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Office of the Provost

Compared to pre-COVID, how is your Spring 2021 academic workload? Has non-compression of the Spring 2021 semester improved your academic experience?

Date: March 2, 2021
Audience: All Students

Student Workload: 2% much lighter, 14% slightly lighter, 29% same, 34% slightly heavier, 21% much heavier. 739 out of 8,941 registered; 390 responses (53% response rate)

 

Non-compressed semester: 30% much better, 41% slightly better, 19% same, 7% slightly worse, 3% much worse. 739 students out of 8,941 registered; 351 responses (47% response rate)

 

On March 2, we asked 739 registered student users (out of a total population of 8,941):

Compared to pre-COVID, is your Spring 2021 academic workload
1 Much lighter
2 Slightly lighter
3 Same
4 Slightly heavier
5 Much heavier
Please explain

and

Has non-compression of the Spring 2021 semester improved your academic experience?
A Much better
B Slightly better
C Same
D Slightly worse
E Much worse
Explain

We received 390 responses to the the scaled academic workload question (53% response rate):

  • Much lighter: 2.1%
  • Slightly lighter: 14.1%
  • Same: 29.0%
  • Slightly heavier: 34.4%
  • Much heavier: 20.5%

We received 351 responses to the scaled non-compression of the semester question (47% response rate):

  • Much better: 29.9%
  • Slightly better: 41.3%
  • Same: 18.5%
  • Slightly worse: 7.4%
  • Much worse: 2.8%

We received 102 responses yielding 121 data points (14% response rate) explaining the scaled workload response, which we analyzed and consolidated into 11 categories:

  • Heavier due to course content/deadlines/format: 32%
  • Heavier due to due to faculty choices/behavior: 12%
  • Heavier due to expected increase in course difficulty/degree progression: 10%
  • Lighter due to number of credits taken: 9%
  • Workload feels the same (other/unspecified): 8%
  • Heavier (other/unspecified): 7%
  • Heavier due to number of credits taken: 7%
  • Workload feels the same due to course content/deadlines/format: 5%
  • Heavier due to increased need for self-teaching: 4%
  • Lighter due to course content/deadlines/format: 3%
  • Workload feels the same due to faculty choices/behavior: 2%

We received 81 responses yielding 95 data points (11% response rate) explaining the scaled non-compression response, which we analyzed and consolidated into 12 categories:

  • Better pace, less rushed/overwhelmed: 33%
  • Worse, Spring Break days not effective/properly implemented: 16%
  • Feels the same (unspecified): 11%
  • Better because able to take breaks/relax/socialize: 8%
  • Better but Spring Break days not effective/properly implemented: 5%
  • Better (other): 6%
  • Worse, would prefer compressed semester: 4%
  • Feels the same (various): 4%
  • Better without reason specified: 3%
  • Better, more robust academic experience: 3%
  • Worse because focus/motivation are difficult: 3%
  • Worse (other): 3%