Satisfied students at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
Almost everyone is satisfied with the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, but there are still things to be done.
På norskA recent inquiry of the educational setting at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NIH) shows that most of the students are very happy with the school. The inquiry shows that 95 per cent would have made the same choice again.
- The inquiry shows that the students are happy to study at NIH. This demonstrates that there is much correspondence between students and staff, said headmaster Sigmund Loland who praised his students.
Lack of communication
Still, the students aren’t happy about everything. 74 per cent graded the department with a C or lower, and it was especially the opening hours that caused annoyance.
- Most of the complaints are related to accessibility and lack of communication. What most of the students are unaware of, is that they have the opportunity to make appointments with their supervisors by e-mail, said Øystein Bråthen, leader of the student committee at NIH.
He says that the student committee has taken the initiative to negotiate with the administration about the role of the department and the services they offer, among other things the opening hours.
- This inquiry has given us something to back up our arguments with when meeting with the administration. However, I would also like to thank the administration for their co-operation in the wake of the inquiry.
Understands the students
Director of Academic Affairs at NIH, Hanne Krogh, understands that the students feel that today’s office hours from 12.00 to 14.00, only two hours, is too little.
- It is not the first time students point out this problem. Our students have a lot of teaching, and only half an hour lunch break. I can understand that they don’t wish to spend most of it waiting in line.
Loland says that the administration is aware of the fact that their students want a more accessible department. He now hopes that the students and the administration can work together in order to find a satisfactory solution.
- The problem with the department’s lack of accessibility is in part due to lack of resources, and in part due to the Quality reform which resulted in an increasing influx of students. A possible solution may be to extend the opening hours, or to have the opening hours at another time of the day.
- Takes it seriously
The inquiry also shows that 27 per cent feel that studying at the NIH may lead to body dissatisfaction. Eight per cent answers that they currently suffer, or have suffered, from eating disorders.
- We choose to interpret this as a result of the formulation on the question sheet, which is that this is something that may cause body dissatisfaction. This is a school with a lot of young people who focus on nutrition and training, and so we do not think that this number is unusually high, said Tore Aasen Øderud, who is one of the representatives of the student committee, as well as leader of the Learning Environmental Committee (LMU) at NIH.
Loland is not so worried either, but says that the numbers must be watched carefully.
- These are numbers that ought to be taken seriously, and that is just what we are doing. We have a lot of experts here when it comes to body dissatisfaction, Loland said.
Sewage stench
Only 24 per cent have graded the indoor air quality to an A or a B. A large number of people have commented on the sewage stench which oozes into the UF building.
- I must say that I find his problem rather ridiculous, says Aasen Øderud.
He explains that according to the rumours, the building was constructed with the sewage disposal works too close to the air inlet.
- It’s not very pleasant to enter the building in the morning, tired and out of shape, only to find that the whole room stinks of sewage.
Loland acts rather ashamed when he is reminded of the continually recurring problem.
- Yes, we have tried to fix this several times, but so far to no avail. So, the stench keeps coming back. We will try to get this done, although it isn’t a very big problem.
