We want to communicate clearly and honestly about all aspects of the research study. In addition to the information provided on the other pages, we have listed answers to some common questions people might have about their participation in the study. If you have additional questions, feel free to email the primary researcher, Brad Olson, at bolson@psu.edu.
Who is conducting the study?
The research study is led by Brad Olson, who is conducting this study as part of his doctoral dissertation research. The primary researcher is supported by his adviser, Dr. Mark Brennan, and his doctoral research committee. Read more about the team here.
How is the study funded?
The research study is funded through a combination of personal contributions from the primary researcher and additional support from academic administrators at Penn State and Penn State Extension.
What is the study about?
The research team wants to better understand how Penn State can promote responsible and responsive engagement between the university and communities in Pennsylvania. The research team is surveying students, faculty, administrators, and community residents to understand their perceptions, preferences, and priorities regarding university-community engagement. Read more about the research study’s objectives here.
The survey is broken up into three main sections:
- Perceptions of community satisfaction, attachment, involvement, and interaction
- Perceptions of and preferences for university-community engagement
- Priority issues in Pennsylvania communities
Why should I participate in the study?
Penn State was established as an 1862 land-grant institution to benefit the people of Pennsylvania through teaching, research, and service. In order to fulfill this historic mission, it is important for Penn State leaders to understand the perceptions, preferences, and priorities of people both within and beyond the university.
This survey is an opportunity to make your voice heard. Large-scale surveys like this one don’t happen very often because they require significant time, energy, and resources. However, the research team believes conducting a study of this size and scope is an important part of being a public, land-grant institution. You have a chance to help Penn State become more responsive to the needs of everyday Pennsylvanians and engage communities in a responsible manner.
How will the study benefit me?
The research team plans to present the survey research findings to a variety of audiences, including Penn State leaders, academic and community professionals at engagement-related conferences, and the general public through this website. On a personal level, you may be curious to know what fellow Pennsylvanians are thinking or what priorities exist across the state. The survey may also help you identify and communicate your own values and beliefs toward your community and civic involvement in general. On a larger level, the survey findings may be used by Penn State leaders to shape decisions and policies that benefit communities in Pennsylvania.
How did you select me for the study (how did you get my mailing/email address)?
In order to get the most accurate picture of university-community engagement in Pennsylvania, the research team chose to contact community participants by mail and university participants by email. The research team randomly sampled a smaller group of participants from the entire Pennsylvania and Penn State populations. The sampling process for each group is described below.
For community participants: The research team purchased an address-based sample from Survey Sampling International (SSI), a large and highly respected survey research company. SSI can quickly and efficiently generate a random list of publicly available mailing addresses by accessing a database similar to the one maintained by the U.S. Postal Service. It costs money for SSI to manage, update, and generate addressed-based samples, which is why they charge a fee for their services. Without this type of electronic database sampling, the researchers would have needed to look up and randomly select addresses using a phone book or online white pages.
For university participants: The research team requested permission to access and sample a list of Penn State student, faculty, and administrator email addresses from its internal directory. The research team found it necessary to contact university participants via email in order to keep costs down, which allowed them to invest money in other aspects of the study to improve its quality.
How long will it take me to complete the survey?
Participants can expect to complete the survey in about 20 minutes or less.