What do survey results tell us about the proposed name change at Free Will Baptist Bible College?

Surveying the Change

by Greg Ketteman

As part of the FWBBC Board of Trustee’s initiation of a name-change feasibility study, President Matt Pinson appointed staffers Greg Ketteman and David Williford, along with Clark Dickerson of the consulting firm Dickerson and Associates in Littleton, Colorado, to develop a survey regarding the proposed name change for FWBBC stakeholders.

The development team designed the survey to examine attitudes and opinions to help determine the feasibility of a name change.

Recipients of the survey included every Free Will Baptist pastor listed in the National Association database, as well as all FWBBC alumni and donors (who have given any amount to the college within the past three years). Current FWBBC students and all faculty and staff were also included among those surveyed. Prospective students within the college database were also surveyed. The prospective student population was drawn from database information of more than 1,500 student inquiries about FWBBC in 2010 or 2011.

Survey Purposes

The name change survey engaged FWBBC stakeholders in deliberations about changing the name of the college by inviting and receiving feedback about the proposed change. This interaction helps gauge the impact of the proposed name change on financial support and willingness of stakeholders to recommend the college to prospective students. The survey also gauges the impact of the proposed change on current and prospective students

Survey Administration

President Pinson encouraged stakeholders to participate in the survey in a letter accompanying the initial mailing, which included a reprint of his ONE Magazine interview (“A College by Any Other Name,” February-March 2011). He explained the Board’s decision to conduct a feasibility study. Prospective students also received this information.

Next, a printed version of the survey and a post-paid, return envelope were mailed to all stakeholders who did not have an email address on file with the college. The survey was emailed to all stakeholders who have an email address listed in a college database. The paper/pencil version of the survey was administered to all FWBBC students, faculty and staff, and a digital survey was emailed to all prospective students.

The Provost’s Office collected, tabulated, and recorded results of the survey. A review of survey results was provided to the President and the FWBBC Board of Trustees.

Total Surveys

Four hundred sixty-eight surveys were emailed to stakeholders; 775 surveys were emailed to prospective students; and 8,739 paper surveys were mailed. A total of 9,982 surveys were delivered either by email or U.S. Mail. A total of 1,019 surveys were returned by April 21, 2011. This is a strong response rate of 10.2% for the name-change survey.

Survey Questions & Response*

If the College were renamed Welch College, would your willingness to recommend the school to potential students:

Decrease Significantly 7%
Decrease Somewhat 6%
Remain the Same 53%
Increase Somewhat 21%
Increase Significantly 12%
Uncoded 1%

If the College were renamed Welch College, would your level of financial support:

Decrease Significantly 7%
Decrease Somewhat 5%
Remain the Same 68%
Increase Somewhat 15%
Increase Significantly 2%
Uncoded 2%

Which of the following best describes your acceptance of a name change for the College?

Strongly Disagree 10%
Disagree 10%
Unsure/Doesn’t Matter 10%
Accept 41%
Strongly Accept 28%
Uncoded 1%

Alumni Responses / Non-Alumni Responses

If the College were renamed Welch College, would your willingness to recommend the school to potential students:

Alumni Supporters*

Decrease Significantly 2%
Decrease Somewhat 1%
Remain the Same 53%
Increase Somewhat 31%
Increase Significantly 12%
Uncoded 1%

Non-Alumni Supporters*

Decrease Significantly 7%
Decrease Somewhat 4%
Remain the Same 62%
Increase Somewhat 10%
Increase Significantly 14%
Uncoded 2%

If the College were renamed Welch College, would your level of financial support:

Alumni Supporters*

Decrease Significantly 2%
Decrease Somewhat 2%
Remain the Same 68%
Increase Somewhat 25%
Increase Significantly 2%
Uncoded 1%

Non-Alumni Supporters*

Decrease Significantly 6%
Decrease Somewhat 7%
Remain the Same 78%
Increase Somewhat 4%
Increase Significantly .6%
Uncoded 4%

Which of the following best describes your acceptance of a name change for the College:

Alumni Supporters

Strongly Disagree 3%
Disagree 6%
Unsure/Doesn’t Matter 6%
Accept 44%
Strongly Accept 41%
Uncoded .5%

Non-Alumni Supporters

Strongly Disagree 9%
Disagree 7%
Unsure/Doesn’t Matter 7%
Accept 50%
Strongly Accept 24%
Uncoded 2%

*The word supporters refers to recent donors to the college.

Responses From Pastors

If the College were renamed Welch College, would your willingness to recommend the
school to potential students:

All Pastors

Decrease Significantly 11%
Decrease Somewhat 10%
Remain the Same 51%
Increase Somewhat 22%
Increase Significantly 4%
Uncoded 1%

Pastors Sending Students

Decrease Significantly 5%
Decrease Somewhat 5%
Remain the Same 49%
Increase Somewhat 30%
Increase Significantly 8%
Uncoded 2%

If the College were renamed Welch College, would your level of financial support:

All Pastors

Decrease Significantly 11%
Decrease Somewhat 7%
Remain the Same 63%
Increase Somewhat 14%
Increase Significantly 2%
Uncoded 3%

Pastors Sending Students

Decrease Significantly 2%
Decrease Somewhat 2%
Remain the Same 59%
Increase Somewhat 27%
Increase Significantly 5%
Uncoded 2%

Which of the following best describes your acceptance of a name change for the College:

All Pastors

Strongly Disagree 14%
Disagree 16%
Unsure/Doesn’t Matter 11%
Accept 36%
Strongly Accept 22%
Uncoded .04%

Pastors Sending Students

Strongly Disagree 14% 5%
Disagree 16% 19%
Unsure/Doesn’t Matter 11% 5%
Accept 36% 41%
Strongly Accept 22% 30%
Uncoded .04% 0%

What Does This Survey Tell Us?

The 10.2% response rate is robust and a good indicator of the attitudes and thinking of the entire survey population of nearly 11,000 stakeholders. Younger responders, college alumni, and college supporters were most favorable toward the name change. Alumni supporters indicated they would be more likely to recommend students and will not change in their support of the college. Pastors who send students to the college indicate they will be more likely to send students and more likely to increase financial support.

The highest number of responses came from Tennessee (246), North Carolina (116), Alabama (54), Arkansas and Georgia (51 each), Oklahoma (49), and South Carolina (47). These responses (563) represent 58% of all survey responses.

If survey responses materialize in actions, there will be a gain in recommendation of students to the college among stakeholders. The survey results support the conclusion that a clear and significant majority of supporters of the college favor the name change and that they will be more likely to recommend students as well as to increase their financial support.

*Survey Notes:

1. In some households both members of a married couple are college alumni. In other households, only one member of the marriage is a college alumnus. In this study, one survey was sent to each household.

2. Survey recipients were instructed that surveys not postmarked on or before April 14, 2011, were not included in the data collection. The Provost’s Office included surveys received through Thursday, April 21, 2011, in this data, regardless of the postmark date.

3. Surveys were sent to every household or individual on the college’s mailing list with a current mailing address or current email address.