An open letter to administration regarding recent survey data

Written by Helen Strickland

I appreciate the chapel sessions where we hear survey results regarding student satisfaction at Harding. I am glad to see improvements in many areas of student satisfaction here, and it is impressive that Harding consistently reports higher levels of satisfaction than the national averages. I am glad that so many students are satisfied with Harding.

However.

Most is not all.

Jesus tells us a story of a shepherd leaving his 99 sheep to find his one lost sheep. Just one. He is our shepherd, and we are called to behave as he does.

We must celebrate the content students, the students who would return to Harding again and again if they had the option to do so. We must also understand that there are students here who are hurting.

Because of this calling to seek out the last, lost and least of these, I have some questions regarding the survey results:

1. What were the demographic distributions of student satisfaction? In other words, what race, gender, etc., was more likely to be satisfied in what areas?
2. Why were both women and men allowed to vote on gender equality satisfaction on campus when women have been more historically disadvantaged both at Harding and worldwide?
3. What was the relationship between student household income and student satisfaction? In other words, are students of specific financial backgrounds more likely to be satisfied here?

I ask these questions because unfortunately, even numbers can be used to misconstrue reality or — as I wonder in this case — only paint part of the whole and intricate picture. Pure numbers and percentages do not tell us everything.

We as students deserve the whole picture here and the picture’s implications. Potential students also deserve the entire picture here, too; they deserve to know how current students feel and what is being done about these feelings.

Here, then, is my final question:

4. What kinds of students is Harding tailored to benefit?

I return to the concept of leaving the 99 for the one. Harding is an institution that prioritizes Christian values. This concept comes straight from the mouth of Jesus himself through our sacred Scriptures. When we are conscious of what groups of people are most marginalized by Harding, we are recognizing the “one.” We are reaching out in love to make their lives better. This is selfless Christian community. This is growth. I applaud what Harding has achieved in the last few years, and we should all as Christians expect more.