Student quality of life ratings at over 400 colleges and universities across America have significantly improved from ratings in the same categories last year, according to a study by the National Survey of Student Engagement.
The annual study collects information from 360,000 students attending 617 four-year colleges and universities nationwide, according to the NSSE Web site. The survey measures the quality of student life for first-year students and seniors at individual schools in five main categories: level of academic challenge, active and collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, enriching educational experiences and supportive campus environment.
Though AU did not participate in the NSSE this year, the university will be administering the survey to first-year students and seniors in spring 2010, according to Karen Froslid-Jones, director of AU’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment.
Froslid-Jones said the NSSE has been administered every other year at AU since 2000. The survey was last administered at AU in spring 2008 with positive results. AU scored “much better than its peers” in the four out of five quality of student life categories.
The researchers conducting the 2009 NSSE survey found 41 percent of participating colleges showed improvement in one or more of the categories of the quality of student life for first year students, and 28 percent of the colleges showed improvement in student life for seniors. The researchers also found that students whose classes used course management Web sites, such as those providing discussion boards and the posting of readings or assignments, scored higher on the NSSE and reported more academic and personal gains during college.
Froslid-Jones said AU has used the results of the survey in past years to make improvements to a number of programs such as the Honors Program, the Washington Mentorship Program and University College. Froslid-Jones said the improvements in the University College, in particular, greatly reflect the goals of the NSSE.
“The University College encourages building positive relationships with faculty and offers small courses, better enabling the kind of interactions NSSE hopes occur on campuses,” she said.
Froslid-Jones praised the survey as a useful tool and said she has been happy with AU’s results so far.
“It is always affirming to find that AU’s educational experience is in line with our expectations,” Froslid-Jones said. “We use NSSE to better understand the many ways in which AU excels and the places where there might be room for improvement. It validates that fact that AU is a great place to study.”
Gail Hanson, vice president of AU Campus Life, said the Office of Campus Life always pays close attention to the NSSE results in order to make improvements for students socially and academically. Hanson also said the Office of Campus Life has implemented a number of measures to boost AU’s NSSE rating.
“To try to improve our performance on these ratings, we have begun investing more staff time and resources in late night and weekend programming and in creating popular social destinations, like The Perch,” Hanson said.
Dean of Students Robert Hradsky also works to ensure that AU students remain active in campus life. AU has a number of programs and events for getting students involved, including the Student Involvement Fair, Residence Hall Association activities, Greek Life and events planned by the Student Government, he said.
Hradsky said surveys like the NSSE help students thrive and have an overall better college experience.
“Research studies have shown that involvement on campus leads to greater student satisfaction and to greater student retention,” Hradsky said. “Students [who are involved] tend to have a more meaningful college experience.”
You can reach this staff writer at jryan@theeagleonline.com.
