Starting in February, Western will launch the Canadian Graduate and Professional Student Survey (CGPSS), a survey designed to provide universities with information regarding the quality of graduate programs as assessed by their own graduate students.
This year, graduate students at approximately 50 universities across Canada will take part in the CGPSS, the largest survey of its kind on Canada. Western has participated since 2005.
“Graduate students have an important opportunity to have their say, give their input, and make a difference to enhance the quality of their programs and the quality of the graduate student experience at Western,” says Linda Miller, Vice-Provost (School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies). “We receive anonymized responses from students in all of our graduate programs, and we also receive summaries at the provincial and national level for comparison.”
To participate, graduate students will receive an email from grad-survey@uwo.ca, and subsequent reminders, to complete the online, 15-minute survey. Be mindful of the address, Miller stressed, this is not spam.
The survey will ask graduate students to evaluate the overall quality of their student experience, including questions on coursework, the availability of financial support, university services, student life, support from faculty members, and overall satisfaction with their program.
The CGPSS will run Feb. 11-March 15.
“This is your opportunity to tell us what we’re doing right and where we can improve. It allows us to evaluate the graduate student experience across campus, and also to see how the graduate student experience at Western compares to the average in Ontario and across Canada,” Miller continued.
“If you are a new student, your impressions and feedback are just as important as those of a student who has been at Western for several years. Likewise, if you have been studying here for many years, and are close to graduation, your responses will help improve the graduate program experience for incoming students. For students in professional programs, it’s important for us to know how and where to make improvements.”
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MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD
What: Canadian Graduate and Professional Student Survey (CGPSS)
When: Feb. 11-March 15
Why: Graduate student responses help us learn about what has gone well and where we could improve.
How: Check your @uwo.ca e-mail address for your invitation sent from grad-survey@uwo.ca.
