In the fall, we asked readers of The Scranton Journal to fill out a survey that would help us improve the magazine. We used the CASE (Council for Advancement & Support of Education) Readership Survey, which allows us to compare our results with more than 350 other institutions that also used the same instrument.
We had a wonderful response to our request more than alumni taking the time to complete the short survey.
So, what did we learn?
The Journal recieved high marks for photography, writing and "ease of reading," as well as for the cover. In general, our readers are more engaged with content than alumni of other schools who took this survey. Perhaps the most heartening result we found was that as a result of reading the magazine, our alumni were more likely than in years past to attend a University event or volunteer for an activity.
• 51 percent of Scranton alumni that took the survey say they get all or most of their information about the University from The Journal. For all schools that number is lower at 48 percent.
• 58 percent of respondents report reading every issue, higher than reported for all schools (55 percent)
• 84 percent of respondents "strongly agree" or "agree that The Scranton Journal strengthens their connection to the University
Our alumni are most interested incampus facilities and growth (80 percent), class notes (77 percent) and alumni in their professions (77 percent).
Here are some of the open-ended responses that are representative of the most frequent comments:
Note: as open-ended questions were not required the number of responses to each varied.
What do you like most about the magazine? (207 responses)
- 30 percent said class notes
- 29 percent said it gives an important updates on the University
- 22 percent say it provides a sense of community
“I like hearing about the University and what is happening there - important new initiatives.”
“The strong connection that I feel with the university after reading it. It brings back positive memories of my college days and the people that made me love Scranton so much.”
“Tangible connection to and reminder of the institution - more effective than just getting another email or visiting a website.”
What do you like least about the magazine? (157 responses)
- 39 percent of responders said nothing/no opinion
- 10 percent (next largest percentage) said it portrays only “good” things
- 8 percent (next largest percentage) said there is too much fundraising info or stories about donors
“So many small photos of people lined up/ receiving awards. Bigger, active photos would draw me in more to most everything the magazine offers.”
“It lacks everyday alumni stories. There are the 'ceremonial' stories of weddings and scholarships stories but it would be great to hear great stories of alumni."
What changes or improvements would you suggest? (144 responses)
- 52 percent said nothing
- 11 percent more about alumni
- 8 percent Format/layout changes (i.e. length, make online, keep in print, etc.)
“Can't think of any, but obviously we all want to read more about our class and classmates.”
“More stories on student and faculty research collaborations.”
“Maybe add a 'What's Happening in NEPA' section to highlight events that may draw alumni back to scranton (other than University-planned events).”
