• End of Semester Survey: Detailed Report on Key Findings

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• 1. Positive Feedback: Comprehensive Highlights and Key Insights

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• Engaged and Passionate Professors: Students continually heralded faculty members who intertwined their professional experiences with academic content. A history professor was fondly mentioned for integrating personal visits to archaeological sites with lecture content. Another engaging tactic observed was when a marketing professor brought in past campaign portfolios to shed light on the real-world challenges faced and how theoretical principles were applied to overcome them.

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• Flexible Learning Options: The allowance of asynchronous online lectures was deemed a lifesaver by many. Students with caregiving responsibilities, part-time jobs, or those participating in university sports appreciated this flexibility immensely. Moreover, the 'Saturday Seminar Series' where students could interact with industry professionals was noted as invaluable, providing depth to the week's lessons.

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• Interactive Course Content: The extensive use of digital tools was seen as a significant enabler of deeper learning. Students appreciated platforms like Edpuzzle, which allowed professors to embed questions within videos, ensuring active engagement. Mention was also made of the finance department's use of stock market simulation tools, which provided hands-on experience and heightened competition.

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• Supportive Campus Resources: Beyond the often-cited writing centers and counseling services, the 'Midnight Math Helpdesk' initiated by the mathematics department received specific acclaim. Students also lauded the 'Research Buddy' program, which paired undergraduates with postgraduate students for collaborative research projects.

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• Active Student Clubs and Organizations: The emphasis wasn't just on the variety of clubs available, but their impact. The community service club's recent initiative to partner with the local city council on urban gardening was highlighted as an example of real-world change driven by student initiatives.

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• Diverse Campus Culture: Emphasized was the 'Global Potluck' series, where students from various countries hosted meals and discussions about their native cultures. Moreover, the initiative to have 'cultural awareness' sessions embedded within orientation week was praised for its role in building early cross-cultural bonds among freshmen.

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• 2. Areas of Improvement: Comprehensive Feedback

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• Large Class Sizes: Students shared that larger classes sometimes led to a lack of personal connection, which could deter participation. One poignant remark was about a biology class where the student hesitated to ask questions, fearing they'd be "just another face in the crowd."

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• Inconsistent Quality of TAs: While many TAs were celebrated for their contributions, there were instances of TAs being less approachable or unclear in their explanations. One anecdote shared was of a philosophy TA who couldn't adequately explain Kantian ethics, leading to widespread confusion before exams.

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• Challenging Registration Process: Students recounted system glitches and course availability frustrations. A student shared about having structured their entire semester around a specific module, only to find it clashing with another mandatory course at the last minute.

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• Insufficient Study Spaces: Specific issues included overcrowded common areas during peak hours, noise spillage in supposedly 'quiet zones,' and a lack of accessible spaces for students with disabilities. An arts student also pointed out the limited availability of spaces equipped with large tables or boards for project work.

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• Communication Gaps: A primary concern was the barrage of emails students received, making it easy to miss critical information. Another issue was the inconsistency in the way different departments disseminated information. For instance, while the computer science department had a structured weekly newsletter, the literature department often sent last-minute notifications about guest lectures or workshops.

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• Limited Practical Exposure: Students expressed a need for more industry-aligned projects and real-world applications. An engineering student mentioned how their curriculum focused heavily on theoretical knowledge but lacked hands-on experiments or exposure to current industry tools.

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• Taking a holistic view, while the university experience has been overwhelmingly positive for many students, there are specific touchpoints that, if addressed, could significantly elevate the overall academic and extracurricular environment.