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Student Engagement at the Research University (SERU) at UW: Student Life. Student Life Assessment Meeting 02 October 2014. SERU Background. Project began as part of a research grant University of California Berkeley's Center for Studies in Higher Education
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Student Engagement at the Research University (SERU) at UW:Student Life Student Life Assessment Meeting 02 October 2014 Debbie McGhee
SERU Background • Project began as part of a research grant University of California Berkeley's Center for Studies in Higher Education • Eleven (18%) of 62 AAU institutions participated in 2014 • UW-Seattle participated for the first time this year • The survey population was the entire undergraduate population
SERU Background • The SERU questionnaire takes approximately 25 minutes to complete. • The main topic areas: • Academic Engagement • Time Allocation • Academic and Personal Development • Institutional Climate for Diversity • Plans and Aspirations • Overall Satisfaction • Evaluation of the Major • Background (demographics)
SERU 2014:UW Participants • All degree-seeking, undergraduate students enrolled at UW-Seattle in Winter 2014 were invited • Overall, 26% of students completed the online questionnaire • Women were over-represented among respondents (52% of sample vs. 61% of respondents)
SERU 2014:Representativeness • Men and underclassmen were under-represented among respondents
SERU 2014:Representativeness • Under-represented minority (URM) and International students were under-represented
SERU 2014:Areas of Interest Content areas of interest for today • Background characteristics (demographics) • Activities • Campus climate and diversity • Global evaluations
SERU 2014:Background Characteristics Several items about students’ backgrounds • Current residence • “Social class growing up” (SES) • Spiritual/religious preference • Physical and learning disabilities • Sexual orientation • Political orientation
SERU 2014:Background characteristics Where is your current residence? Categories will be collapsed as: Campus housing, Sorority/Fraternity, and Elsewhere
SERU 2014:Background characteristics What was your social class growing up?
SERU 2014:Background characteristics What is your spiritual/religious preference? Not spiritual or religious includes: Not particularly spiritual, No preference, Agnostic, and Atheist
SERU 2014:Background characteristics Do you have a physical or learning disability? 45% of those reporting a physical or learning disability indicated they receive disability accommodations
SERU 2014:Background characteristics What is your sexual orientation?
SERU 2014:Background characteristics What is your political orientation?
SERU 2014:Weekly Activities • What was the average number of hours per night you slept on weeknights? [4 or less, 5, 6, …, 9 or more hours] • How many hours do you spend in a typical 7-day week in paid employment? [type in numeric value, enter 0 for none] • How many hours do you spend in a typical 7-day week … [0=0 hrs, 1=1-5 hrs, 2=6-10 hrs, 7=30+] • Attending classes/labs • Coursework outside of class • Student clubs or organizations • Leisure (entertainment, time with family, socializing) • Other (community service, exercise, religion, commuting)
SERU 2014:Weekly Activities Average weeknight hours of sleep?
SERU 2014:Weekly Activities How do students spend their week? * The graph includes only those students who responded to all of the activities items.
SERU 2014:Weekly Activities About how many hours do you spend per week working for pay (on- or off-campus)? • The overall average was 8.8 hours, but 48% of students reported 0 hours of work for pay
SERU 2014:Weekly Activities About how many hours do you spend per week participating in student clubs or organizations? • Overall, 49.6% of students reported 0 hours • Participation varied with student’s current residence. The percentages of students reporting at least 1 hour/week were: • 59% among those living in campus-owned housing • 66% among those in sororities/fraternities • 45% among those living elsewhere
SERU 2014:Weekly Activities About how many hours do you spend per week performing community service or volunteer? • Overall, 47% of students reported 0 hours • Participation varied by student sex and current residence. • 56% of women reported at least 1 hour/week, vs. 47% of men • Student in sororities/fraternities were the most likely to report non-zero hours (65%), while students in campus housing were the least likely (47%). • About half (53%) of students living elsewhere reported at least 1 hour/week.
SERU 2014:Weekly Activities About how many hours do you spend per week engaging in exercise, sports, or physically active hobbies? • Overall, only 15% of students reported 0 hours • Participation varied by student sex, class, and current residence. • 46% of men reported at least 6 hours/week, vs. 30% of women • Student in sororities/fraternities were the most active: 42% reported 1-5 hours/week and 36% reported 6-10 hours/week. • 50% of students living elsewhere reported 1-5 hours/week.
SERU 2014:Co-curricular Activities • Overall, 4.7% of students reported participation in a living-learning program • Among those currently living in campus housing, 6.6% responded ‘Yes’ • 8.2% of first-year students living in campus housing responded ‘Yes’ • Approximately 19% of students had participated in a study abroad program (27% of seniors)
SERU 2014:Evaluative Items Several items and item-sets asked students to rate their UW experiences at a global level • Campus climate • International student experience • Overall academic satisfaction and overall social satisfaction
SERU 2014:Campus Climate Rate the general climate for students at the UW. The UW is… “Safe [1] … Dangerous [5]”
SERU 2014:Campus Climate The UW is… “Safe [1] … Dangerous [5]” by Sex and Residence
SERU 2014:Campus Climate Indicate level of agreement with the following in terms of yourself. 1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Strongly agree
SERU 2014:Campus Climate Students of my race/ethnicity are respected on this campus. 1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Strongly agree
SERU 2014:Campus Climate Students of my socioeconomic background are respected on this campus. 1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Strongly agree
SERU 2014:Campus Climate Students of my gender are respected on this campus. 1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Strongly agree
SERU 2014:Campus Climate Students of my political beliefs are respected on this campus. 1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Strongly agree
SERU 2014:Campus Climate Students of my sexual orientation are respected on this campus. 1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Strongly agree
SERU 2014:Campus Climate Students with a physical, psychological, or learning disability like mine are respected…. 1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Strongly agree
SERU 2014:Campus Climate Students of my immigration background are respected on this campus. 1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Strongly agree
SERU 2014:International Student Experience How satisfied are you with each of the following? The three items marked with arrows were the strongest correlates of perceived respect for international students.
SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation Four items asked about general satisfaction. 1 = Very dissatisfied, 3 = Somewhat dissatisfied, 4 = Somewhat satisfied, 6 = Very satisfied
SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation • Social and Academic experience ratings were moderately related (r = .50) • Satisfaction with UW grade point average was strongly correlated with actual UW GPA(r = .61) • Ratings of Educational Value correlated with academic satisfaction (r = .61), but less with social satisfaction (r = .37) and actual UW GPA (r = .17)
SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation Social satisfaction varied by class and residence. 1 = Very dissatisfied, 3 = Somewhat dissatisfied, 4 = Somewhat satisfied, 6 = Very satisfied
SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation Academic satisfaction* varied by class and residence. * Average of “my UW GPA” and “overall academic experience” 1 = Very dissatisfied, 3 = Somewhat dissatisfied, 4 = Somewhat satisfied, 6 = Very satisfied
SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation Actual UW GPA supports the observation that living in campus housing is preferred for first-years and sophomores.
SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation The effect of housing situation on academic satisfaction and UW GPA is not due to self-selection: Across the range of high school GPA; those living in campus housing perform better.
SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation Academic satisfaction* varied by average hours of sleep. * Average of “my UW GPA” and “overall academic experience” 1 = Very dissatisfied, 3 = Somewhat dissatisfied, 4 = Somewhat satisfied, 6 = Very satisfied
SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation Students use the time that they are not sleeping to do coursework (in-class + studying).
SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation The extra hours of coursework do not translate into a better GPA.
SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation Two items asked about commitment to UW. 1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Strongly agree
SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation • Both social and academic satisfaction ratings were related to feelings of belongingness(r= .61 and r = .59) • Academic experience satisfaction was a somewhat better predictor than social experience of re-enrollment (r = .60 vs. r= .49) • Ratings of educational value correlated moderately with belongingness (r = .46) and re-enrollment (r= .51) • Working class and middle class students were the least satisfied with educational value
SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation Commitment to UW* varied by ethnicity/resident status. * Average of “I belong at the UW” and “I would re-enroll at the UW” 1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Strongly agree
Summary • Students are candid about themselves and their UW experience. • Our students express a strong sense of belonging and commitment to UW, but also feel free to point out areas of dissatisfaction. • Safety issues for women, especially those living in sororities. • International students want to interact with the UW and larger U.S. community, but may have trouble achieving this.