3:55 p.m., May 5, 2009----The results of the 2009 Blue Hen Poll, which were released on May 5, show that nearly 90 percent of students at the University of Delaware overall are satisfied with the institution and would recommend it to others as a place to attend college. The poll also showed an increase in the number of students who feel safer on campus to 73 percent from 66 percent in 2008.

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The results were based on polling of more than 1,000 respondents on: Student satisfaction with UD and aspects of the campus; underage drinking; UD President Patrick Harker's “job approval”; student-faculty interactions and experiences; political behavior and engagement; attitudes toward government and federal programs; and confidence and concerns about the economy.

The topics on the poll, which has a margin of error of 3 percent, were determined by students in an undergraduate political science and international relations course, Public Opinion, Politics, and Society, taught by David Wilson, assistant professor of political science and international relations and Black American Studies, and by the editors and staff at The Review, the student newspaper at UD.

"It's designed to teach students how to do research and not be afraid of numbers," Wilson said of the poll during the presentation of the 2009 results. "It's grown into something bigger than that in just over a year and a half. We found that the poll was a great way to measure public opinion. The students do all the work and they become a part of the history here at the University of Delaware.”

Wilson's presentation included remarks about the findings in the different topic areas by some of the students in the class of 21.

“It was very interesting to find out what the students here at the University of Delaware think and compare that with what the students felt last year,” said Greg Dwyer, a sophomore political science major from Frederick, Md. “It looks as if student are feeling more safe. I'm excited to do it again next year.”

Wilson, a former statistical consultant at Gallup, an organization that has studied human nature and behavior for more than 70 years, also was among faculty presenters at the University of Delaware's Election Central event from 8 p.m.-midnight on Nov. 4, 2008, at the Trabant University Center, which drew a large crowd of students to see who won and who did not, and to discuss the results.

Emily Taylor, a senior political science major from Wilmington, Del., said the Blue Hen Poll was a great way for students to find out what other students think.

“I researched how students voted and how that affects how they feel about political parties,” Taylor said. “Seeing the results coming back was the most exciting part of it. We had 41 percent participation and that was very good.”

Other findings from the poll showed that 70.7 percent of students were satisfied with President Barack Obama's handling of the economy and 75.3 percent believe the economy will improve or stay the same over the next year.

The poll, which was conducted from March 17-April 15, also found that 75.3 of UD students expect the economy in the country as a whole to get better or stay the same in the next 12 months.

This year, 78 percent of graduate students said they are more interested in politics, compared to only 12 percent last year. Among undergraduates, 66 percent now have greater interest in politics, up from 33 percent last year.

However, students also expressed concern over parking, registering only 17 percent as satisfied or extremely satisfied, and 41 percent for dining facilities. The highest level of satisfaction was recorded for the library at 92 percent, followed by friends (89), safety (73), President Harker (69), Health Services, (64), fitness facilities (63), athletic programs (62) and codes of conduct (57).

The full results of the poll are available at this Web site.

Article by Martin A Mbugua