UC Davis is listening to students -- electronically.

In a communications experiment designed to provide campus leadership with a broader sampling of student experiences and opinions on current issues, about 100 undergraduates are being recruited to respond to a series of Web-based surveys during the academic year. Next week, about 350 students will receive e-mail invitations to participate in e-SAC, the electronic Student Advisory Council.

UC Davis, which conducted two such surveys last year, is among the first of a handful of colleges and universities to use e-mail and the Web to conduct quick, informal surveys of students. UC Davis also uses e-mail and the Web for formal, standard surveys of up 18,000 students.

"The informality of the e-SAC queries meets a special need -- allowing us to quickly gather student information and opinions on issues as they arise," says Steve Chatman, director of the office of Student Affairs Research and Information. He adds that the electronic survey and analysis can be conducted in less than a month.

"The students who participate in this advisory council are performing a tremendous service for the campus," says Carol Wall, vice chancellor for student affairs. "Last year's surveys questioned students about summer sessions and campus facilities. Student responses to these surveys have already informed campus decision-making."

Chatman anticipates that this year's surveys will include topics related to transportation and parking, and factors affecting students' choices of living arrangements.

The pool of students invited to participate in the advisory council is a scientific random sample representing the characteristics of the student body. Responses are kept confidential, and results are reported in the aggregate or as anonymous quotations.

While the survey technique has its limitations, Chatman admits, an unexpected advantage of electronic communication is that students are more expansive in their responses using a computer than they are with pen and paper.

The e-SAC research supplements information from meetings with students and a comprehensive program of formal, applied and student-centered research conducted by four researchers in Chatman's office on topics ranging from factors influencing student choice of an undergraduate institution and major to retrospective views of UC Davis graduates.

In November, the university will add another quick response communication tool. A simple polling feature will be offered with MyUCDavis, a customized Web portal available to members of the campus community through the university's home page.