Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What is the "Online Panel Survey?"

Answer: CUNA's "Online Panel Survey" will be comprised of several hundred credit union CEO/managers (i.e., the "panel") who have agreed to complete up to nine surveys by year-end 2004.

As the name implies, you will complete the surveys online, via the Internet. An e-mail message containing a link to the survey will be delivered to you or your designated representative. Simply click on the link and you will be taken directly to the survey. Upon completing the survey, simply hit the "SUBMIT" button and you're done!

Each survey will be designed to take less than 10 minutes to complete.

Question: Why should a credit union be an "Online Panel Survey" member?

Answer: Most importantly, you will be able to share your views, provide input and help provide direction and guidance to CUNA concerning a variety of issues related to CUNA's legislative, regulatory, product-development and other efforts. In other words, you'll have "a voice" in issues that can directly or indirectly have an impact on credit unions as a whole.

Secondly, you will receive summaries of non-proprietary survey results (delivered via e-mail), allowing you to share in, and benefit from, the views, opinions and practices of hundreds of other CEO/managers and their credit unions.

Finally, you will become eligible to receive other participation-based rewards such as gift certificates, networking sessions and other research presentations.

Question: Will you be sharing my e-mail address with others?

Answer: Absolutely not. The e-mail address that you provide will be maintained in a private database and used only for online panel survey communications. The panel will not be used for marketing or advertising purposes, or to solicit business.

Question: What types of questions will be on the panel questionnaires?

Answer: Only information that is not available from other sources will be collected. Examples: opinions on legislative and/or regulatory issues impacting credit unions, rates and fees, operational data needed to evaluate the effects of regulatory changes, feedback designed to help CUNA design new products and/or improve existing products to better meet credit unions' needs, and your credit union's practices as they relate to various issues.

Question: Are my credit union's survey responses confidential?

Answer: Yes, all survey responses are strictly confidential and results are only presented in an aggregate format. Your survey responses cannot however be anonymous for two reasons: 1) CUNA Research will be calculating participation statistics in order to provide year-end participation rewards, and 2) our analysts will use your credit union identification number to extract financial data such as asset size, number of employees, loan-to-share ratio, etc. from our credit union masterfile for survey cross-tabulation purposes. The end result is fewer survey questions to answer.

Question: How are panel participants selected?

Answer: Panel survey credit unions are scientifically selected from within asset groups. In order to preserve the validity and reliability of survey findings, credit unions that have not received an invitation will not be allowed to participate as panel members

Question: Will my credit union still receive other surveys from CUNA Research?

Answer: While we consciously attempt to minimize the number of surveys that credit unions receive, your credit union will still likely receive some surveys through the mail. Due to longer lengths, or special sampling requirements, some surveys—like the annual staff salary survey— will not be conducted through the panel. Of course, if you are randomly selected to complete other surveys, your participation while always encouraged, is strictly voluntary.

Question: Can I drop out of the online panel?

Answer: Although we hope that this would not occur, a credit union is free to leave the panel at any time.

Other questions?
Contact Dean Herman, Panel Survey Coordinator
CUNA Research Services
800/356-9655, ext. 4310
dherman@cuna.com