June 2, 2021

Results of recent campus vaccination survey encouraging, provide insight for fall

Three quarters (75.2%) of respondents (5,570 out 7,404 in weighted data) to a recent survey were fully vaccinated and 84.6% received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Almost 7,700 Warriors — approximately 25% of the Wayne State community — responded to a campuswide survey in May, providing information that will be helpful in estimating the community’s COVID-19 vaccination status as the university transitions back to campus to prepare for the fall.

Overall, survey respondents revealed a high vaccination rate. Three quarters (75.2%) of the respondents (5,570 out 7,404 in weighted data) were fully vaccinated and 84.6% received at least one dose of the vaccine.

The full vaccination rate was significantly higher for employees (84.1%) than for students (71.7%). Within these groups, results ranged from 66.4% for undergraduates and 93.4% for faculty; 78% of faculty members responded to the survey.

Wilson

“These are encouraging numbers, particularly when you consider that the survey was completed several weeks ago, so it's likely that more people have gotten vaccinated in the interim period,” said WSU President M. Roy Wilson.

After weighting the data to make it representative of the WSU population and adjusting for probable response bias, the Center for Urban Affairs, which administered the survey, determined the likely vaccination rate is bracketed between a low of 61.4% and a high of 84.6%.

“If you take the middle of that, our campus vaccination rate is more than 70%, which is pretty good,” said Wilson. “Importantly, the survey also provides us with data that can drive our decision-making and points toward some actions we need to take. Obviously, we have to focus on the undergraduate population, since they had the lowest response rate and the lowest vaccination rate.”

Wilson said that he asked staff to explore offering more incentives for people to get vaccinated because it is his preference to get vaccination rates higher without a mandate.

The university will administer a similar, streamlined survey in about a month, the results of which will be crucial as Wayne State prepares for a more open campus in the fall.

“The better our response rate, the better the data we get,” said Wilson. “I urge you to please take the survey when the time comes. And if you haven’t yet been vaccinated, please do so.”