Survey: Students still know little about UA

Of the 100 randomly selected students polled by The Daily Pennsylvanian this week, 19 percent could not define the function of the Undergraduate Assembly. The survey follows two weeks of UA outreach programs as suggested in the body's blueprint for communications, developed this fall. Almost half the students did not know how to get in touch with the UA. And results showed that 47 percent of students polled could not name any members of the UA. In addition, only 25 percent could identify UA Chairperson Lance Rogers, a College senior. But these numbers do show improvement over those seen in last month's DP poll which showed that 59 percent could not identify any UA members and 12.5 percent recognized Rogers. The January poll also indicated that very few students knew how to get in touch with the UA, with less than a quarter aware of the UA's office hours and World Wide Web site. It is unclear if the increases are due to the UA's recent publicity campaign, since 78 percent of students polled said they had not received a UA information folder during the campus-wide door-to-door campaign of the past two weeks. And 78 percent also said they did not feel the UA accurately represented their opinions and interests, although only 38 percent said they would be interested in seeing student government reforms. But Rogers said last night that he felt the results of the survey were positive and showed that the outreach program has worked. But 99 percent of students polled have not yet contacted the UA to discuss an issue. The survey indicated that students would prefer to contact a specific UA member rather than contacting the body as a whole. And 72 percent said they would seek out an individual member by phone or electronic mail, while only 44 percent said they would attend open floor time during UA meetings, attend UA office hours or visit the UA Web site. But most said another form of student government would not offer a better option. Since last month's first DP poll, the UA has undertaken a massive outreach program, which followed the goals outlined in the UA blueprint for communication developed last fall. The program included a campus-wide door-to-door campaign to hand out information, as well as appearances on Locust Walk and the establishment of a new phone hotline. "The numbers [in the poll] indicate that we are moving in the right direction," Rogers said. "We certainly got the results and we have people calling us about problem they are facing." And Rogers was not alarmed by indications that students are unhappy with the way the UA represents them. Rogers added that he believes student awareness of the UA has actually increased over the past few years. Daily Pennsylvanian staff writers Shannon Burke and Suzanne Albers contributed to this story.

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