By MICHELLE ANDERSONStaff WriterAs the school year approaches its end, students are asked to break out their Number 2 pencils and give some honest feedback about their courses.

Whether inquiring about the cafeteria or faculty, Niagara College students are asked to anonymously spill it on the Key Performance Indicator survey.The Niagara College website has the data collected from surveys from the past several years.The site also gives a brief history of the inception of the surveys. “The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities instituted a system of performance measures for its colleges in 1999. The measures are called Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs.” Niagara College boasts a student satisfaction level that exceeds 85 per cent for the past six years. As college pamphlets and posters read, “Niagara College still number one.”A first-year student who wishes not to be identified thinks the KPIs serve little purpose. “I find it’s a waste of time.”She is not against the school using surveys, as a way to gauge student satisfaction, as she says that the program specific surveys (course evaluations, used to gain feedback about teachers and course content) is a valid method of evaluation.These are separately done each term for use here only.Because all participating colleges use the same questions on the KPIs, the unnamed student feels that information gathered isn’t what should be used to improve specific programs.Recruitment and admissions co-ordinator for the graduate programs, Katie Devereaux, thinks that getting feedback from students is always important, as it influences decisions being made on their behalf.Student ambassador Nicole Vankekem feels that positive KPI results are a good way to draw prospective students to the college.“It’s something the school is very proud of,” says Vankekem, who runs tours of Niagara College for potential attendees.She makes sure to tell the groups about the high student satisfaction, and adds, “They’re really happy they came to see the school.”Showing people a building does not allow them a chance to experience student life here; however, hearing feedback from students offers a candid look behind the walls of Niagara College.Welding Techniques student Taylor Cambray has suggestions for his professors that may not appear on a multiple-choice scantron.Cambray would encourage staff to liven up lessons.“They could make class more exciting,” he says, even adding a Powerpoint slide show would spice up a boring lesson.Cambray says monotone lectures leave students groggy and uneager to learn.Regardless of his complaints, Cambray is glad that he chose to enroll in college, saying it has prepared him “more than it would have if I hadn’t come.”Cambray also says he will be able to find work in the field. According to Niagara College’s Graduate Survey, which can be found on the school’s website, of the 28 Welding Techniques students who graduated in summer or fall 2007 and winter 2008, 65 per cent have found employment with a related job.The college as a whole has 61 per cent of its 2,378 graduates of 2007-08, employed in their chosen field, with 89 per cent of graduates listed as employed.By having students fill out post-grad surveys, prospective attendees can get an idea of a program’s success and whether it is a good time to dive into a particular field.First-year student Myra Pisano says the employment statistics for her chosen program, Graphic Design, are irrelevant to her choice.Pisano says she would take the program either way because it’s what she is passionate about doing.For students who value job security, the statistics may act as a tiebreaker between two desired career paths.As Devereaux says, “I think information should be available for students.”KPI and other survey results help potential students get an unbiased look at Niagara College and it’s programs, while allowing current students a chance to anonymously speak to the people in charge.The five minutes a semester it takes to fill out the surveys can help make important decisions for potential Niagara students.