Surveys

SOGS HOUSING & FOOD INSECURITY SURVEY

In the Fall 2022 Term, SOGS released a survey asking Master’s and PhD students to tell us more about their experiences regarding housing and food insecurity at WesternU

21% of 6,800 SOGS members responded to the survey. Respondents we from every faculty (11 faculties!) and affiliate college (Brescia, Huron, and Kings) at WesternU. The survey captured data from all types of grad students (international, domestic, and those with families).

Quick facts:

  • 45% of respondents classify themselves as “food insecure”.
  • 55% of respondents cannot afford basic necessities like clothes and hygiene products.
  • 57.3% of respondents pay more than $1,000 per month for a rental apartment in London, ON. Note: the average price of a 2-bedroom apartment in London is currently $1,600 plus utilities.
  • 76% of respondents reported finding an apartment in London as a “challenge”.
  • 37% of respondents reported the increase in food costs a challenge.

 

READ THE REPORT! To learn more about the data collected and analyzed from this survey, please read our FOOD AND HOUSING INSECURITY REPORT.       

 
SIGN THE PETITION! In order to press the university to better support and fund graduate students, sign our new petition REFORM GRADUATE STUDENT FUNDING & FINANCIAL SUPPORT AT WESTERNU.
 
 
Have questions about the survey or the data? Reach out to the SOGS VP Student Services (services@sogs.ca).

Past Surveys and Reports

SOGS STRATEGIC PLAN SURVEY

📣 Attention grad students: The Society of Graduate Students wants to hear from YOU!

To better provide programming and services for grad students at WesternU, we need to learn more about the experiences our members have when accessing our services and reaching out to us for support. Your survey feedback will help shape the future direction of the Society as we move towards drafting a strategic plan to direct our operations, governance, and advocacy for current and future graduate students.

✍️ Survey link: CHECK YOUR UWO INBOXES!

👤This survey is anonymous. At the end of the survey, respondents have the option to submit their WesternU email address for a chance to win:

💰1 of 4 GRAND PRIZES (SOGS/Grad Club Legacy Hoodie, $100 Loblaws gift card, SOGS ceramic mug, SOGS travel mug): Value $160

💰1 of 5 GRAD CLUB PRIZE PACKS ($20 Grad Club gift card, SOGS ceramic mug): Value $30

⏲️ Survey length: 10 to 15 minutes

❓Questions or concerns? Email sogs.governance@uwo.ca.   

SOGS & UWO Campus Partner Survey: This anonymous and voluntary survey between the Society and campus partners will help to: 

  • Reduce survey fatigue among Western’s graduate student population by streamlining campus partner and Societal inquiries into one survey;
  • Offer graduate students the opportunity to inform resource development, service delivery, and academic support for the 2021-2022 academic year;
  • Provide interested campus partners with feedback regarding graduate student awareness of services and supports on campus;

This survey will run until Monday, August 9th! If you choose to participate, the final question allows you to enter our draw for a chance to win one of many gift-card prizes including: $100 CAD to the UWO Bookstore/Campus Computer Store; $50 CAD to Indigo; or $20 to the Grad Club (10 Grad Club gift cards are up for grabs)! 

COMPLETE  THE  SURVEY: https://uwo.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5yU1WbptN4xGfs2 

READ THE SURVEY REPORT HERE!

COVID FINANCIAL SUPPORT SURVEY FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS:

It’s been a rough heckin’ year! Did you know you could apply for COVID financial support from Western University this past year to offset the financial burden caused by the pandemic? Or, did you experience challenges when seeking out that additional funding from WesternU and applying for it? Tell us about your experience.

Complete our brief COVID Financial Support survey so we can advocate on your concerns! 

The SOGS Graduate Students Issues Committee (GSIC) is a standing committee comprised of your peers who are dedicated to identifying and working on issues affecting graduate students at Western University. GSIC focuses on improving #GradLifeWesternU by collecting data through its annual survey and addressing various issues identified and prioritized by graduate students. 

➡️  Fill out our 2020-21 Graduate Student Issues Survey before December 15, 2020 and be entered to win 1 of 3 $50 grocery store gift cards.

By completing our survey, SOGS will be able to better implement programming, funding, professional opportunities, and more, based on gaps in services and support identified by this survey. In order to better advocate for graduate students on- and off- campus, we need to hear from you!

NOTE: The information from this survey is anonymous; however, if you want to be entered to win 1 of 3 $50 grocery store gift cards, we require the disclosure of your email address. 
 
 

The SOGS Sustainability Committee wants to hear from you! If you are concerned about our current climate crisis and have feedback regarding environmental sustainability practices at SOGS and on campus, please fill out our brief Climate Change and Sustainability survey here. The survey takes approximately 7-minutes to complete and is anonymous. The data collected from the survey will be used to better understand graduate student perceptions of climate change and environmental sustainability, and will help us make data-driven institutional changes at SOGS and on campus. 

Attention Western graduate students, SOGS wants to hear from YOU about your experiences so far during COVID-19! Please fill out this quick survey to help SOGS advocate for and best serve you heading into the Fall 2020 term. The survey will be live from July 6th to July 12th at 4pm EST. Stay well everyone!
 

SOGS has overseen a number of surveys in order to enhance the overall graduate student life at Western University.

Campus Recreation (Gym)

  • 2016 Campus Recreation Grad Student Usage Survey : primary concerns included graduate student usage of the gym and to determine what services graduate students wanted more/exclusive access to moving forward .
  • Results and Graphs
  • Conclusion: Many graduate students access the gym, and fairly consistently; majority expressed interest in graduate-specific programming; desire for strengthened partnership between Campus Recreation and SOGS to better promote these services.

Graduate Student Issues

  • 2017-2018 Graduate Student Issues Committee Survey: primary concern was graduate student parking & supervisor issues.
  • Survey results
  • Conclusion:
    • Parking on campus is a headache for all students and visitors. For graduate students who commute, work off campus or have to drive children/family members, a lack of available parking spots is problematic. Main campus parking problem for graduate students: Western oversells its parking lot spots, which means spots are not guaranteed.
    • At Western the “student-supervisor relationship” is not well-defined, which means that this relationship varies across campus. Factors of this relationship: A supervisor’s style of mentorship and the student’s willingness to work under that framework. SGPS has a “license” system that limits how many students a professor can mentor, based on tracking: 1) how many of those students graduated on time and 2) how many complaints a faculty member receives from their students.

Grad Club: 

Health Plan

  • 2014-2015 Health Plan Committee (HPC) Survey (285 respondents)
    • Executive Summary
    • Primary Concerns: more coverage for dental and vision; more visibility/communication about the Plan
  • 2017-2018 Health Plan Committee (HPC) Survey (556 respondents)
    • Primary concerns: 45.7% stated they wished to increase the cost of the Plan to increase the level of coverage; 29.7% reported they did not know they had mental health coverage as part of the Plan; dental, vision, and mental health identified as largest priority to students.

International Graduate Student Issues

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