eSELTS for AUU, SRC, and On Dit
Words by On Dit
The electronic student evaluations of learning and teaching (or eSELTS for short) are a bi-yearly staple of a student’s end-of-semester checklist. They offer the chance for students to vent about their shitty tutors or dodgy lecturers, or maybe even praise the outstanding staff who make their degree worthwhile. More often than not, the eSELTS are extensively analysed by the university to make changes to the way in which courses are taught and to see just how salty their dumbass students are (lmao).
This year we asked our readers to evaluate the performances of the AUU Board, the SRC, and On Dit. We posed a series of questions to our respondents asking them things like what grade they would give these three organisations for their performance this year, or to which end of the political spectrum their decision-making has fallen on. Before we show the results (which are below), we want to point out a few issues with the results, as well as award our own grades to AUU and SRC.
Issues with the survey
Sample size is too low
With 68 respondents out of the 3.7k followers we have on Facebook, 68 respondents represents 1.8% of our online readership. Typically, a reliable sample size would be around 25%. For this reason, these results aren’t reliable, though they are interesting.
Response bias
Of those who responded, most would be frequent readers of On Dit who would have preexisting biases towards the organisations being reviewed. Further, it is likely that respondents completed the survey after seeing it in their news feed on Facebook. Posts by On Dit will normally appear in the news feed if followers frequently interact with our posts. And honestly, how likely would you have seen the survey if you fucking hated us?
Google forms
Our google form did not require respondents to sign in to an email address or an account to complete the survey. This means that respondents could have potentially answered the survey multiple times, thus skewing the results
Editorial Grades
AUU Board–PASS
As you will see on the next page, the average grade that our respondents gave the Board this year was a big fat fail. For ourselves, we feel that this grade should only really be given to Boards that pose an existential threat to the Union itself. Yes, their decision not to endorse the ‘Yes’ vote poses a crisis of membership renewal, but we don’t think it’s likely that this decision alone is enough to completely destroy the Union’s credibility. We think that the Board has done a particularly awful job this year, but the Union is still standing, and for that alone we award a passing grade.
SRC–DISTINCTION
From responding to the Australian Human Rights Commission’s report into Sexual Harassment and Assault at Australian Universities, to working relentlessly to advocate for the ‘Yes’ vote, we think the SRC has done a pretty good job this year. Their decisions don’t carry the same weight as those of the AUU Board, but SRC’s have always been the more direct activist voice on campus. Mark Pace’s leadership should also be commended for spearheading most of the SRC’s initiatives this year. We can’t award an HD as certain members of the SRC were perhaps a bit lazy this year, though you’re always guaranteed to get a few lazy office-bearers on any SRC.
eSELTS — AUU
Results
AUU — How satisfied are you with the AUU Board’s decisions this year? 67 responses
Extremely unsatisfied = 28%
Unsatisfied = 28%
Not sure = 14%
Satisfied = 14%
Extremely Satisfied = 16%
AUU — How closely have you been following the decisions of the AUU Board this year? 67 Responses
Very closely = 27%
Kept up with most decisions = 45%
Have only followed a few decisions = 25%
Haven’t been following at all = 3%
AUU — The AUU Board this year has been:
67 responses
Left wing = 0%
Moderate = 29%
Conservative = 54%
Apolitical = 17%
AUU — Do you feel that the AUU Board has been representing you effectively this year? 66 responses
Yes = 20%
No = 48%
Not sure = 32%
AUU — If you were to give the AUU Board a grade on their work this year, what would it be? 67 responses
Fail = 33%
Pass = 25%
Credit = 22%
Distinction = 9%
High Distinction = 11%
AUU — Is there anything you have been particularly pleased with this year in regards to the AUU Board? 35 responses
Answers saying ‘No’ = 11
Answers pertaining to the Board’s decision not to endorse the ‘Yes’ vote on SSM = 7
AUU — Is there anything you have been particularly displeased with this year in regards to the AUU Board? 52 responses
Board’s decision not to endorse the ‘Yes’ vote for SSM = 22 responses
Brodie Scott = 11 responses
Other responses include:
“Curtailing the freedom of On Dit to publish anti-board articles and to retaliate against them for printing blank pages. Also The Club’s committee dismantling the Whitlam Club
The board’s inability to replace a vacancy along with constantly failing to stand up with a spine for students”
Analysis
Respondents view the AUU Board’s performance very negatively. Most were unsatisfied with their decisions and only few felt that the Board had adequately represented their concerns as students this year. Respondents considered the Board to be largely conservative in their decisions. Respondents were generally displeased with Brodie Scott’s leadership as AUU President, and many were particularly displeased with the Board’s decision not to endorse the ‘Yes’ vote for the Postal Survey on Same Sex Marriage–however, we do note that there was a notable dissent of 10% of respondents who expressed that this was a good decision. On average, respondents gave the AUU Board a Fail Grade for their performance this year.
eSELTS — SRC
Results
SRC — How satisfied are you with the SRC’s decisions this year? 64 responses
Extremely unsatisfied = 8
Unsatisfied = 2
Not sure = 30
Satisfied = 17
Extremely unsatisfied = 7
SRC — How closely have you been following the decisions of the SRC this year? 64 Responses
Haven’t been following at all = 17
Have only followed a few decisions = 25
Kept up with most decisions = 12
Very closely = 10
SRC — The SRC this year has been:
59 responses
Left wing = 31
Moderate = 25
Conservative = 2
Apolitical = 1
SRC — Do you feel that the SRC has been representing you effectively this year? 61 responses
Not at all = 11
Mostly not = 2
Somewhat = 21
Mostly = 22
Absolutely, 100% = 5
SRC — If you were to give the SRC a grade on their work this year, what would it be? 67 responses
Fail = 9
Pass = 10
Credit = 12
Distinction = 23
High Distinction = 5
SRC — Is there anything you have been particularly pleased with this year in regards to the SRC? 26 responses
“Taking a firm stance and real action on addressing the issue of sexual assault on campus.”
“Mark Pace’s presence around campus was a great step up from last year as well as the SRC being a voice for students.”
SRC — Is there anything you have been particularly displeased with this year in regards to the SRC? 20 responses
“I don’t know what the SRC is. It would just make sense if Brodie scott was running the show.”
“Why have big governance. I will have to give them a ‘pass’ grade because I have never seen them”
“I feel like they focus too much on political issues and protesting and need more of focus on actual change on campus”
“A few of the members don’t reply to emails and are hard to contact”
Analysis
Respondents looked favourably upon the performance of the SRC despite most not following their decisions. An overwhelming majority answered that the SRC has been either left-wing or moderate in their decision-making this year, and most feel that the SRC has adequately represented them as students this year. Certain respondents praised the SRC’s action following the AHRCs survey into Sexual Harassment and Assault at Australian Universities, and others commended Mark Pace’s leadership as SRC President. The average grade that respondents gave for the SRC’s performance this year was a Distinction.
eSELTS — On Dit
Results
On Dit — How satisfied are you with On Dit this year? 67 responses
Extremely unsatisfied = 10
Unsatisfied = 8
Not sure = 11
Satisfied = 23
Extremely satisfied = 15
On Dit — On Dit this year has been:
66 Responses
Left wing = 40
Moderate = 17
Conservative = 0
Apolitical = 9
On Dit — Has On Dit been better or worse this year compared to previous years? 63 responses
Better = 18
About the same = 26
Worse = 19
On Dit — Evaluate this statement: On Dit this year has been relevant on campus? 66 responses
True = 36
False = 20
Not sure = 10
On Dit — If you were to give On Dit a grade based on their work this year, what would it be? 65 responses
Fail = 11
Pass = 11
Credit = 10
Distinction = 24
High Distinction = 9
On Dit — Was there anything in particular this year that you were pleased with in regards to On Dit? 31 responses
Answers pertaining to On Dit’s coverage of student politics: 11 responses
“Better coverage of campus news and issues, more stylistic and ideological diversity, advocating for students’ interests”
Answers pertaining to the typography and design of the magazine: 3 responses
On Dit — Was there anything in particular this year that you weren’t pleased with in regards to On Dit? 29 Responses
Political bias: 7 responses
“The evident bias in reporting. On Dit is quick to disparage the opinions and activities of the AUU Board, the AULC or anyone who disagrees with the majority. As a so called form of ‘student media’, it would be in the best interests of On Dit to adequately cover the views of other students on campus, as we do exist.”
Communication with contributors/readers: 4 responses
“Responses to emails were poor. They wanted articles I wrote up one and then never heard back.”
Analysis
Respondents were generally pleased with On Dit’s performance this year. Although there were a significant amount of respondents who were unsatisfied with our performance this year, most were satisfied and answered that On Dit has been about the same as it has been in past years. Other respondents were torn between arguing that this year has been an improvement over previous years and others saying that it has been worse. Respondents typically viewed On Dit as being a left-wing magazine this year, with a fair proportion of respondents arguing that the magazine has been biased against conservative bodies on campus as well as the AUU Board. Further criticism was expressed towards our communication with contributors and readers this year, and others criticising us for our editing this year by pointing out grammatical and structural mistakes in the magazine.
However, many respondents applauded our coverage of student politics on campus this year, as well as the design and content of the magazine throughout the year–though some noted some poor articles towards the start of the year. On average, respondents gave On Dit a distinction for their work this year.
