Student Engagement Report

Campus Engagement Project Team

Primary IRL Contributors: Brady Horton, Brendan Lin, Dyson Smith, Jeremy Elvander

Additional IRL Contributors: Amanda Li, Hannah Wen, Isabella Gonzales, Jackson Sousa, Meenakshi Iyer, Pearl Vishen

External Contributors: Anneka Sarzi, Danielle Shank, Scott Judson

Introduction & Objectives

The University of California, Davis is an institution with over 30,000 undergraduate students, 800 student clubs, and 25 collegiate sports teams. However, event attendance on campus is often inconsistent. Football attendance data from 2021 to 2024 indicates that while maximum attendance has risen over the years, average attendance has fallen by 18.1%. As such, the ASUCD Innovation and Research lab (IRL) was tasked with gathering information on how to improve student engagement on campus.

The primary objective of this report is to provide insights and recommendations to The Associated Students, University of California, Davis, (ASUCD) and UC Davis Athletics to evaluate and improve student body participation at student events, athletics events, and more.

Methodology

The data presented in this report come from three sources: an anonymous survey conducted through Qualtrics, one-to-one interviews, and qualitative case studies.

Survey participants were recruited through social media posts, flyers, on-campus tabling by IRL members, and internal marketing through the Athletics Department. Participants were entered into a raffle to win one of 100 $5.00 gift cards from the ASUCD Coffee House as an incentive for completing the survey. The Qualtrics survey was available for 25 days from April 15th to May 10th, and received 483 total responses. The survey aimed to gather information about four sectors of undergraduate student life at UC Davis: general student body, athletics, clubs, and greek life. Multiple-choice questions regarding opinions were formatted using the 5-point Likert scale. Responses that had less than or equal to 10% progress or were completed in less than 30 seconds were removed from the data. The final cleaned dataset contains 387 observations and 100 columns.

We utilized various demographic groups obtained in the survey to understand how our data may be influenced by the sample that was fielded. We tallied the numerous demographics of interest, such as gender, class standing, and transfer status, and obtained summary statistics broken down by demographic indicators to understand how our responses may have been influenced by our sample. One prominent finding in this area was that our sample was overwhelmingly female, with around 65% of respondents identifying as female compared to around 20% of those who identified as a different gender (the remainder were those who did not identify). We acknowledge these discrepancies, as one demographic may skew the results if their responses differ significantly from those of other demographics in the same category.

In addition to collecting survey data, IRL conducted 30-minute Zoom interviews with individuals directly involved with UC Davis Athletics, ASUCD, club leadership, and the general student body. Student leaders were directly contacted by the IRL team due to their recognized presence on campus, while all other interviewees were selected from the survey responses. A total of 12 interviews were conducted, consisting of four people from UC Davis Athletics, two student club leaders, two Unit Directors in ASUCD, one Senator in ASUCD, and three students from the undergraduate student body. Interview questions were designed specifically for the functions of UC Davis the interviewees were involved in. For example, those in UC Davis Athletics were asked questions that pertained more so towards Athletics, those in clubs were asked questions about club engagement, and so on. All interviewees were awarded a $50.00 Amazon gift card upon completion of the interview.

Lastly, we conducted qualitative case studies on other U.S. universities to gain insights into building an atmosphere of student involvement and cultivating a successful campus culture. Universities with a similar student body size and makeup, founding date, and urban context to UC Davis were chosen for these case studies. This narrowed the pool of potential peer schools, which was further refined by ensuring comparison universities were public R1 institutions. Ultimately, the researchers selected the University of Michigan, Purdue University, and the University of Colorado Boulder as comparable peer schools. We analyzed these universities' athletic programs, campus traditions, role of student government, relationships with external businesses and interest groups, and branding. This information was collected through online research.

All data was cleaned, analyzed, and visualized using Excel, R, Taguette, and Tableau.

Survey Analysis

Athletics Events

Finding #1: Most respondents either rarely or never attend Athletics events.

Out of 387 respondents, 130 and 102 rarely or never attend Athletics events, respectively, making up approximately 60% of the those who responded. Seventy-six of respondents either always or very frequently attend events, while 79 of respondents attend sometimes.

Finding #2: Social media and word of mouth are the most common avenues through which students have heard about Athletics events.

The 155 respondents who selected that they attended Athletic events at least sometimes were provided a list of sources through which they heard about these events. This question was a multi-select question, resulting in 250 total selections. Among these responses, most people heard about events through social media, with 87 people saying they have heard about events through social media. Word of mouth came in as the second most popular way, with 78 respondents selecting it as a way they have heard about events. Email is the 3rd most common method, with 58 people learning about events through email. Flyers were the least popular source, with only 27 respondents having heard about events through flyers.

Finding #3: Socializing and entertainment are main motivators for attending Athletics events.

The survey responses in this graph come from a multi-select list, with 342 total selections from 155 respondents. Among the 155 people who selected that they attended Athletics events at least sometimes, 106 respondents selected going for fun as their motivator. The second most popular reason for attending games was going with friends, with 87 respondents selecting this as a reason. On the flip side, gameday traditions and excitement for certain players were the least commonly selected reasons for attending Athletics events.

Finding #4: Students who choose not to attend Athletics events primarily do so because of lack of interest.

Among the 232 students who reported rarely or never attending athletic events, the most common reason cited was a preference for other activities, with 137 responses. The next most common reason was that athletic events did not fit into their schedule, with 88 responses.

Overall, it is evident that excitement surrounding the Athletics events themselves is lacking, as most people attend primarily for the sense of community and social interaction. This information can be used to boost engagement moving forward, with extra attention towards building the social aspect of events as opposed to emphasizing the events themselves.

Demographics

Finding #1: Transfer students were less likely to attend athletics events based on whether their friends were attending.

On average, transfer students were about 16% less likely to say they chose to attend athletics events based on if their friends were attending compared to their non-transfer counterparts.

Finding #2: Women were more likely to attend games based on whether their friends were attending.

Women were about 11% more likely to attend games because their friends were also going compared to men, on average. Women were also about 10% more likely to choose not to attend games compared to men, on average, because they would rather do something else.

Finding #3: First generation college students were less likely to attend games because they didn’t have anyone to go with.

First generation students responded that they chose not to attend games due to the fact that they didn’t have anyone to go with at a rate 11% higher, on average, than their non-first generation counterparts.

Student Interviews

Small-Scale Social Solidarity

Multiple UC Davis students mentioned experiencing a sense of social solidarity within the groups they belong to, such as clubs, societies, and teams. One anonymous participant from UC Davis Athletics stated,

“On my connection to UC Davis, I’d definitely say the people I’ve met are due to my hobbies.” However, individuals who feel this sense of connection within their communities often describe them as tight-knit, suggesting that outsiders may not fully understand the activities or purpose of their group. Athletics employee Allison Martinez stated,

“Athletics is very friendly, but I feel like it is very close knit as well… I felt like I was isolated in my Athletics bubble” with another student sharing similar sentiment,

“Most of my friend group are from my first year in the dorm and are very tight knit. We always go to different events together.” These findings, which show that UC Davis students feel more engaged in their groups than in the broader campus culture, are supported by student leaders like former ASUCD Senator Danielle Antonio, who stated,

“There isn’t really a space where we can all be in one place and celebrate each other.” Multiple other students stated verbatim that “there is a lack of school spirit.” 

ASUCD Knowledge Gaps

A recurring theme in the interviews was that students have limited awareness about the extent of ASUCD's reach. Former ASUCD Senator Danielle Antonio recognized the challenge of staying up to date on all the activities and initiatives ASUCD is involved in, stating,

“It takes a lot of work on my end to stay informed.” Student’s reported knowledge gaps about ASUCD include but are not limited to: a lack of knowledge about ASUCD’s units, ASUCD’s policy changes, and ASUCD’s role in Athletics events. One UC Davis Athletics Volunteer stated,

“I don’t feel like I’ve had any reason to communicate with ASUCD. I don’t really know what they support.” Other students cited that they “didn’t see ASUCD and Athletics working that closely,” while others shared that they “didn’t know the other parts of ASUCD other than Entertainment Council.” Furthermore, many students cited finding out and attending Athletics events through word of mouth. Student Sabrina Tran shared,

“The only time I’ve kind of heard about a game is the first football game through my friends.”

Acknowledged Effort with Mixed Results

UC Davis students recognize the effort that is put into Athletics and involvement. Several students suggested that offering free items and hosting community nights would be effective incentives for increasing attendance, stating the following:

“I know there’s a basketball game when I see a huge inflatable 20 foot Gunrock outside the U Center.”

“Youth days are pretty good at bringing community… more people come when they do giveaways and stuff.”

Despite increased attendance when these efforts are applied, students feel the campus culture is still lacking. They describe their interactions with Athletics as isolated events rather than ongoing expressions of interest. Some student suggestions included redirecting the effort to create a more lively interest at sports games and bringing out more campus groups to these events.

Interview Quotes

Case Studies

University of Michigan

The first peer University we selected was the University of Michigan (UM). In terms of athletics, UM has over 29 NCAA D1 teams and prioritizes investing within their athletics department. UM has several traditions that go back to its Wolverine Mascot and has a Victor Fight song sung after every victory, which has existed since 1898. Supplementing their school spirit, the University of Michigan has a large spirit department, and its cheerleader and spirit team won first place in national competitions.

Furthermore, UM collaborates well with Downtown Ann Arbor. With lots of dining and events, downtown Ann Arbor apparatuses find creative ways to attract UM students. The University of Michigan has three downtown districts (Kerrytown District, Main Street, and State Street District). Each district planned a UM Show Your Love event to welcome new UM students each having different events planned. This event provided new UM students with free live music, entertainment, trivia, and discounts.

The University of Michigan Student Government also creates a simple way for new organizations to receive funding. The Wolverine Consulting Group works to create a seamless process for new organizations to obtain funds as new student organizations simply need to fill out a form to receive funding. In addition, the Wolverine Consulting Group also provides marketing, recruitment strategy, and fundraising support to new organizations.

Purdue University

Purdue University has 17 D1 Sports teams for athletics, with the Boilermaker Special as its mascot. The Boilermaker Special is Purdue’s signature moving train that can transport guests around campus and to school events, which is meant to highlight Purdue’s strong engineering programs and departments. Purdue has a fight song, "Hail Purdue,” composed in 1912 by Edward Wotowa and James Morrison which students sing. They also have their own Victory Bell, rung after every home football game win, which dates back to 1877, when they would ring the bell to wake up students. Traditions with other schools also are a big part of Purdue athletics. Similar to the Causeway Class Trophy, Indiana University and Purdue share the Old Oaken Bucket. Each team gets to keep and add a chain with a P (if Purdue wins) and a I (if Indiana wins) after each football faceoff.

Other traditions that Purdue uphold includes an annual Grand Prix, or go-kart race. Every year, Purdue hosts a 50 mile, 160 lap go-kart race. Each go-kart is hand-made by students, with all proceeds going towards student scholarship. This event works to highlight Purdue’s strong engineering programs. Additionally, Purdue has their own Hymn and anthem adopted by students and faculty members after it was petitioned for many years. Similar to UC Davis’ Picnic Day, Purdue has a Spring Fest, bringing out thousands of people to showcase each of Purdue’s academic departments and provide attractions based on their department.

Purdue also has great connections with downtown West Lafayette. With its website being called home of Purdue, West Lafayette embraces Purdue as its main identity. The Purdue Memorial Union partnered with Marriott to build a hotel directly connected to its own Memorial Union. Themed with Purdue logos and merchandise, the Union Club Hotel is ran by the students. Each week, the Student Government and clubs hold events such as yoga, karaoke, and formulas at the hotel facilities. Purdue has also partnered with downtown areas to increase and extend school wifi to public spots for students to engage with the West Lafayette community. Lastly, Purdue hosts an annual half marathon that stretches through West Lafayette and the Purdue campus. This race is open not only to students but also to the entire West Lafayette community.

University of Colorado Boulder

The University of Colorado Boulder (CU) also places heavy emphasis on their athletics. Because CU has a Bison mascot, the CU athletics department has a real-life bison, named Ralphie, that runs out at every football game. Although they only have 17 varsity sports teams, the Colorado Boulder media and content team garner lots of student engagement with their content. This is further boosted by the presence of celebrities such as Deion Sanders in the program. With a strong social media following and over 30 national championships, CU places a heavy emphasis on athletics to engage students and encourage support for the Boulders. The Colorado Boulder’s have a fight song called “Fight CU,” which the student community popularized. With its heavy priority of athletics, alumni called the Forever Buffs also provide significant donations to support these players and programs. The Buffs also host a Buffs All-in event which is  CU annual giving day. With over 49% of gifts coming from alumni, it reflects the CU community's passion and engagement in providing opportunities for incoming students.

CU also partners with downtown Boulder to host events for students to get more involved around the community. For example, they hold a CU Night in Downtown Boulder, allowing students to meet with the Boulder Mayor and learn about the different campus organizations and activities of downtown Boulder.

Key Findings

Finding #1: Connections with Downtown

With both Purdue and UM having strong connections with their respective cities downtown through themed events and hotels, their students are able to get more involved outside the campus community and report feelings of connection to the town. Currently, the connection with Downtown Davis and UC Davis seem to be lackluster with very little visible presence of UC Davis. The ASUCD rally committee can partner with downtown businesses to host events such as watch parties for football games and other sporting events.  In addition, the ASUCD rally committee could potentially hang up banners of UC Davis athletes on downtown lampposts.

Finding #2: Events themed around the school

With Purdue hosting themed events such as the go-kart grand prix to highlight its known engineering programs, it creates a culture emphasizing its dedication to engineering and automobiles. Similarly, ASUCD and Davis can showcase its biking culture through holding a cyclist race that goes laps through  Downtown. In addition, UC Davis could hone in on holding events that highlight Davis being an agricultural school such as having Cow-themed advertisements or mascots that represents the school’s main academics or most-well known identity.

Finding #3: Alumni Connection

In addition, the other three schools receive tremendous support from alumni networks to help provide for student athletes and other students. Through hosting watch parties of games, alumni are deeply involved and interested in events. By hosting alumni events such as alumni athletic events, ASUCD can help increase Alumni engagement with UC Davis.

Conclusion & Recommendations

Overall, shown from the finding on Athletic event motivators and on how people learn about Athletic events, it is evident that there is a lack of excitement around the actual Athletic events themselves, with people attending mostly due to social and entertainment factors. It is possible that this can be used to boost engagement going forward, perhaps leaning into this social aspect as opposed to emphasizing the games themselves. Furthermore, there is evidence that suggests a large proportion of students do not know the whereabouts of certain athletic events, indicating that if advertising efforts were expanded and made more effective, campus engagement would improve. To ensure the successful implementation of entities like the Rally Committee and improve overall campus engagement, we recommend they and ASUCD do the following:

1. Embrace and market unique aspects of UC Davis culture, such as biking and agriculture: ASUCD should attempt to directly collabare with Registered Student Organizations as many students cited high levels of comradery within their organizations. Through celebrating and welcoming these organizations into the UC Davis Athletics sphere, they will be more likely to attend future athletics events as our findings demonstrate attendance is largely driven by social reasons. Furthermore, we recommend the Rally Committee to collaborate with downtown businesses to help students feel more connected to downtown, which was an effective engagement strategy at peer universities.
2. Embrace and Market around unique aspects of UC Davis culture, such as biking and agriculture: At peer Universities, schools engage their student body through marketing around what makes the school unique. As such, The Rally Committee could garner school spirit by embracing Davis specialties such as agriculture and biking.
3. Direct efforts towards creating a community-oriented experience, especially for transfers and first-generation students: ASUCD should emphasize games as an excellent way to get involved in the community and meet new friends. This can encourage students who are less involved in the Davis social scene to attend games as a way of meeting new people and feeling like they are part of something bigger.
4. Centralize information regarding ASUCD/Athletic events physically in high foot traffic areas on campus and on social media: We know that social media is king when it comes to advertising, so ASUCD should prioritize advertising games in online spaces with the highest engagement levels possible. Engagement with physical advertising also seems to be lacking from our surveys, so perhaps boosting those numbers for people who aren’t as active on social media can also increase engagement.

The ASUCD Innovation and Research Lab would like to thank Danielle Shank from UC Davis Athletics, Scott Judson from the Cal Aggie Alumni Association Board of Directors, and Senator Luis Garcia from ASUCD for making this research possible.

References

Buffs All In is back! (2024, February 6). CU Boulder Today. https://www.colorado.edu/today/2024/02/06/buffs-all-back

CU Boulder Traditions. (2018). The Herd. https://www.colorado.edu/theherd/traditions

CU Night in Downtown Boulder returns June 12. (2024, May 21). CU Boulder Today. https://www.colorado.edu/today/2024/05/21/cu-night-downtown-boulder-returns-june-12

Discover Our Iconic Hotel | The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University, Autograph Collection. (n.d.). Www.marriott.com. https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/indwk-the-union-club-hotel-at-purdue-university-autograph-collection/overview/

Downtown Lafayette-West Lafayette, Indiana. (2020). Homeofpurdue.com. https://www.homeofpurdue.com/downtown/

Local, L. (2014). Love Local. Love Local. https://www.showyourlovea2.org/kerrytown

Michigan History and Tradition - University of Michigan Athletics. (2014). University of Michigan Athletics. https://mgoblue.com/sports/2017/6/16/michigan-history-and-tradition

New Organization Funding | Central Student Government. (2018). UM CSG. https://www.csg.umich.edu/new-organization-funding

Purdue University Traditions. (n.d.). Purdue University. https://www.purdue.edu/home/about/traditions/

Special. (2023, September 4). UM Show Your Love A2: Welcome back students event Sept. 10 – We Love Ann Arbor Dexter. Weloveannarbor.com. https://weloveannarbor.com/2023/09/03/um-show-your-love-a2-welcome-back-students-event-sept-10/

Spring Fest. (2024). Purdue University - College of Agriculture. https://ag.purdue.edu/springfest/

Thomas, A. (2015, June 15). Purdue partners with cities to extend campus Wi-FI into parts of Lafeyette, West Lafayette. Purdue.edu. https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/archive/releases/2015/Q2/purdue-partners-with-cities-to-extend-campus-wi-fi-into-parts-of-lafayette,-west-lafayette-.html

Traditions. (n.d.). Static.mgoblue.com. https://static.mgoblue.com/custompages/thisismichigan/index.html

University of Colorado Athletics - Official Athletics Website. (n.d.). University of Colorado Athletics. https://cubuffs.com/

Appendix

Appendix A: Pre-survey Prerequisites

1. Are you an undergraduate student at UC Davis?
   1. Yes
   2. No

Appendix B: Survey Questions

1. Select the following activities you are/have been involved in.
   1. ASUCD
   2. Campus Employment
   3. Campus Recreation Classes
   4. Clubs/Registered Student Organizations
   5. Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)
   6. Greek Life
   7. Intramural Sports
   8. Marching Band
   9. NCAA Division 1 Athletics
   10. Undergraduate Research
   11. University Honors Program (UHP)
   12. Volunteering
   13. Other: [Text entry]
2. [If 1d. was selected] Select the following clubs you are/were involved in.
   1. Academic
   2. Club Sports
   3. Cultural
   4. Professional
   5. Religious
   6. Community Service
   7. Social
   8. Artistic
   9. Political
   10. Other: [Text entry]
3. How frequently do you attend the following events?
   1. Athletics events
      1. Always
      2. Very often
      3. Sometimes
      4. Rarely
      5. Never
   2. Campus-run entertainment
      1. Always
      2. Very often
      3. Sometimes
      4. Rarely
      5. Never
   3. Club meetings/events
      1. Always
      2. Very often
      3. Sometimes
      4. Rarely
      5. Never
   4. Greek Life events
      1. Always
      2. Very often
      3. Sometimes
      4. Rarely
      5. Never
4. Do you feel connected to the UC Davis community?
   1. Yes
   2. No
5. [If 3a. i, ii, or iii was selected] How did you hear about Athletics events you attended?
   1. Email
   2. Flyer
   3. Social Media
   4. Word of Mouth
   5. Other: [Text entry]
6. [If 3a. i, ii, or iii was selected] What drew you to attend an Athletics event?
   1. Just for fun.
   2. It was an important game.
   3. My friends were going.
   4. I wanted to see specific player(s).
   5. There was free food and/or merchandise.
   6. Gameday traditions.
   7. Other: [Text entry]
7. [If 3a. iv or v was selected] What factors influenced your decision not to attend certain Athletics events?
   1. I didn’t know the events were happening.
   2. They did not fit with my schedule.
   3. I did not have anyone to go with.
   4. I would rather do something else.
   5. Other: [Text entry]
8. [If 1f. was selected] Please rate the following statements about Greek Life at UC Davis.
   1. Joining Greek Life has cultivated my sense of belonging at UC Davis.
      1. Strongly agree
      2. Somewhat agree
      3. Neutral
      4. Somewhat disagree
      5. Strongly agree
   2. Greek Life is well supported by UC Davis.
      1. Strongly agree
      2. Somewhat agree
      3. Neutral
      4. Somewhat disagree
      5. Strongly agree
9. [If 1d. was selected] Please rate the following statements about clubs at UC Davis.
   1. Participating in clubs has cultivated my sense of belonging at UC Davis.
      1. Strongly agree
      2. Somewhat agree
      3. Neutral
      4. Somewhat disagree
      5. Strongly agree
   2. Clubs are well supported by UC Davis.
      1. Strongly agree
      2. Somewhat agree
      3. Neutral
      4. Somewhat disagree
      5. Strongly agree
10. How much do you value the following events?
    1. Large-scale entertainment (Lawntopia, Sunset Festival)
       1. To a great extent
       2. Somewhat
       3. Very little
       4. Not at all
    2. Small-scale entertainment (Co-ops, KDVS, Turtle House shows)
       1. To a great extent
       2. Somewhat
       3. Very little
       4. Not at all
11. Select the genres of music you would like to see at campus concerts. The artists listed below are solely for example.
    1. Country (Morgan Wallen, Zach Bryan, etc)
    2. Dance/electronic (FISHER, Marshmello, etc)
    3. Indie (Mitski, The Neighbourhood, etc)
    4. Pop (Olivia Rodrigo, Ariana Grande, etc)
    5. R&B (Frank Ocean, H.E.R., etc)
    6. Rap/hip hop (Drake, Kendrick Lamar, etc)
    7. Rock (Green Day, AC/DC, etc)
    8. Other: [Text entry]
12. How would you characterize the impact of each of the following departments?
    1. ASUCD
       1. Positive contribution
       2. Negative contribution
       3. N/A
    2. Athletics
       1. Positive contribution
       2. Negative contribution
       3. N/A
    3. Clubs
       1. Positive contribution
       2. Negative contribution
       3. N/A
    4. Greek Life
       1. Positive contribution
       2. Negative contribution
       3. N/A
13. What year are you?
    1. First-year
    2. Sophomore
    3. Junior
    4. Senior
    5. Fifth-year +
14. Are you a transfer student?
    1. Yes
    2. No
15. Are you a first-generation college student?
    1. Yes
    2. No
16. Gender
    1. Female
    2. Male
    3. Non-binary
    4. Other: [Text entry]
17. Ethnicity
    1. Hispanic or Latino
    2. Not Hispanic or Latino
18. Race
    1. American Indian or Alaskan Native
    2. Asian
    3. Black or African American
    4. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
    5. White
    6. Other: [Text entry]
19. Do you identify with the LGBTQ+ community?
    1. Yes
    2. No
20. Feel free to leave questions, comments, or concerns here.

[Text entry]