By John Staed
Wednesday, October 14, 2009

CLEMSON — Clemson University graduates are happy with their degrees, but want more interaction with the alumni association, according to a new survey.

The results of the full survey, the most in-depth survey in a decade, will be presented to trustees Thursday and Friday as part of their quarterly meetings.

Wil Brasington, director of alumni relations, said the survey was sent in August electronically to 46,000 Clemson graduates, of which 10 percent responded.

Clemson grads gave the school high marks in many areas, he said. About 81 percent rated their decision to attend the university as a great decision, the top ranking, and 18 percent rated it a good decision, the second-highest, he said.

“That means 99 percent rated it in the top two categories,” Brasington said.

In another category, 99 percent rated the school excellent or good, he said.

“I think that’s a pretty strong endorsement of their Clemson experience to date,” Brasington said.

Survey respondents also said they’d like to see more communication between the alumni association and graduates, he said. And younger graduates, those who’ve finished in the last 15 years, said they would like to see more information on services and benefits, and especially job opportunities.

“Young alumni especially crave more opportunities to attend and be part of Clemson events,” he said.

Brasington said the association will take the information and improve on what it is doing to meet alumni needs.

Clemson trustees also will hear updates on the university’s budget and reports from the faculty senate during meetings Thursday and Friday at the school.

The quarterly meetings may not be overshadowed as in the past by dire budget news, although a presentation is planned on the Public Service Activities budget and student housing rates. PSA is the department that includes extension services, agriculture and 4-H, among many others.

The PSA budget already has taken a 4 percent hit this fiscal year, said Debbie Dalhouse, a Clemson spokeswoman. State support for PSA has declined from $52.1 million as of July 2007 to $36.7 million through September, she said.

“That’s less than what we had in state support 20 years ago,” she said.

Bill Bowerman, faculty senate president, plans to update trustees on a predicted faculty staffing crunch. A recent report showed that up to 25 percent of college faculty in the United States will be eligible for retirement soon and that could open up faculty migrations across the country, he said.

In the last four years, Clemson has filled hundreds of positions as the state’s retirement system allowed faculty to take advantage of its retirement options.

Bowerman said that Clemson may be ahead of the curve in re-staffing, but it’s important to be aware that as states come out of the recession, they will be looking for good faculty to fill positions now open.

“We’ve built up a great group of people at Clemson,” Bowerman said. “It’s important to maintain that great group. It’s something we need to start thinking about.”

Trustees will hear a report on how many research grants and awards were received to date.

The trustees will be asked to change the name of the Department of Agriculture and Biological Engineering to Biosystems Engineering, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences.

A new center, the Center for Economic Research on the Family, also is up for discussion.