Parent Phonoathon: A summary of what you told us

An energetic team of 26 volunteers including members of the Parent and Family Advisory Council, staff and faculty of St. Catherine Univeristy contacted more than 395 families of first-year students on December 3. Our purpose was to check-in with parents and family members to learn how the fall term was going for their student. We wanted to learn how the transition to college life was going and solicit ways the University can make improvements.

It was a very productive evening, and overall, parents seemed to have great appreciation for the call. We were able to reach 48 percent of our families and left messages with another 34 percent. We offered Spanish and Hmong speaking volunteers to ensure that all families could participate.

Here is what we learned:
* 86 percent of you told us that the University has met or exceeded your expectations while 11 percent were not sure due to a question or concern that was unresolved at the time of the call. Three parents indicated that they were unsatisfied because of the limitations of what information can be shared about their student's grades, academic performance (referring to the FERPA restrictions) and frustration over competitive housing space.
* One parent shared that because of her daughter's experience, she was applying to one of St. Kate's graduate programs. Many parents indicated that the small class sizes, campus safety, and the availability of faculty/staff and the concern they demonstrate ranked high on their list.
* A general theme occurred; the more involved students are on campus, the higher overall satisfaction.
* Parents commented on the usefulness of the Parent Resource Calendar and the timely information obtained from online resources including the Parent Update.

Some of the parent's concerns included: excessive left-over food points at the end of the term, desire for more food service options on the Minneapolis campus, wishing there were more jobs for their student, and wishing that their daughters were more involved on campus. A concern for potential rising tuition costs was also shared.

What we do with the information?
Many parents were referred certain resources in order to resolve a specific question or concern. Feedback is also shared with offices/programs for improvement (no parent names were identified).

Thank you for taking the time to speak with the callers. If you were not contacted and want to discuss any comments/questions, please contact Ellen Richter-Norgel, Director of Student Retention, e-mail: erichter-norgel@stkate.edu or 651.690.8730.