U of G's Report Card Full of A's
October 23, 2008 - News Release
The University of Guelph is tops in Canada when it comes to overall student satisfaction and quality of education, according to the annual University Report Card published today by the Globe and Mail.
U of G earned an A+ for having the most satisfied students — the only school among Canada's small, medium and large-sized universities to receive that mark. Guelph also earned an A+ for overall quality of education.
"Our focus has always been on providing our students with a unique learning experience, and that commitment continues to give us a competitive edge in terms of educational quality and leadership," said president Alastair Summerlee.
"I believe our student satisfaction stems from the fact that engagement is fundamental on this campus, both in and outside of the classroom. It has created a shared recognition of our civic and cultural responsibilities and the role each of us has to play among our students, faculty and staff."
The Globe and Mail's seventh-annual survey is based on the opinions of 43,400 undergraduate students across Canada. Universities are awarded letter grades in numerous categories and subcategories.
"It's a testament to our faculty and staff that despite all of the fiscal restraints we face, the University continues to do better in this survey year after year," Summerlee said.
In addition to overall quality of education and student satisfaction, U of G was ranked No.1 among all schools in Canada or tied for the top ranking in several key areas, including student services, campus atmosphere and food services.
U of G also received high marks for academic reputation and the quality of its teaching libraries, campus technology, and buildings and facilities. In all, U of G earned five A-pluses, 12 A’s and 16 A-minuses on its report card.
A summary of the report card results was published in a special supplement in the newspaper, and a more detailed listing is available online.
For the survey, universities are divided into four divisions based on enrolment — large, medium, small and very small. Guelph is in the medium category.
U of G professors received A's for subject knowledge, teaching quality, and student interaction and availability. "These marks reflect the excellence and dedication of our faculty," Summerlee said.
The University also received top grades tolerance for diverse opinions and ideas and sense of community — marks that underscore the central values that are characteristic of Guelph, he said. The University was also highly-rated for its extracurricular activities, labs and research equipment, and helpfulness of staff.
U of G was also prominently featured in the Report Card's cover story on "Canada's Greenest Campuses." President Summerlee and U of G students were interviewed about the student-led initiative for energy conservation on campus, and Guelph students were photographed taking part in "Tap-In," an initiative during Orientation Week that discourages the use of bottled water.
The University Report Card is the first in a series of surveys and rankings of Canadian universities that will be released this fall, including the annual Maclean’s rankings issue.
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, 519-824-4120, Ext. 53338/l.hunt@exec.uoguelph.ca, or Deirdre Healey, Ext. 56982/d.healey@exec.uoguelph.ca.
