Orlando
Community Perception Study
February 5, 2016 – Presentation
New York
Background
Research Background:
Valencia College is a Community
resource. Its primary mission is to
“provide opportunities for academic,
technical and life-long learning in a
collaborative culture dedicated to
inquiry, results and excellence.” They
reach their mission by serving the
community in developing the workforce
required by the local economy, providing
continuing adult and workplace
education, and enriching cultural life.
Research Objectives:
As a progressive and award winning state
college, Valencia prides itself in being
responsive to the community and thinking
ahead of its needs and services. The purpose
of this study is to research how the local
community views Valencia’s efforts, and
identify where there is an unmet need or a
desired need waiting to be fulfilled.
2
3
Research Methodology
An online survey was conducted with N=511 respondents with some familiarity or knowledge of Valencia College and
N=106 respondents with only awareness of Valencia College. The survey was conducted from November to
December 2015. The survey was administered in Orange and Osceola counties in Central Florida.
Quantitative Survey | N=617
Online survey conducted with
respondents who met the
following recruitment criteria:
• Mix of men and women
• Mix of ages (18+)
• Mix of household incomes
• Mix of ethnicities
• Live in Orange & Osceola
Counties
• Are aware of Valencia College
• Are not current Valencia
students, faculty, staff or alumni
Orange
& Osceola
N=511
Critical Metrics
Awareness I Familiarity I Knowledge I Overall Rating
Awareness
5
N=879
Valencia College ties with UCF and leads in awareness amongst respondents in the Orange and Osceola counties.
When thinking of local colleges and universities, please tell us if you are aware of each of the following:
96%
96%
87%
84%
82%
81%
80%
80%
77%
70%
61%
59%
47%
43%
40%
21%
Valencia
College
University
of Central
Florida
Rollins
College
University
Keiser
of Phoenix University
ITT
Technical
Institute
Full Sail
University
Seminole Le Cordon
Kaplan
State
Bleu College University
College of Culinary
Arts
Florida
Technical
College
Strayer
Florida
University Polytechnic
University
Daytona
State
College
The Art
Institute
Polk State
College
Familiarity & Knowledge
Valencia College is second only to UCF
6
Chart below shows those with some familiarity of Valencia College (>1 out of 5) and some knowledge of Valencia College (>1 out of 5). Among
those aware of each college, Valencia College is second only to the University of Central Florida in general familiarity and knowledge.
Please tell us how familiar / how much you know about the following colleges and universities.
(piped in from awareness)
Familiarity
92%90%
88%
86%
86%
82%
83%
81%
Knowledge
81%
69%
75%
70%
75%75%
75%
71%
73%
61%
73%
65%
72%
65%
68%
59%
67%
59%
65%
55%
65%
63%
54%
48%
University Valencia
of Central College
Florida
N=601
N=617
Rollins
College
N=550
Full Sail Polk State University Le Cordon Seminole
University College of Phoenix
Bleu
State
College of College
Culinary
Arts
Daytona
State
College
The Art
Institute
ITT
Florida
Keiser
Kaplan
Strayer
Florida
Technical Technical University University University Polytechnic
Institute
College
University
N=498
N=253
N=238
N=500
N=123
N=522
N=482
N=500
N=369
N=514
N=432
N=366
N=296
Valencia College: Familiarity & Knowledge
7
Majority of respondents have some familiarity or knowledge of Valencia.
N=617
Of those who are aware of Valencia College (N=617), 88% of the respondents have some familiarity with Valencia College and 86% have some
knowledge of Valencia College.
FAMILIARITY
KNOWLEDGE
88%
22%
12%
15%
1
Not at all
Familiar
2
86%
25%
25%
14%
3
4
5
Very
Familiar
Please tell us how familiar you are with Valencia College.
1
Know
Nothing
19%
2
24%
23%
3
4
19%
5
Know a Lot
Please tell us how much you know about Valencia College.
For the purpose of further analysis, N=106 respondents with no familiarity and no knowledge
of Valencia College were removed. (Appendix for analysis on this group)
Understanding Group Demographics
Lack of Familiarity or Knowledge is not driven by demographics
8
N=106 respondents, while aware of Valencia College, were not at all familiar or knowledgeable of the college. However, there are no major
differences between the demographics of those with familiarity & knowledge vs. those without.
N=511
N=106
GENDER
ETHNICITY
AGE
70%
66% 65%
42%
34% 35%
27%
47%
23%
21% 19%
10% 11%
Male
Female
18-24
64%
17%
8%
25-34
35-54
55+
Spanish/ Hispanic/ White/ Caucasian
Latino
COUNTY
INCOME
12% 11%
10% 8%
Black/ African
American
Other
TIME IN CENTRAL FLORIDA
84% 84%
65%
53%
21%
20%
15%
12%
9%8%
12%
11%
21%
14%
7%11%
8%11%
10%9%
Less than $35,000 $50,000 $60,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 Prefer not
$35,000
to
to
to
to
to
or more to say
$49,999 $59,999 $74,999 $99,999 $124,999
16% 16%
Orange
Osceola
9%
18%14%
2%
17%15%
3% 4%
Less than 1 1-2 years
year
2-5 years
6-10 years More than
10 years
Top of Mind
What comes to mind when thinking of Valencia College?
9
N=511
When asked what comes to mind when thinking of Valencia College, N=141 respondents (27.5%) refer to Valencia College as a community
college. Cost, locations, and DirectConnect are also among the top responses.
When thinking of Valencia College, what comes to mind?
Community College
141
Easy
7
Affordable / Less Expensive
81
Appearance of Campuses
5
Multiple Campuses/Locations
73
Big School
5
2-Year College
67
4-Year College
4
Direct Connect to UCF
65
Seen Ads
4
Local
51
Career after College
4
Good Education
46
Reminder of High School
4
Variety of Programs
45
Not Many Programs
3
Prepare for a 4-Year School
39
Community Support
2
Positive Reputation
34
Unique
1
Know Someone who Attended
15
Organized
1
Became a State School
14
Expensive
1
Online Classes/Flexible
Schedule
10
Far Away
1
Bad Quality Education
1
Good Professors
8
Miscellaneous or N/A
23
Small
8
Nothing
19
Dual Enrollment Available
8
Smaller Class Size
7
“Probably one of the better schools to attend in Central
Florida if you're on a budget. I've done research on it and
it's probably one of the best for the dollar.”
“Valencia is a school with the same high quality courses as
UCF but in smaller classes with a more intimate setting.
Many of my friends have taken more difficult classes there
in order to have more one-on-one attention from the
professor and all of them had a positive experience.”
“Learn major courses for future career, earn credit course
for general experience on anything you want to learn or
more knowledge.”
“Friendly hometown college that is active in the community
via supporting local events throughout the city.”
“Local college, similar to a community college that has
various degrees available for those pursuing a field and
those who need schedule flexibility. An affordable option
for college for many looking to eventually transfer to a
major university.”
“Large, established institution with a good reputation in the
region. I am familiar with the partnership program
Valencia College has with UCF.”
“Very good school, lots of options for education, has a
guaranteed entry to UCF if you complete your AA.”
“Direct Connect to UCF, 2 year community college, small
classes, general education programs, affordable.”
Impact on Community
10
Respondents appreciate Valencia’s affordability, opportunity & impact.
N=511
Respondents indicate that Valencia College has a positive impact in the community.
Please tell us how Valencia College impacts the local community.
Affordable
109
Traffic Problems
5
Opportunity for Local students
82
Average
4
Positive Community Impact
55
Expanding College
4
Helps Prepare Students for
College/ Start College
39
Offers Dual Enrollment
4
Ads on Radio/Billboards
2
Multiple Campuses/Locations
34
Unique
1
Jobs Available to Students
26
Positive for Hispanic Community
1
Direct Connect to UCF
23
Small Class Size
1
Good Education
17
Don't Know
105
Variety of Programs
15
Miscellaneous or N/A
32
More Educated People in the Area
15
Nothing
19
Brings in Revenue
12
Opportunity to get into a 4-Year
School
12
Brings People to the Orlando Area
7
Positive Reputation
6
Flexibility
5
“I know they donate money to the
community and help students gain job
experience that they can work on in the
community.”
“Entry level option for those wanting to get
into college, as well as instructors who are
heavily involved in the community in their
own fields as well as in chosen outreach
and charity work.”
“Valencia College is a large employer in the
region. The college is preparing students to
pursue their Associate's Degree and provide
transfer assistance to 4-year institutions.
The college is a partner with many of the
large for-profits in Central Florida.”
“More economical for people who can't
afford a traditional college education,
hence allowing more people to be
educated.”
Valencia – Overall Rating
51.5% are delighted with Valencia College.
11
N=511
OVERALL
RATING
7.32
On an overall basis, 94.9% of respondents rate Valencia College at least a 5 out of 10. 51% of respondents rate Valencia very
positively (>7 out of 10).
On an overall basis, how would you rate Valencia College? Please use a
scale of 1 to 10, where 1 =Poor and 10 = Excellent.
1
Poor
2.3%
46.2%
Rating 1-3
Rating 4-7
2
3
4
5
51.5%
Rating 8-10
6
7
8
9
94.9%
Rate Valencia College between 5 & 10
10
Excellent
Importance, Knowledge &
Perceptions
What is important to the community? How well does
Valencia do on those key aspects?
Overview
Importance & Ratings were analyzed across 9 dimensions:
Knowledge and Perception statements fall into 9 key categories:
EDUCATION
STUDENT SERVICES
& RESOURCES
JOB
PREPARATION
COMMUNITY
RESOURCE
REPUTATION
ACCESS, CONVENIENCE
& COST
ECONOMIC
IMPACT
DIVERSITY
MODERNITY
& FUTURE
13
Community College Attributes
Knowledge & Perception statements
EDUCATION
Knowledge
• A variety of associate’s degree programs in different fields
• Fully-online degree programs
• A number of online courses
• Technical and career certificates in several fields
• Valencia College guarantees admission to a four-year state university
after completing an associate’s degree
• Valencia College’s degree programs and course credits can transfer to
another institution
• Valencia College awards a large number of degrees compared to other
colleges
Perception
• Valencia College provides a good quality of education.
• Valencia College has good quality campus and facilities.
COMMUNITY RESOURCE
Knowledge
• Community outreach programs in health and family well being
Perception
• Valencia College cares about the local community.
• I feel like Valencia College understands the local community.
• I feel like Valencia College is responsive to the community’s needs.
• Valencia College is a valuable resource for the community.
• Valencia College campuses serve as a destination for community events
• Valencia College campuses host cultural events, such as art shows,
dance programs, theater productions, etc.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Knowledge
• The economic impact Valencia College has in the region is worth
billions of dollars
Perception
• Valencia College is responsive to industry and employment needs
• Valencia College attracts employers who need an educated workforce
• Valencia College creates industry partnerships that drive economic
growth
STUDENT SERVICES & RESOURCES
Knowledge
• Counseling services for students
• Individualized academic advising services
• Program-specific career advisors to help students find jobs after
graduation
• Variety of campus clubs, organizations, and activities
• Valencia College has class sizes that are smaller than most university
classes
Perception
• Valencia College cares about its students.
• Valencia College offers personalized attention to students’ needs
• Students at Valencia College can make personal connections with
faculty
• Valencia College is willing to adapt programs and services to meet
student needs
• Students at Valencia College graduate in a timely manner
REPUTATION
Knowledge
• Valencia College has been nationally recognized for community college
excellence
• Valencia College is one of the largest state colleges in the nation
Perception
• I would be willing to recommend Valencia College to friends and family.
• I am proud of Valencia College.
• Valencia College has a positive reputation in the community.
DIVERSITY
Perception
• The Valencia College student body is highly diverse, with a high
percentage of minorities
• Valencia College provides education that is accessible to under-served
or disadvantaged groups
• Valencia College provides services and resources that are accessible to
under-served or disadvantaged groups
14
JOB PREPARATION
Knowledge
• Workforce education programs
• Professional development and continuing education programs
• Valencia College courses give students hands-on, in-field training &
experience
Perception
• I believe most Valencia College graduates are able to get good, wellpaying jobs.
• The programs at Valencia College prepare students to compete in the
workforce
• The programs at Valencia College provide students with job
advancement opportunities
• Valencia College courses prepare students for high-paying jobs
ACCESS,
CONVENIENCE & COST
Knowledge
• Classes offered in evenings and on weekends
• Multiple campus locations
• Tuition at Valencia College costs approximately half that of a four-year
university
• Valencia College offers financial assistance for students
Perception
• It is easy for students to be accepted into Valencia College.
• Valencia College is affordable for most students.
• Valencia College has convenient class times for most students.
• Valencia College has several conveniently located campuses.
MODERNITY & FUTURE
Perception
• Valencia College has modern technology and equipment
• Valencia College has modern campuses and facilities
• Valencia College has teaching methods that meet the demands of the
future
Gap Analysis
How do knowledge & perceptions of Valencia College
compare to overall importance ratings?
Knowledge Items – Rated Top10
16
What programs, services & offerings should a community college offer?
Overall N=511 | High Rating Group N=263 | Moderate Rating Group N=248
Of the 23 knowledge-based items (Programs, Services and Offerings), the top 10 most important are shown below. Education and
Access/Convenience items rate highest on importance among knowledge items.
When thinking about a local community/state college, please tell us how important the following are to you, where 1 = Not at all Important and 5 = Very Important.
OVERALL IMPORTANCE
HIGH RATING
RATING
HIGH
GROUP
MODERATE
LOW
RATINGRATING
GROUP
Very 5
Important
4
Neutral
3
Programs &
credits transfer
Financial
assistance
Tuition costs half Classes - evenings
Courses with
Guaranteed
of a 4-yr university & weekends
hands-on training admission to 4-yr
university
Availability of
online courses
Variety of
associate’s
degrees
Program-specific
career advisors
Professional
development &
continuing ed
Knowledge Items – Rated Lowest
What programs, services & offerings are not as important?
17
Overall N=511 | High Rating Group N=263 | Moderate Rating Group N=248
Of the remaining knowledge-based items (Programs, Services and Offerings), importance ratings continue to be above neutral overall.
Reputation and Community metrics are considered less important.
When thinking about a local community/state college, please tell us how important the following are to you, where 1 = Not at all Important and 5 = Very Important.
OVERALL IMPORTANCE
HIGH RATING GROUP
MODERATE RATING GROUP
Very 5
Important
4
Neutral
3
2
Multiple
campus
locations
Counseling
services for
students
Technical & Individualized Small class
career
academic
sizes
certificates
advising
services
Workforce
National
Fully-online Large number
Large
Community
Variety of
One of the
education
recognition
degree
of degrees
economic
outreach campus clubs largest state
programs for excellence programs
awarded impact in the programs
& activities colleges in the
region
nation
Perception Items – Rated Top 10
What should a college focus on to build positive perceptions?
18
Overall N=511 | High Rating Group N=263 | Moderate Rating Group N=248
Of the 18 perception-based items, the top 10 most important are shown below. Metrics on Job Preparation & Student Services are considered
most important.
When thinking about a local community/state college, please tell us how important the following are to you, where 1 = Not at all Important and 5 = Very Important.
OVERALL IMPORTANCE
HIGH RATING
RATING
HIGH
GROUP
MODERATE
LOW
RATINGRATING
GROUP
Very 5
Important
4
3
Neutral
Programs prepare
to compete in
workforce
Modern
technology &
equipment
Programs for job Teaching methods Attract employers Courses prepare Students graduate Responsiveness to Adapt programs & Personalized
advancement
for the future
who need an
for high-paying in a timely manner
industry &
services to meet
attention to
educated
jobs
employment
needs
students’ needs
workforce
needs
Perception Items – Lowest Rated
What other perception items are not as important to focus on?
19
Overall N=511 | High Rating Group N=263 | Moderate Rating Group N=248
Of the remaining perception-based items, while all rate above neutral on importance, the metrics on Diversity & Community Resources are least
important.
When thinking about a local community/state college, please tell us how important the following are to you, where 1 = Not at all Important and 5 = Very Important.
OVERALL IMPORTANCE
HIGH RATING GROUP
MODERATE RATING GROUP
Very 5
Important
4
Neutral
3
Modern campuses &
facilities
Industry
partnerships
Accessible services & Accessible education
Personal
resources for under- for under-served
connections with
served groups
groups
faculty
Highly diverse
student body
Campuses host
cultural events
Destination for
community events
Programs, Services & Offerings:
Importance of Item vs. Knowledge of Valencia College
20
N=511
Overall, large gaps are seen between what respondents know about Valencia College’s education and student services and how important
those attributes are to them. Yellow boxes show the largest gaps (50 or more percentage points) between what respondents consider important
and what respondents know about Valencia College.
*Numbers indicate the overall importance rank of the item
IMPORTANCE
Degree programs & course credits can transfer to another institution
VALENCIA KNOWLEDGE
EDUCATION
Variety of associate’s degree programs
77%
35%
6
Technical & career certificates in several fields
73%
32%
Fully-online degree programs
66%
15%
8
Program-specific career advisors
STUDENT SERVICES & RESOURCES
78%
38%
7
Awards a large number of degrees compared to other colleges
78%
46%
A number of online courses
Guarantees admission to 4-yr university after an associate’s degree
82%
47%
1
9
64%
12%
78%
22%
Counseling services for students
Individualized academic advising services
Smaller class sizes than most university classes
Variety of campus clubs, organizations & activities
IMPORTANCE: Chart shows percentage of respondents who said “Important” and “Extremely Important” (Top 2 Box).
KNOWLEDGE: Chart shows percentage of respondents who said “definitely yes” or “definitely true” to each of the statements
74%
34%
73%
27%
69%
19%
25%
50%
Programs, Services & Offerings:
Importance of Item vs. Knowledge of Valencia College
21
N=511
Large gaps are seen between knowledge of Valencia College’s student services & importance of those offerings. Yellow boxes show the largest
gaps (50 or more percentage points) between what respondents consider important and what respondents know about Valencia College.
*Numbers indicate the overall importance rank of the item
JOB PREP
IMPORTANCE
VALENCIA KNOWLEDGE
Courses give hands-on, in-field training & experience
5
Professional development & continuing education programs
10
COMM.
RESOURCE
REPUTATION
ACCESS,CONVENIENCE
& COST
70%
18%
36%
12%
Tuition costs approximately half that of a 4-yr university
3
IMPORTANCE: Chart shows percentage of respondents who said “Important” and “Extremely Important” (Top 2 Box).
KNOWLEDGE: Chart shows percentage of respondents who said “definitely yes” or “definitely true” to each of the statements
81%
30%
80%
45%
4
The economic impact Valencia College has in the region is worth billions of
dollars
81%
41%
2
Multiple campus locations
ECON.
IMPACT
58%
14%
One of the largest state colleges in the nation
Classes offered in evenings and on weekends
70%
18%
Nationally recognized for community college excellence
Offers financial assistance for students
77%
28%
Workforce education programs
Community outreach programs in health & family well being
80%
20%
62%
11%
58%
75%
Perceptions Across Dimensions:
Importance of Item vs. Perceptions of Valencia College
22
N=511
Overall, Valencia performs well on perception items, and the gap is smaller than on knowledge items. Largest gaps are seen in student services
and job preparation items.
STUDENT SERVICES & RESOURCES
*Numbers indicate the overall importance rank of the item
IMPORTANCE
Students graduate in a timely manner
VALENCIA PERCEPTIONS
77%
7
56%
75%
Willing to adapt programs & services to meet student needs
53%
9
75%
Offers personalized attention to students’ needs
10
55%
64%
JOB PREPARATION
Students can make personal connections with faculty
81%
Programs provide job advancement opportunities
60%
3
Programs prepare students to compete in the workforce
Courses prepare students for high-paying jobs
COMMUNITY
RESOURCE
59%
80%
65%
1
76%
6
Campuses host cultural events (art shows, theatre etc.)
Campuses serve as a destination for community events
IMPORTANCE: Chart shows percentage of respondents who said “Important” and “Extremely Important” (Top 2 Box).
PERCEPTIONS: Chart shows percentage of respondents who said “agree” and “strongly agree” (Top 2 Box).
46%
48%
53%
46%
43%
Perceptions Across Dimensions:
Importance of Item vs. Perceptions of Valencia College
23
N=511
The largest gaps on perception are seen on the Economic Impact, although the gaps are small compared to those for the knowledge-based
items. Perceptions of Valencia College’s diversity are similar to importance.
*Numbers indicate the overall importance rank of the item
IMPORTANCE
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Attracts employers who need an educated workforce
VALENCIA PERCEPTIONS
77%
5
57%
8
58%
76%
Responsive to industry & employment needs
68%
Creates industry partnerships that drive economic growth
53%
68%
MODERN/FUTURE
DIVERSITY
Education is accessible to under-served/ disadvantaged groups
61%
66%
Services & resources accessible to under-served/ disadvantaged groups
59%
57%
Highly diverse student body with a high percentage of minorities
64%
81%
Teaching methods meet the demands of the future
55%
80%
Modern technology and equipment
2
Modern campuses and facilities
61%
75%
4
IMPORTANCE: Chart shows percentage of respondents who said “Important” and “Extremely Important” (Top 2 Box).
PERCEPTIONS: Chart shows percentage of respondents who said “agree” and “strongly agree” (Top 2 Box).
67%
Valencia in the Media
What does the community remember about Valencia
College in the news and in advertising?
News Recall
Little news is recalled – only 17%. UCF advertising is recalled most.
25
N=511
Most respondents did not recall any news about Valencia College. Of those who did, 40% heard the news from local television, and most did not
recall specific details. Only 6 respondents recalled any negative news.
News Recall
Please briefly tell us what you remember reading, hearing or seeing about Valencia College.
Do you recall reading, hearing or seeing any news about Valencia College recently?
60%
23%
17%
N=87
N=118
N=306
Yes
Maybe
No
Please tell us where you read, heard or saw news about Valencia College.
Please select all that apply.
Local TV news
40%
Local newspaper
21%
Local radio
21%
Billboards
18%
Friends/Family
18%
Valencia College websites
8%
National TV news
6%
Valencia College publications
6%
Valencia College Advertising
72
Direct Connect
13
Programs & Offerings
12
More Campuses
9
Good School
9
Community Events/ Outreach
8
Affordability
7
Enrollment
Award Winning / Nationally
Acclaimed
Medical Students Incident
7
Generally Heard About Valencia
3
Online Courses
2
4
3
National radio
4%
Lawsuit
2
Valencia College Facebook page
4%
Academic Conflict
1
Blogs
4%
Better Job Opportunities
1
N/A
32
Don't Remember
26
Local magazine
Valencia College Twitter feed
Other
Don’t Know / Not Sure
3%
1%
6%
10%
Valencia College
ads were top of
mind for
respondents when
thinking of news.
Ad Recall
26
34% recall ads. Direct Connect, Affordability & Door ad are cited most.
N=511
Among respondents who recalled seeing or hearing ads for Valencia College, DirectConnect and transfer to UCF was the primary information
recalled. As with news recall, local television was the primary source for ad recall.
Ad Recall
Please briefly tell us what you remember from these advertisements.
Do you recall seeing or hearing any advertisements for Valencia College?
48%
34%
19%
N=173
N=95
N=243
Yes
Maybe
No
Please tell us where you saw or heard the Valencia College advertisement(s). Please select all
that apply.
44%
Local TV news
24%
Billboards
22%
Local radio
12%
Local newspaper
6%
National TV news
Local magazine
4%
National radio
3%
Valencia College publications
3%
Valencia College websites
3%
Blogs
1%
Valencia College Facebook page
1%
Valencia College Twitter feed
1%
Other
Don’t Know / Not Sure
8%
9%
DirectConnect/ Guaranteed Transfer to UCF
General Valencia Ad
Affordable / Less Expensive
Billboard
Door Ad
Variety of Programs/Classes
Enrollment
TV Ad
Good College/Excellence/Quality of Education
Local/Convenient Locations/Multiple Campuses
Easy to Get Into
Smaller Class Sizes
Flexibility/ Focus on Student Needs
Radio Ad
Good Place to Start College
Community/Helpfulness/Service
Better Job Opportunities
Student Diversity/Accessible to Diverse Students
Specific Program
Online Classes
Newspaper Ad
Career
Faster - Degree/ Job
Continuing Education
N/A
Can't Remember
63
25
21
19
18
11
11
10
9
8
8
6
6
5
4
4
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
39
32
DirectConnect
ads received
the most recall.
7560 RED BUG LAKE ROAD, SUITE 1030, OVIEDO, FL 32765 | 407.542.7751
200 PARK AVENUE, SUITE 1700, NEW YORK, NY 10166 | 646.632.3720