State Wants Colleges To Take Part In Satisfaction Survey

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has invited every public and private college in the state to take part in the nation’s first statewide Gallup-Indiana survey of undergraduate satisfaction.

"The benefits of a college degree extend beyond economic factors, but those benefits can be more difficult to measure: job satisfaction and engagement, civic involvement and better physical health,” said CHE Commissioner Teresa Lubbers in a statement.

The commission negotiated a discounted price – with significant funding support from USA Funds and Gallup, a national polling and survey firm – for public colleges that agree to participate by Aug. 1. The base price of the three-year program would typically be $70,600, but with the discounts, the price for an Indiana school will be $24,730.

“Through the Indiana College Value Index, Indiana is leading the nation in helping students and parents make better choices in the selection of a postsecondary program of study,” said Carol D’Amico, a USA Funds executive vice president.

The Indiana College Value Index will combine data from multiple sources to provide a clear image of college completion, learning outcomes, return on investment, career success and long-term college graduate satisfaction. Once the index has been completed, the Indiana College Value Index will be combined with existing economic data on colleges and shared publicly within the next Return on Investment report.

The Gallup-Indiana Survey was inspired by Gallup-Purdue Index – a partnership between Gallup and Purdue University that surveyed more than 30,000 college graduates to measure the relationship between a college degree and graduate well being.

Max Bomber is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.