Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia Department of University Housing recently received a Commitment to Excellence – Gold Institution – award for demonstrated dedication to continuous quality improvement of programs and services through ongoing assessment and evaluation.
Since 1998, the international assessment and analysis firm, Educational Benchmarking Inc. (EBI), has gathered resident satisfaction information from students living on the campuses of higher education institutions around the world. A collaborative effort with the Association of College and University Housing Officers International, over 267 institutions completed the 2006-2007 assessment, allowing these schools to compare their performance both internally and in contrast with peer institutions.
“University Housing is delighted to receive this level of recognition from EBI,” said Gerard J. Kowalski, executive director of University Housing. “We are pleased with our on-going association with EBI because obtaining feedback from our students and staff about the quality of their experiences in the residence halls is and has been a critical means for us to identify the strengths and areas for improvement for our facilities, staffing, programs and services.”
The UGA Department of University Housing is a Charter University, signifying annual participation in the resident satisfaction surveys since their inception in 1998. Since that first year, quality improvement efforts have been expanded to include assessment of performance and satisfaction among the family and graduate housing apartment residents and the resident assistant student staff members.
Most recently, the UGA collaborated with EBI on creation of a brand new assessment instrument designed to accurately reflect the issues facing those student residents living in hybrid facilities like the apartment style residence halls of East Campus Village. This survey was piloted within a small group of institutions in 2006.
The Department of University Housing, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs, provides comfortable, affordable, and secure on-campus housing options in residential communities where the academic success and personal growth of residents are encouraged and supported. For more information, see www.uga.edu/housing or call 706/542-1421.
