Dear Student:
  
Your satisfaction is very important to us.  Each year Walsh College distributes a survey to current students.  This survey is conducted by Noel-Levitz, which is a leading education consulting firm that assesses the level of importance you put on particular attributes.  The goal of the survey is to help us understand where we can improve.  Walsh assesses its performance ratings year-to-year comparing ourselves to other colleges around the nation.

Last November 2014, you may have been one of the 3,110 Walsh students who received the Noel-Levitz survey.  A total of 404 (13%) completed the survey.  Out of the 404 respondents, 163 were undergraduate and 241 were graduate students.  A similar survey was administered at 215 other institutions with 88,727 students that represent the national average.

The primary focus of the survey was to gather your overall level of satisfaction. 
  
My education at Walsh needs to prepare me for a successful career
The Troy campus renovation includes plans for a new communications lab which will better prepare you for the soft skills needed for a successful career.  The center will stimulate leading workplace environments.  Workstations will be available to record presentations in both digital and electronic conferencing.  You will also have the ability to video conference in the lab. 

As of the fall 2014, semester graduate students in select programs are now required to complete two graduate gateway courses with a grade of B or higher.  Additional tutoring and support are available for these courses.  For more information, visit the Student Academic Success Services web page
 
Programs need to represent good value for money, course content within my major is valuable, and tuition is a worthwhile investment
Our academic department has been taking multiple steps to improve all three of these aspects. 

First, the Graduate Communication Assessment (GCA) was created to assess student skills in written communication.  The GCA evaluates writing based on:  grammar and mechanics, style, and organization/development.  Students who do not meet the minimum threshold are required to complete additional assignments and meet with a tutor weekly while enrolled in COM 510. 

Second, the faculty recently reformatted the MBA and MS programs to meet current needs of students and employers.  The revised programs were launched in fall 2014. 

Third, three new dual MBA degree programs were created.  In addition to the dual MBA/MSF, you now have the opportunity to complete dual degrees in the following programs: 
  • MBA/Master of Science in Marketing,
  • MBA/Master of Science in Management
  • MBA/Master of Science in Information Technology Leadership
These changes are all intended to improve your experience and quality of learning at Walsh College.  View the program web pages for more details.

Scheduled class times to be more convenient
Additional challenges under this category included:
  1. Able to register for needed classes, with few conflicts
  2. Classes available at preferred campus when I register
  3. On-campus classes available to register when preferring this type of course delivery
  4. Sufficient options within program of study 
A few years back our Admissions and Academic Advising Office started to offer a VIP registration day.  This is held the second day during priority registration week.  It offers new students an opportunity to get hands-on assistance, campus tours, get a photo ID taken, and much more.

Also, if a course is full, you can add yourself to the waitlist.  This allows you to register for the course when a seat becomes open.  The College also uses it to measure the demand for courses and determine if additional seats or another section should be added. 

Tip:  It is advisable that your register early to ensure you receive your preferred classes.  The longer you wait to register usually means limited class availability.  If you struggle trying to plan your schedule, meet with an academic advisor.  Call 248-823-1610 to set up an appointment. 

Quality of instruction in program
Additional challenges under this category included:
  1. Improve length of time faculty provide feedback on progress
  2. Online instruction quality
Currently the Assessment Office and department chairs review course evaluations for your feedback and take action as needed.  All new online courses are reviewed after development to ensure they meet quality standards.

Inadequate Financial Aid available
Besides Financial Aid, you may need to supplement tuition costs by a variety of ways.
  1. Some companies offer tuition reimbursement.  Double check with your HR department if they offer it.
  2. Many Veterans and dependents are eligible for educational benefits using the GI Bill.  Contact our Veteran Services Coordinator to see if you qualify.
  3. Apply for grants and/or scholarships.
Many scholarships that we have available are for new students.  However, the financial aid director has recently started to publish non-Walsh scholarships available via the student e-news.  Scholarship opportunities are featured in the student e-news, which is sent the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month.  Scholarship requirements and application process varies.  So check the e-news frequently, because there might be something that fits your background!