In an effort to improve student feedback about Undergraduate Student Government Academic Assembly projects, the assembly passed a resolution to set up a sub-committee to develop a more efficient way of obtaining data required for effective recommendations.

"We wanted to find a way to internally assess student opinion through the Academic Assembly," said Alexis Phillips, representative for the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.

"We wanted a better way to get student opinion in order to make a difference for everyone else," Phillips added.

The resolution stemmed from the difficulties the academic research and action committee faced while trying to conduct a survey on the drop/add period.

Using a research tool such as the Penn State Pulse Survey is too expensive and relying on department permission to distribute surveys is not a very reliable way, the resolution said.

"It's attempting to solve a problem that we've had for a long time," Academic Assembly President Mark Levin said.

"We didn't have a cheap way of getting student opinion," he said.

Under the resolution, the sub-committee will create partnerships with departments around campus.

Student feedback will not be limited to electronic surveys, focus groups or drop-box studies.

Members of the sub-committee will also be assigned to corresponding diversity groups to ensure the assembly better represents the students.

"If we're going to be surveying everybody we need to reach out to everybody or else our data will be flawed," Levin said.

Jeff Markowitz, academic affairs director for the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments, said considering the criticism it has received for few diversity initiatives, this is a step forward for the assembly.

The sub-committee will also work closely with the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence in developing a list of individuals who can help the assembly in retrieving accurate and effective student feedback for future projects.

"We'll hopefully be able to serve the students better this way," said Nicole Belolan, assembly representative for the College of the Liberal Arts.

The sub-committee will most likely be formed in fall 2005 and will be temporary, according to the resolution.

By spring 2006 it will be evaluated according to its success in developing better ways of collecting student opinions.