By Jaci Schneider, Staff Writer

Residence Life is letting residents’ voices be heard as surveys were distributed last week to all students living in residence halls.

Questions on the anonymous survey covered a range of issues, including resident assistants’ performance, safety, noise level, food quality and drug and alcohol use.

“We want to see what the residents like and dislike,” said Todd Ormsby, director of Smith and Adams halls.

Residence Life is conducting the surveys to learn more about how students experience life in the residence halls, said Dr. Mimi Barnard, director of Residence Life Education and Housing, in an e-mail.

In July, the school will receive a report from the Association of College and University Housing Officials, which analyzes the data from the surveys. Information from the surveys will be used in making future decisions.

“We want to have an excellent Residence Life Education and Housing Program,” Barnard said.

It is important that students complete the surveys because their answers will impact changes that the university makes, Ormsby said. Residence Life has a big responsibility for students’ quality of life, he said, and this is the students’ chance to have a voice.

To encourage students to fill out their surveys, participants were entered in a drawing to win a 7-inch widescreen portable DVD player, Barnard said.

Although this is the first time the survey has been conducted since 2001, Barnard said she plans to do the survey every year so the office can see trends from year to year.

“We want the students to get what they want, and we want to know what they think,” Ormsby said.

Betsey Noah, freshman marketing major from Midland and Gardner Hall resident, said she enjoys life in a residence hall, but she still appreciates the survey.

“It was pretty detailed and applicable,” she said. “I think everyone was pretty honest.”