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Student Priorities

Student Priorities. Graduate Student Government Student Government Association Senior Leadership Team January 26, 2012. Overview of Graduate Student Body & Priorities. Methodology & Response Understanding our Graduate Population Top Funding P riorities Summary.

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Student Priorities

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  1. Student Priorities Graduate Student Government Student Government Association Senior Leadership Team January 26, 2012

  2. Overview of Graduate Student Body & Priorities • Methodology & Response • Understanding our Graduate Population • Top Funding Priorities • Summary

  3. I. Graduate Survey Methodology & Response • Online survey launched December 5, 2011; closed January 16, 2012. • Robust discussion of initial survey results at 1/23 Graduate Senate Meeting • Total of 374 respondents (15% rate of return) • Instruction Format: 87% Classroom; 4% Online; 9% Hybrid • CPS students were excluded from this year’s survey • Demographics collected • College • Current degree objectives • Teaching/Research Assistantship • Housing Situation

  4. Survey Respondents by College

  5. Survey Respondents by Degree Objective

  6. II. Understanding our Graduate Population • Deciding Factors in Choosing Northeastern • Rating the Northeastern Experience • Learning Outside of Class • Communication with Faculty Advisors • Housing Decisions

  7. AttractionsConcerns Deciding Factors in Choosing Northeastern

  8. AcademicsJob Search Support “Excellent” “Good” “Average” “Fair” “Poor” How do students rate their Northeastern experience?

  9. How are students learning outside of class? • 60% have conducted research with faculty members • 57% have applied their knowledge in a non-academic setting • 49% attended an academic conference in the last year • 41% have networked with Northeastern alumni in their field • 22% presented a paper or poster at a conference • 9% have published as a first author, 8% as a second author

  10. Frequency of Communication with Advisors

  11. Living SituationWhy not living on campus Current Housing Status

  12. III. Top Graduate Budget & Program Priorities Graduate Student Government

  13. 1. Increase Financial Assistance – The Data: • 69%of students ranked “Stipends for unpaid coops/internships” as “Extremely” or “Very Important” • 56% of students ranked “Conference Funding” as “Extremely” or “Very Important” • 44% said they had “No other sources of conference funding” than GSG • GSG lacks the capacity to continue as the lone source of funding for almost half of graduate students (Per student assistance has decreased by almost half compared to last year) • 44% of students who sought assistance in searching/applying for grants, scholarships and fellowships rated their experience as “fair” or “poor” Graduate Student Government

  14. 1. Increase Financial Assistance • Programmatic assistance in fellowship/grant application process • Workshops on writing winning grant proposals • Panel discussions from Professors/Students who have won major grants • Increased communication re: fellowship/scholarship opportunities from Financial Aid Office • Commitment from College Deans and Department Chairs • Allocate funding for stipends to support unpaid coops/internships • Increase funding support for conference attendance

  15. 2. Increase Space On Campus – The Data: • 65% of students ranked “Additional/Improved Space (lounges, study rooms, etc)” as “Extremely” or “Very Important” • A recent Graduate Senate discussion highlighted the need for exclusive graduate-level study space during undergraduate finals periods • 55% of students’ reservations about attending NU were tied to housing concerns • 30% related to the high cost of living in Boston • 13% related to challenges in commuting to/from campus • 12% related to lack of overall housing availability near campus • 68% of students’ reasons for not living on campus were tied to inadequate housing stock (no desire to live in undergrad-style “dorms;” belief that cost/quality of NU housing not competitive with open market)

  16. 2. Increase Space On Campus • Designate existing study/lounge space on campus to “Graduate-level Only,” especially during undergraduate final exam periods • Include high-quality Graduate-level housing as a priority in the new Master Plan

  17. 3. Improve Career Development – The Data: • Career Advancement Challenges • 64% of PhD and 50% of MA students report they have not had the opportunity to network with NU alumni in their field in the last year • 43% of PhD students have not published as a first or co-author • 36% of graduate students rated their assistance with searching and applying for post-graduate employment as “fair” or “poor” • Advisor Communication Update

  18. 3. Improve Career Development • Encourage faculty advisors to take initiative in reaching out to students on their advisement rolls • Work with the alumni center/career center to foster graduate student alumni networking events and on-going mentor programs • Provide incentives for faculty members to publish with graduate students as their second author

  19. 4. Increase Support for TAs/RAs – The Data: • Continue to Improve/Increase Trainings • 26% of Teaching and Research Assistants reported they received no training from either the University and their departments. • 56% reported their training from the University as “excellent” or “good” • 66% reported their training from their departments as “excellent” or “good”

  20. 4. Increase Support for TAs/RAs • Continue efforts to improve TA training and teaching seminars, roundtables, etc. • Ensure TA/RA stipend amounts are competitive with other schools • Incorporate TA office space into Master Plan

  21. IV. Summary • Northeastern’s Graduate students lead dynamic lives, balancing academics with other priorities • Graduate Student Budget Priorities • Increase Financial Assistance • Increase On-campus Space • Improve Career Development • Increase Support for Graduate Teaching and Research Assistants • Balancing small scale solutions that make a big impact and investing for the future of Northeastern • Questions?

  22. Student Priorities Assessment • Initial Assessment: Committee research/ general student engagement • Evaluation: Open December 5th - January 9th • 1924 responses • Representative across colleges • Representative among years, except for lesser response from Seniors • 40% chose much lessened standard tuition increase for much fewer improvements

  23. Demographics Which Northeastern Branding do You most identify with? • 67% of co-op students leave campus before 8am38% return after 6pm • 85% are involved in at least 1 student organization • 63% are involved in 2 or more student organizations

  24. Credit Monitoring Plus One Masters Ongoing Priorities 2011: 51% not aware 2012: 40% not aware 43% interested in pursuing a Plus One Masters +1 MBA/Psychology most popular suggestions • Do not monitor credit • 2011 & 2012: 45% • Very or moderately important to monitor credit • 2011: 90% • 2012: 87% • Reasons why students do not: • Do not know how to • Costs too much money • Do not have a credit card

  25. Office Accessibility Not Meeting Needs • Academic Advising • - 2011: 21% • - 2012: 16% • Financial Aid Advising • - 2011: 37% • - 2012: 17% • Co-op Advising • -2011: 13% • -2012: 9%

  26. Top 6 Priorities Ranked 1, 2 or 3 • Course Registration improvements/ Waiting List (42.76%) • Study Spaces/ Hours (42.09%) • Instructor Language/Communication Skills (37.16%) • Classroom Upgrades (35.02%) • Academic Technology (32.67%) • Printing Services Expansion (30.63%)

  27. Course Registration Improvements/ Waiting List • Course Waiting List • 87% very or moderately likely to use • Students indicated difficulties with determining what professors use in place of an official course waiting list Course Registration • Concerns about registration times occurring only during class/ coop hours. (Between 8am-4pm currently) • Concerns about registration times determined solely by credits. (AP Credits)

  28. Study Spaces • Preferred Study Times • - 76% 5pm-8pm • - 85% 8pm-10pm • - 74% 10pm-12am • Preferred Location • - 82% Library • - 75% Residence (On/Off Campus) • - 42% Quiet Study Rooms • Group Size Preference • 57% groups of 3-4 • 52% pairs • 78% alone • Resources Utilized • 87% Electrical Outlets • 71% Computer • 56% White Board

  29. Instructor Language/Communication Skills • Instructor Training/Communication Barriers • 78% taken course where instructor’s ability to communicate affected understanding of course material • 70% rate courses taught by Teaching Assistants are somewhat or much worse than full-time instructors • Instructors appear to not have access to sufficient training in the operation and use of currently available classroom technology • Examples: Blackboard and Projector use

  30. Classroom Upgrades • Upgrades most requested: 56 % chair replacements and 58% electrical outlets • 200/300/458 Richards • Architecture Studio: Plotters, Printers, Laser- cutters • Technology upgrades: Ryder • 201 Mugar • Hurtig Science Labs • Snell Basement Classrooms

  31. Academic Technology • Tegrity • Expansion of recorded course lectures to other colleges • 72% very or moderately likely to refer to course recordings when preparing for exams • Rosetta Stone • 75% very or moderately likely to utilize if made available through MyNEU • Provided at a nominal cost to students • Increased Software Availability • 92% very or moderately likely to use Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite if made available to download through MyNEU • 21% rate current MyApps system as excellent or good

  32. Printing Services Expansion • Printing Offerings • 80% would use color, 59% resume printing • 74% willing to use 2 to 3 pages of print allowance for 1 page of color/resume printing • Expanded Printing Locations • Additional stations: • Curry • Shillman • Behrakis • West Village A or H • Ryder

  33. Other Takeaways Communication Resources • Campus Announcements & Events • 32% very or moderately confident that they are aware of campus announcements • 23% very or moderately confident that they are aware of campus events • Effective Methods of Communication • 85% Email • 66% MyNEU • 64% Word of Mouth • Student-run Media • 4% reported student-run media as most-effective • Student-run media improvements:54% focus on newspaper22% focus on television

  34. CampusMarketing

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