The Keene State Center for Health and Wellness is in need of student input.
Recently, a health survey was sent out to all KSC students seeking responses related to health behaviors. The survey typically takes 20-30 minutes and is completely confidential.
The e-mail was sent to students explaining it would help the Center for Health and Wellness collect health behavior of students on-campus.
With the information collected, they hope to provide wellness programs and services that are needed by students.
Once completing the survey, students are entered into a raffle for a $10 gift card to Bean and Bagel or Lloyd’s Marketplace.
First-year student majoring in health science with a concentration in nutrition Sydney Schoolcraft is one student who wasn’t able to take the survey.
Schoolcraft said she went to take the survey and read the instructions, “by clicking ‘begin survey,’ you are agreeing you are at least 18 years of age.”
Schoolcraft is 17-years-old. She said she didn’t want to take the survey without given the okay to do so.
Screenshot/ KSC health survey
Schoolcraft said, “I believe that just because a student is under the age of 18, [that] shouldn’t mean that they can’t be included in things such as this survey. Every student’s opinion should matter. There are many f[irst-years] who are still 17, which means the Health Center might not be getting the most accurate results for the campus.”
She said she believes that first-year students may not be filling it out because they are not old enough, like her.
Schoolcraft would’ve taken the survey if she could. She also said, “Who wouldn’t want a free gift card to Bean and Bagel?”
Director for the Center of Health and Wellness Christine Burke said Keene State has participated in this National survey in 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2012.
“Last time I checked, just over 400 students had filled out the survey. Our goal is 800, so we are halfway there. We need 700 to be considered a statistically credible survey; less than that makes the data less reliable – 800 would be 22 percent of the students [on campus] surveyed, and that is considered to be a solid number for statistical reliability,” Burke said.
Burke said there are a few variables that contribute to why a bigger population of students haven’t filled out the survey.
She said there’s the chance that students don’t check their e-mails and they are too preoccupied with class registration, which is currently happening.
One student who has filled the survey out is first-year English literature and secondary education major Madison Olsen.
She has been encouraging her fellow students on their class Facebook page to do the same.
“I thought the survey was very in-depth and personal, but I think that’s a good thing so that there are accurate results, and in turn, useful improvements and changes,” Olsen said.
Olsen said that she believes this survey is important so that there will be improvements in our health services here at KSC.
“I think people haven’t filled it out because people are always so busy and would rather spend fifteen minutes napping than filling out a survey, which is understandable,” Olsen said.
The survey will be closing this Friday, Oct. 28.
Students will be receiving e-mail reminders to complete the survey on Monday, Oct. 24 and Thursday, Oct. 27.
Don’t miss your chance to improve Keene State health services!
Emma Hamilton an be contacted at ehamiltion@kscequinox.com
