CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / STATEWIDE

University of California students are generally satisfied with their education and professors but spend more time on such non-academic activities as socializing, cruising the Internet and exercising than they do on classes and schoolwork, a new survey by the university has found.

About 89% of UC undergraduates report they are somewhat satisfied, satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of faculty instruction at the public university, and 84% expressed at least some satisfaction with their access to faculty outside class, according to results of the online student survey released Wednesday. But fewer, about 64%, said they were happy about their ability to enroll in small classes at UC campuses.

On average, UC students said they spend 15.5 hours a week attending classes and 12.8 hours studying. They report using computers for non-academic purposes 10.7 hours a week, socializing 10.5 hours, exercising 5.4 hours and watching television five hours. Community service or volunteer activities take 2.4 hours a week and spiritual activities 1.8 hours, the survey found.

-- Larry Gordon