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What Excites You Most About Being on Campus this Fall? What Major Questions/Concerns Do You Have as You Start the Semester?

Date: September 7, 2021
Audience: Students, Faculty, and Staff

On September 7, 2021 we asked 1,150 registered users:

Welcome to Fall 2021 from W&M&You! What excites you most about being on campus this fall? What major questions/concerns do you have as you start the semester?

Our poll question was distributed between 4:08 PM and 4:25 PM EDT on September 7. A message from the COO to students, faculty, and staff regarding an increase in active positive student COVID-19 cases and new related protocols was distributed at 5:34 PM EDT the same day. We received 197 survey responses (17% response rate) which we revived and consolidated into categories. The majority of concerns were related to COVID-19; the majority of excitement was related to in-person interactions and activities.

Concerned Responses
A table presenting results of September 7, 2021 text poll addressing concerns
COVID-related Concerns 81.2% of responding users
Concerns related to possible impacts of COVID 47.2% of responding users
Concerns related to university responses to COVID 52.3% of responding users
Non-COVID Concerns 7.6% of responding users

COVID-related concerns included (but were not limited to):

  • Increasing COVID cases and potential exposure
  • University protocols being confusing or misdirected
  • Discontinuation of comprehensive census/at-will testing
  • Failure to update the COVID dashboard or other public reporting issues
  • Discontinuation of university-provided quarantine housing
  • Possibility of needing to return to remote teaching/learning
  • Mental health and stress for both students and employees 

Non-COVID concerns included (but were not limited to):

  • Mental health and stress for both students and employees 
  • Issues with various campus services
  • University's ability to achieve positive change and adapt moving forward
 Excited Responses
A two column table presenting results of September 7, 2021 text poll addressing excitement
Excited: return to general in-person interactions/activities 36.0% of responding users
Excited: return to in person-teaching/learning 12.2% of responding users
Excited: Other 8.1% of responding users
Not excited about anything 4.1% of responding users