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Polling Institute Ranked in Top 22 of Nation

The Monmouth University Polling Institute (MUPI) earned the distinction of being ranked in the top seven percent of pollsters nationwide. After compiling 16 years of collected data, renowned policy analyst, Nate Silver, placed MUPI among the top 22 polling institutes on Oct. 1.

Silver, Editor-In-Chief of ESPN’s FiveThirtyEight blog, is known for his accuracy in forecasting baseball games as well as predicting American elections, according to New York Magazine. FiveThirtyEight operates as a combination of a sports and politics website, tracking everything from college football to polling trends.

According to its website, the Polling Institute “was established to be a leading center for the study of public opinion on important state, regional, and national issues.” The institute is not new to recognition, as during its inaugural year in 2005 the MUPI was “named a ‘Winner'” by New Jersey Politifax.

MUPI is active not only in NJ public opinion, but also in that of other states, as evidenced by its involvement in political races across the US. Recently, the Polling Institute has published data regarding Senate races in Iowa, Colorado and Kansas, as well as coverage of the quality of life in New Jersey.

At the head of the Polling Institute is Director Patrick Murray, who was appointed MUPI Director in 2005. Murray said, “It’s nice to be recognized, and I’m happy with the work we do.” He stressed, however, that he is most proud of work the Institute does regarding Super Storm Sandy.

The Polling Institute does more than cover elections, as one of Murray’s most memorable research topics continues to be the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, which ravaged coastal states including NJ, NY, NC and PA, as well as the Caribbean.

“The most important work we do involves that which affects people’s lives on a day to day basis,” Murray said. He continued, “Through research on Superstorm Sandy, we’ve found out things about the rate of progress. Things that will help the continuing recovery process.”

Dr. Joseph Patten, Chair of the Department of Political Science and Sociology, has seen the Polling Institute’s growth since opening its doors in 2005. “I think the polling institute is going beyond the call of duty,” Patten said. He continued, “Director Murray has become the leading authority on NJ Politics, in the short time the Institute has been in operation.”

Patten was particularly impressed with the Polling Institute’s growing scope, which has grown to encompass a wealth of national coverage. “You can see that once the Polling Institute established deep roots in terms of its authority in NJ Politics, in the last couple of years it has done a lot of polling across the nation, including many midterm elections.”

Patten added that the Polling Institute’s success has also increased the University’s visibility on the national spectrum. “It’s really terrific for the prestige and awareness of Monmouth University. The Polling Institute has really put the university on the map,” said Patten.

While very influential, Murray is not solely responsible for the Polling Institute’s success. In addition to staff and faculty, MUPI also utilizes student support in gathering research. Notably, students spent time canvassing neighborhoods, assessing damages and interviewing residents after Superstorm Sandy.

Murray elaborated that he would like the future of the Polling Institute to include even more student participation. “We would like to provide more opportunities for students. When we have faculty who come up with good ideas, it helps bring students into the Polling Institute.”

Janaya Lewinski, a sophomore political science major, worked for the Polling Institute during summer 2014. Specifically, Lewinski was responsible for handling information regarding Superstorm Sandy restoration efforts.

“Having the experience of talking to so many different people you gain a lot of perspective on what happened two years ago,” Lewinski said. She continued, “I would love to go back and work for the polling institute. It was a good job to have over the summer and was a great experience.”

of progress. Things that will help the continuing recovery process.”

Dr. Joseph Patten, Chair of the Department of Political Science and Sociology, has seen the Polling Institute’s growth since opening its doors in 2005. “I think the polling institute is going beyond the call of duty,” Patten said. He continued, “Director Murray has become the leading authority on NJ Politics, in the short time the Institute has been in operation.”

Patten was particularly impressed with the Polling Institute’s growing scope, which has grown to encompass a wealth of national coverage. “You can see that once the Polling Institute established deep roots in terms of its authority in NJ Politics, in the last couple of years it has done a lot of polling across the nation, including many midterm elections.”

Patten added that the Polling Institute’s success has also increased the University’s visibility on the national spectrum. “It’s really terrific for the prestige and awareness of Monmouth University. The Polling Institute has really put the university on the map,” said Patten.

While very influential, Murray is not solely responsible for the Polling Institute’s success. In addition to staff and faculty, MUPI also utilizes student support in gathering research. Notably, students spent time canvassing neighborhoods, assessing damages and interviewing residents after Superstorm Sandy.

Murray elaborated that he would like the future of the Polling Institute to include even more student participation. “We would like to provide more opportunities for students. When we have faculty who come up with good ideas, it helps bring students into the Polling Institute.”

Janaya Lewinski, a sophomore political science major, worked for the Polling Institute during summer 2014. Specifically, Lewinski was responsible for handling information regarding Superstorm Sandy restoration efforts.

“Having the experience of talking to so many different people you gain a lot of perspective on what happened two years ago,” Lewinski said. She continued, “I would love to go back and work for the polling institute. It was a good job to have over the summer and was a great experience.”

PHOTO TAKEN from njtvonline.org