The Brown Daily Herald

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Past Poll Coverage

Fall 2011 Faculty Poll: Faculty satisfied with Simmons

President Ruth Simmons’ approval rate among faculty is about 10 points above the most recent student approval rate, according to a Herald poll conducted among the faculty. Full story

Spring 2011 Herald Poll: students divided on ROTC's return

There is no consensus among students concerning the campus ban on the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, according to a Herald poll conducted last week. The poll addressed a variety of issues including student approval of campus leadership and the effect of overcrowded housing. Full story

Fall 2010 Herald Poll: three in four approve of Obama

Simmons stays popular; UCS remains largely unknown

According to a recent Herald poll, President Barack Obama continues to receive large support from Brown students, with 77.5 percent approving of his job performance as president 18.5 percent strongly approving and 59 percent somewhat approving. Full story

Spring 2010 Herald Poll: Simmons’ approval steady

President Ruth Simmons' approval rating has not significantly changed since last semester, despite recent publicity about her past tenure on the Board of Directors of Goldman Sachs, according to a Herald poll conducted last month. Of the students polled, 77.5 percent said they approve of the way Simmons is handling her job, while only 6.2 percent said they disapprove. Full story

Fall 2009 Herald Poll: Students more satisfied with advising

Student satisfaction with academic advising was 10 percent higher than in the Spring 2008 poll. Full story

Spring 2009 Herald Poll: Students support 'Fall Weekend'

More than two-thirds of Brown undergraduates favored changing the name of "Columbus Day" on the University calendar. Full story

Fall 2008 Herald Poll: 86.1 percent of students support Obama

Brown undergraduates overwhelmingly supported Sen. Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election the week before Election Day. Full story

Spring 2008 Herald Poll: Aid money, advising split student opinion

The overwhelming majority of undergraduates supported the University's new financial aid policy. Full story

Fall 2007 Herald Poll: Students overwhelmingly favor Obama

In the poll, President Ruth Simmons also maintained a high approval rating. Full story

Spring 2007 Herald Poll: Students support early admission, affirmative action

Students overwhelmingly supported the College's early admission program and largely favored considering racial diversity in the admission process. Full story

Fall 2006 Herald Poll: Students support center for study of slavery

Over 40 percent of the undergraduate student body either had not heard of or wasuninterested in the University Steering Committee on Slavery and Justice. Full story

Spring 2012 Student Poll Articles

In Simmons’ final year, student opinion remains favorable

In a Herald poll conducted last month, 81 percent of students responded that President Ruth Simmons has contributed to their Brown experience in a positive way. Only two percent of students said Simmons contributed in a negative way.

Poll: Students approve of grad school expansions

Roughly 70 percent of students approve of the University’s expansion of the medical and graduate schools, the development of executive master’s programs and the creation of a school of public health, according to a Herald poll conducted last month.

Plurality of students apathetic toward Paxson selection

About 42 percent of students expressed satisfaction with the choice of Christina Paxson as the 19th president of the University in a poll conducted by The Herald last month, though the majority of respondents, about 54 percent, said they had no opinion or were not familiar enough to answer the question. Only 4.3 percent expressed some level of dissatisfaction with the selection.

Relative to peers, U.’s financial aid lags behind

Aid policies influence student body breakdown

Brown, hamstrung by an endowment smaller than those of its peers, lags behind its competitors in financial aid offerings.

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Facing shortfall, Taveras continues calls for U. contributions

In a recent Herald poll, 37 percent of respondents reported that they do not think the University should contribute more money to the city. Thirty percent believe Brown should contribute more, and 33 percent are unsure. The near-even division of the student body’s beliefs reflects uncertainty on the issue.

Poll finds support for new housing option

A majority of students believe the University should offer gender-neutral housing for first-year students, according to a Herald poll conducted last month.

Nearly four in five students approve of Obama

The majority of students approve of how President Obama is handling his job, according to a poll conducted by The Herald March 12-14. A total of 78.8 percent of respondents expressed approval, with 16.5 percent expressing strong approval and 62.3 percent stating that they somewhat approved.

UCS presidential hopefuls declare candidacy

Robert Bentlyewski ’13, David Rattner ’13 and Anthony White ’13 have officially announced they will run for president of the Undergraduate Council of Students in the upcoming election. Rattner is the current vice president of the council, and White serves as the chief of staff for UCS President Ralanda Nelson ’12. Bentylewski is not a member of the council.

Poll: Students split on contributions to city

Increasing financial aid tops list of priorities for President-elect Paxson

Students are divided on whether or not the University should give more money to the city of Providence, according to a Herald poll conducted March 12-14. The poll also found that about one third of respondents said they were satisfied with the choice of Christina Paxson as Brown’s 19th president, though around half of those polled said they had no opinion or were not familiar enough to answer. More than one third of students also cited increasing financial aid as the most important issue for Paxson to address.

Spring 2012 Student Poll Results

Full poll results and methodology

Fall 2011 Student Poll Articles

Non-athletes unfamiliar with recruiting decision

Many students are not informed about the University's decision to reduce the number of admissions spots for recruited athletes, according to a recent Herald poll.

Confidence in job prospects varied

Corner office or a corner in your parents' basement? Students reported varying levels of confidence in their ability to obtain a desirable job after graduation in a recent Herald poll.

Let’s get digital: Nearly all undergrads own laptops

Thirty years ago, having a portable writing machine meant lugging a typewriter across campus.

Students fall short of sex expectations

Despite the widespread attention Brown has garnered as the home of the infamous SexPowerGod party, the University is less sexually freewheeling than its reputation suggests. Poll results reveal Brunonians may be having less sex than their peers across the country: Most students have only had one sexual partner or none at all this semester.

Increased satisfaction reflects advising changes

Many students are drawn to Brown by the freedom and independence the New Curriculum offers.

Undergrads satisfied with class sizes

About 65 percent of students think their classes are just right — neither too big nor too small — according to a recent Herald poll. Twenty-seven percent of students, especially first-years and sophomores, reported that their classes are too large.

Student approval of Simmons rises

In the wake of her September announcement that she plans to step down at the end of this academic year, President Ruth Simmons remains a popular figure in the eyes of students. Her job approval rating among students increased from last semester's rating of 62.4 percent to 68.2 percent, according to the most recent Herald poll.

Fall 2011 Student Poll: One percent express interest in off-campus ROTC

The vast majority of students indicated they would not be interested in joining a Reserve Officers' Training Corps program if Brown offered one, according to a recent Herald poll. Students also expressed mixed opinions on the number of admissions spots for recruited athletes, and they almost never deemed their classes too small — only too big or just right.