Market Research on Car Restriction for First-Year Students: Impact on Undergraduate Recruitment

1. Market Research on Car Restriction for First-Year Students: Impact on Undergraduate Recruitment Final Report Overview – May 12, 2010

2. Situation • April 2009: Blacksburg Revitalization Committee on behalf of multiple signatories petitioned the university to ban first-year cars • June 2009: University Relations assembled a committee to research potential impacts of such a policy change • July - November 2009: Developed a comprehensive research plan and survey instruments • November 2009 - January 2010: Surveyed first-year and sophomore students • April 2010: Completed final report

3. Committee Members • Melissa Richards (committee chair), Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications, University Relations • Steve Mouras, Director of Transportation and Campus Services • Kimberle Badinelli, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, Student Programs • Kelly Rawlings, Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions • Angie DeSoto, Campus Sustainability Planner, Office of Sustainability • Susan Anderson, Council Member, Town of Blacksburg; Instructor, Department of Mathematics • Josh Brooking, Student, Public and Urban Affairs Major • Brandon Carroll, Student, Agricultural and Applied Economics Major; SGA President • Pat Bixler, Executive Director, Sustainable Blacksburg

4. Measurable Impacts • Whether or not restricting car registrations by first-year students will affect undergraduate admissions recruitment and retention • Whether or not having a car affects the frequency of first-year students walking downtown to shop and eat locally • Whether or not having a car affects the frequency of first-year students leaving campus during the week and on weekends for various activities • Whether or not restricting car registrations by first-year students will affect their election to use alternative transportation (e.g. Blacksburg Transit, bicycles, etc.) • Whether or not having a car affects the frequency that first-year students use alternative transportation (e.g. Blacksburg Transit, bicycles, etc.)

5. Measurable Impacts cont’d • Whether or not having a car affects the frequency that first-year students drive and park – legally or illegally – downtown • The impact on off-campus parking should students bring unregistered cars to campus • Whether or not restricting car registrations by first-year students will affect the number of required parking spaces and revenues for Transportation and Campus Services • Quantitative impact of cars registered by first-year students on the university’s carbon footprint taking into consideration: • Miles driven • Fuel efficiency of vehicles • Measurable emissions • Number of parking permits sold to first-year students • The quantitative impact of restricting car registrations by first-year students on the university’s institutional carbon footprint

6. Research Methods • Online multiple-choice and open-ended surveys hosted by Student Voice and distributed via email *Statistically valid for random sample between 1,000 and one million

7. Perceived Impact on Recruitment Sophomore Results

8. Sophomore Results

9. Sophomore Results 33.99 percent said they would have been likely to accept admission elsewhere

10. First-Year Results

11. First-Year Results

12. First-Year Results 46.56 percent said they would have been likely to accept admission elsewhere

13. If First-Year Cars Had Been Restricted • 47.46 percent said they would have been likely to bring a car anyway and park it off campus • 41.52 percent said it would have been necessary to apply for an exception

14. Conclusions • The ability for first-year students to bring a car to campus plays a role in the research and consideration phases of the prospective student decision cycle, with greater importance at the final stage of commitment. • If first-year car permits were restricted, nearly 50 percent of the first-year students would apply for an exception or likely park a car off campus.