78 percent of the respondents attended UHV; 50 percent primarily attended classes in Victoria, 29 percent in Sugar Land, 8 percent in Cinco Ranch, and 12 percent took courses online.

UHV President Tim Hudson said, “The survey results reflect the university’s commitment to make higher education accessible to students who might otherwise lack the opportunity.” Many such students are employed adults who have obligations to their jobs, families, and communities. Of those who responded, 77 percent attended UHV while also working.

“Location plays an important part in their decision to attend UHV because they desire a quality education, yet they want to attend a university in the area in which they have established their roots,” added Hudson.

For some, that means Victoria. Ranella Rodriquez, an education major and Victoria resident commented, “UHV provides a quality university experience with the conveniences of a small-town environment.”

Location was also noted as a major decision factor for students who attended classes at Sugar Land and Cinco Ranch. Construction of a new academic building that will be shared by the University of Houston System and Wharton County Junior College is planned for the near future. Supported by the ongoing “Building Futures Together” campaign, the new Sugar Land building will allow students to complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree without ever leaving Fort Bend County.

Students were asked in the second portion of the survey to rate the university’s services and environment on a scale of one to five, with five being very satisfied and one being very dissatisfied. The average rating for each area was above the 3.0 (neutral) mark, indicating all areas were seen positively by students.

Areas that received the highest satisfaction ratings included admissions and records services, building and classroom facilities, quality of education, racial harmony, and overall satisfaction with UHV. Hudson said he feels that the positive perception students indicated in these areas stems from the professionalism of the staff and faculty and the university’s dedication to providing an environment that is conducive to learning.

The final section of the survey asked students to make comments or suggestions, which were categorized by subject and reported verbatim to the appropriate departments. Supervisors will use the recently compiled data to examine ways UHV can better serve students’ needs.

Yolanda Gonzalez, coordinator of student relations said, “It’s important that we know the needs and issues our students have in order to effectively address them. We pay close attention to the suggestions students give us, and we continuously work on improving services that mean the most to the students.”