National Student Survey 2006
I received an email from IPSOS, who are conducting this year’s National Student Survey, on January 31. It asked that I take part in a survey to aid views on the quality, assessment and support of teaching. An “opt-out” option was provided, upon completion of a “short online questionnaire” (quote: “To make your opinions heard
or opt out of the survey please complete a short online questionnaire, using the link below”).
I ignored this email. Another arrived on February 10 saying that an email had been sent and that a response had not yet been received.
I ignored this email. Today I received an email from IPSOS stating: “Over the past fortnight we have sent emails inviting you to take part in the National Student Survey (NSS) to your main email address.As yet, we have not received a response from you so we are attempting to reach you by using this alternative email address.”
Wonderful. This is entirely unsolicited email, worse than the regular spam I receive, which gets identified as such and deleted automatically.
I do not agree with the MANCHESTER-* lists that the university run. They are largely full of more unsolicited email and absolutely no opt-out is provided (but a quick procmail rule does the trick). However, as this survey is being sent out to final year students a better place would have been the final-year mailing list, not directly to my university and private email addresses.
I am actually very upset by this. I wrote a stern reply and informed them not to contact me again. I almost went one stop further and demanded that they disclose all information they have about me under the Data Protection Act.
Tags: Life