PREPARATION, PERSONALITY AND PERFORMANCE SURVEY

Earlier this week the Executive of the University of Sydney Union (USU) Board of Directors were contacted by Stefanie Schurer from the School of Economics about a study being conducted to identify the factors that help students excel in their degree, especially for students who are the first in their families to go to university.

The aim of the study is to help design policies at the University of Sydney to support students from less privileged backgrounds excel in their studies and to identify measures of university readiness, other than their GPA or ATAR scores (or UAI in the case of some members of the Board).

From the School of Economics website: 

“The project is part of a wider research programme financed by the Australian Research Council that seeks to investigate the determinants of exceptional upward mobility. If you are a first-year student, we would like to learn more about you. The survey will collect data on:

• Your personality
• How you perceive the personality of others
• Some information about your family background - especially whether you are the first in your family to study at university and who encouraged you to attend university

The survey data would be linked, if you give us your consent, with your admission and student record data. We need this information to learn how personality - a measure of university readiness - shapes academic progress over and above previous academic achievement.

Upon completion of the survey you will enter a lottery to win a $50 iTunes voucher or, if you allow us to link your data, an iPad Air 2 (16GB). For this reason we need your university email address.

At no point in time will you be identifiable in this study. If you seek to withdraw you can do so at any point in time. Just write an email to Stefanie Schurer - stefanie.schurer@sydney.edu.au 

The study received ethics approval on 18 November 2014.”

As the Union is constitutionally bound to create and support a welcoming and safe environment for all students, the Executive are wholeheartedly supporting this study, and encourage you to take part.

For more information and to complete the survey, go to: http://sydney.edu.au/arts/economics/survey/

TARA, BEBE, ROBBY & EVE
THE EXECUTIVE of the USU BOARD OF DIRECTORS