Oklahoma State University

Transcription

1 create / innovate / educate / GO STATE Oklahoma State University 2010 Graduate Student Satisfaction Survey Jeremy Penn, Ph.D. Director TK Kominsky, Ph.D. Statistical Analyst Sungah Kim Richard Churchill Graduate Research Assistants August, 2010 (405)

2 Table of Contents Overview... 1 Results... 3 Table 1. Response rates for each college and department Table 2. Number of respondents by college, gender, degree, ethnicity, cumulative hours, and age Graduate Program Satisfaction... 9 Satisfaction with Advisors Satisfaction with Assistantships Satisfaction with University Services Satisfaction with Diversity Satisfaction with the Graduate College Demographic Information Satisfaction with Graduate and Professional Student Government Association Career Plans Overall Satisfaction... 27

3 Overview The 2010 Graduate Student Satisfaction Survey (GSSS) was conducted to assess graduate students' satisfaction and perceptions about various aspects of their academic experience the quality of their academic program, relationships with faculty and advisors, support and resources provided by the department and the university, and interactions with the Graduate College and the Graduate and Professional Student Government Association (GPSGA). Survey results include responses to 42 questions and provide information that could be useful to academic departments and/or the Graduate College in improving the quality of programs and services available to graduate students and increasing graduate student satisfaction. Methods. The Office of (UAT) and the Graduate College developed the survey instrument with input from the GPSGA and the Bureau for Social Research. The GSSS was administered as an Internetbased survey by UAT in March through May, invitations containing a link to the online survey were sent to all 4,260 graduate students enrolled at the Stillwater and Tulsa campuses (excluding students classified as "special" students and students enrolled in either the College of Veterinary Medicine or the College of Osteopathic Medicine). Results are reported for the university as a whole, for and Doctoral level students, and by college and academic program. A student makes a print in the Bartlett Center for the Visual Arts Response Rate. Surveys were completed by 2,696 students, a response rate of 63%. Sample. Respondents to the survey were representative of the population in terms of gender (56% male; 44% female); ethnicity (55% White; 35% International; 10% other minority); and program level (62% Masters; 38% Doctoral). Course work was primarily completed on the Stillwater (59% of students; 73% of Doctoral students) and Tulsa campuses (15% of students; 8% of Doctoral students). Satisfaction. Over 91% of respondents indicated that they were very or generally satisfied with computing and library resources available to them. More than 88% of students indicated that they agreed or agreed somewhat that their advisor was willing to spend the time with them that they need. Over 89% indicated that they were generally or very satisfied with their overall 1

4 experience as a graduate student. More than 79% of respondents indicated that they were generally or very satisfied with departmental preparation and guidance for their role of teaching assistant (if applicable). Over 78% were generally or very satisfied with the helpfulness of Graduate College staff, and 74% with the availability of course offerings in their program. Assistantships. Opportunities for financial support such as assistantships and scholarships are readily available in their department according to 22% of students and 36% of Doctoral students. Students who currently or previously held graduate assistantships included 42% of students and 69% of Doctoral students. For both and Doctoral students who held assistantships (currently or previously), the primary responsibility was more often research (51% and 59%, respectively) than teaching (33% and 54%). Note that because students were asked about current and previous assistantships, percentages do not total 100%. In terms of their financial package, Two students carefully consider a problem in the Math Department 79% of students and 72% of Doctoral students with a graduate assistantship indicated that it was adequate or somewhat adequate in meeting financial needs. Diversity. Less than half of the graduate students agreed that OSU is a supportive campus toward those with diverse backgrounds (49% ; 46% Doctoral) while an additional 26% of students and 34% of Doctoral students agreed somewhat. About 8% of students and 15% of Doctoral students said they have experienced discrimination directed toward them. Of the instances of discrimination, the discrimination was said to be based on race (24%), nationality (21%), gender (13%), religion (10%), enrollment status (6%), sexual orientation (4%), disability (3%), or some other issue (26%). 2

5 Results Table 1. Response rates for each college and department. Graduate Students Completed Surveys Response Rate (%) The Entire Survey Population 4,260 2, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources All CASNR Agribusiness Agricultural Communications Agricultural Economics Agricultural Education Agricultural Leadership Animal Breeding and Reproduction Animal Nutrition Animal Science Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Crop Science Entomology Food Science Horticulture International Agriculture Natural Resource Ecology and Management Plant and Soil Science Plant Pathology Soil Science College of Arts and Sciences All CAS Botany Chemistry Communication Sciences and Disorders Computer Science Creative Writing English Fire and Emergency Management Administration Geography Geology History Mass Communications Mathematics Microbiology, Cell and Molecular Biology

6 Graduate Students Completed Surveys Response Rate (%) College of Arts and Sciences (continued) Music Pedagogy and Performance Philosophy Physics Political Science Psychology Sociology Statistics Theatre Zoology Spears School of Business All SSB Accounting Business Administration ( level) Business Administration (Doctoral level) BADM - Accounting BADM - Finance BADM - Management BADM - Management Science and Information Systems BADM - Marketing Business Geographics Economics Entrepreneurship Management Information Systems Quantitative Financial Economics College of Education All COE Aviation and Space Education College Interdisciplinary Studies College Student Development Community Counseling Education Educational Administration Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Educational Leadership Studies Educational Psychology Educational Technology Health and Human Performance

7 Graduate Students Completed Surveys Response Rate (%) College of Education (continued) Health, Leisure, and Human Performance Higher Education Leisure Studies Occupational and Adult Education School Administration School Counseling School Library Media School Psychology Teaching, Learning and Leadership College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology All CEAT Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Control Systems Engineering Electrical Engineering Engineering Technology Management Environmental Engineering Industrial Engineering and Management Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Mechanical Engineering College of Human Environmental Sciences All CHES Apparel Design and Production Child and Family Services Design, Housing and Merchandising Family Relations and Child Development Gerontology Hospitality Administration Human Development and Family Science Human Environmental Sciences HES - Family Financial Planning HES - Hospitality Administration HES - Nutritional Sciences Marriage and Family Therapy Merchandising % Nutritional Sciences

8 Graduate College All Graduate College Environmental Science International Studies Natural and Applied Sciences Aviation and Space Science Geriatrics Health Care Administration Natural Sciences Photonics Photonics Plant Science Telecommunications Management Veterinary Biomedical Sciences

9 Table 2. Number of respondents by college, gender, degree, ethnicity, cumulative hours, and age. CAS CASNR SSB COE CEAT CHES Graduate College Total Gender Male Female Degree EDD EDS PHD MA MAG MBA MFA MM MS MSBA Ethnicity African American Asian American Hispanic American International Native American White

10 CAS CASNR SSB COE CEAT CHES Graduate College Total Cumulative Hours Age 24 years old or less years old years old years old 50+ years old

11 Graduate Program Satisfaction Q1. To what extent are you involved in research or other scholarly activities, such as presentations, professional conferences, and publications? very involved somewhat involved not involved don t know prefer not to answer Q2. To what extent does your department provide travel support for scholarly activities, such as research, presentations, professional conferences, or publications? full support some support no support don t know prefer not to answer Q3. How satisfied are you with the availability of the course offerings in your program (for example, the frequency of class offerings, spaces available, etc.)? very satisfied generally satisfied generally dissatisfied very dissatisfied don t know prefer not to answer

12 Q4. How satisfied are you with your relationships and interactions with faculty in your department? very satisfied generally satisfied generally dissatisfied very dissatisfied don t know prefer not to answer Q5. How would you rate your satisfaction with the overall quality of your academic program? very satisfied generally satisfied generally dissatisfied very dissatisfied don t know prefer not to answer Q6. With what specific aspects of your graduate program are you dissatisfied? 1,2 n % overall curriculum assistantship / funding course availability Research opportunity /support department support faculty support or involvement lack of communication resources / facilities number of faculty quality of instruction quality of students relationship with advisor course content or rigor practical application no comment, not sure or none program structure departmental politics other Responses to this open-ended question were categorized by the Office of. 2 Question only asked to those who responded generally dissatisfied or very dissatisfied to Q5. 10

13 Q7. What are the main strengths of your academic program? 3 n % relationships with faculty faculty expertise curriculum overall flexibility practical applicability of courses research opportunities web technology/distance learning relationships with other students assistantship or other financial support resources and technology course availability specific faculty helpfulness of staff diversity relationships with advisors class or program size challenge interdisciplinary nature other no comment, not sure or none Responses to this open-ended question were categorized by the Office of. 11

14 n % course availability course content or rigor relationships with faculty assistantship or financial support number of faculty communication organization or structure faculty expertise curriculum overall practical applicability of courses web technology/distance learning research opportunities advising resources and technology program funding other no comment, not sure or none Responses to this open-ended question were categorized by the Office of. 12

15 Satisfaction with Advisors Q9. My advisor is generally available when I need to meet with him/her. agree agree somewhat disagree somewhat disagree don t know prefer not to answer Q10. My advisor is willing to spend the time with me that I need. agree agree somewhat disagree somewhat disagree don t know prefer not to answer

16 Q13. Is/Was your primary responsibility teaching? 5 Q14. Is/Was your primary responsibility research? OSU Graduate Student Satisfaction Survey Satisfaction with Assistantships Q11. To what extent are opportunities available for financial support of graduate students in your department such as assistantships and scholarships? readily available somewhat available not available don t know prefer not to answer Q12. Do you currently have, or have you previously had a graduate assistantship? yes no don t know prefer not to answer yes no don t know prefer not to answer yes no don t know prefer not to answer Question asked only to those who responded that they have or have previously had a graduate assistantship. 14

17 Q15. Is/Was your primary responsibility something other than teaching or research? 5 yes no don t know prefer not to answer Q16. How satisfied are you with the preparation and guidance your department provided you in your role as a teaching assistant? 6 very satisfied generally satisfied generally dissatisfied very dissatisfied don t know prefer not to answer Q17. How adequate is or was your assistantship financial package (stipend, tuition waiver, etc.) in meeting your financial needs? 7 adequate somewhat adequate not adequate don t know prefer not to answer Question asked only to those who responded that their primary assistantship responsibility was teaching. 7 Question asked only to those who responded that they have or have previously had a graduate assistantship. 15

18 Q18. Do you have any comments about Teaching, Graduate, or Research Assistantships? 8 n % should pay more or waive more hours/fees good package/good experience overall not any or enough assistantships not applicable do not use, distance learner, work full-time, etc needed more preparation, training or feedback from professors required too many hours/workload too heavy should be publicized more should offer more research opportunities should have better selection process should have summer funding for assistantships appreciate the opportunity improved health coverage needed pay is adequate/adequate but tight inequality of pay between master s/doctoral positions other don t know/no comment Responses to this open-ended question were categorized by the Office of. 16

19 Satisfaction with University Services Q19. How satisfied are you with the computing resources such as access to computers, , and Internet? very satisfied generally satisfied generally dissatisfied very dissatisfied don t know prefer not to answer Q20. Not including library resources, how satisfied are you with the research resources such as facilities, equipment, and lab space? very satisfied generally satisfied generally dissatisfied very dissatisfied not applicable don t know prefer not to answer Q21. How satisfied are you with the library resources available to you? very satisfied generally satisfied generally dissatisfied very dissatisfied don t know prefer not to answer

20 Q22. Do you have any comments or recommendations about computing, research, or library resources at OSU? What could be improved to make it better? 9 n % computing, research, or library resources are fine/good/great facilities/space could be improved technology on campus could be improved online library resources could be improved library books/journals could be improved issues with printers/copy machines could be improved department/college-specific resources could be improved training on/awareness of existing technology would be helpful inter-library loan is fine/good/great library/computer hours could be improved technology at OSU Tulsa could be improved library services/staff are fine/good/great wireless internet service could be improved other no comment or not applicable Responses to this open-ended question were categorized by the Office of. 18

21 Q25. Did you experience discrimination because of a disability? 10 Q26. Did you experience gender discrimination? OSU Graduate Student Satisfaction Survey Satisfaction with Diversity Q23. OSU is a supportive campus toward those with diverse backgrounds. agree agree somewhat disagree somewhat disagree don t know prefer not to answer Q24. Since you ve been at OSU, have you experienced discrimination that was directed toward you? yes no don t know prefer not to answer yes no don t know prefer not to answer yes no don t know prefer not to answer Question asked only to those who responded that they had experienced discrimination. 19

22 Q27. Did you experience discrimination due to your nationality? 10 yes no don t know prefer not to answer Q28. Did you experience discrimination due to your race? 10 yes no don t know prefer not to answer Q29. Did you experience discrimination because of your religion? 10 yes no don t know prefer not to answer Q30. Did you experience discrimination because of your sexual orientation? 10 yes no don t know prefer not to answer

23 Q31. Did you experience discrimination because of your enrollment status, full or part-time? 10 yes no don t know prefer not to answer Q32. Did you experience some other form of discrimination? 10 yes no don t know prefer not to answer Q33. If you experienced some other form of discrimination, on what basis did it occur? 11 n % race or nationality reverse discrimination age education level gender background enrollment status language physical appearance politics or religion major other Responses to this open-ended question were categorized by the Office of. 21

24 Q34. Do you have any comments or recommendations about diversity at OSU? 12 n % it s fine add training/programs/curriculum dissatisfied based on specific instances minority faculty and students should be recruited too much emphasis need more social interaction among diverse groups/individuals room for improvement should be equal opportunities/standards for everyone program or college lacks diversity more inclusive definition needed more focus needed need greater acceptance of individuals other no comment Responses to this open-ended question were categorized by the Office of. 22

25 Satisfaction with the Graduate College Q35. How satisfied are you with the helpfulness of the Graduate College staff in responding to your concerns and questions? very satisfied generally satisfied generally dissatisfied very dissatisfied don t know prefer not to answer Q36. Do you have any comments or recommendations about the services provided by the Graduate College? 13 n % good job/helpful not helpful no/little interaction rude/unfriendly process should be smoother communication with student or department could be improved service should be quicker provided conflicting/confusing information share more information re. resources/deadlines/procedures lost/misplaced documents resources/technology/website could be improved other no comment Responses to this open-ended question were categorized by the Office of. 23

26 Demographic Information Q37. Which of the following statements best describes where you have taken your graduate courses? primarily on the Stillwater (main) campus primarily on the Tulsa campus evenly split between the Stillwater and Tulsa campuses primarily distance-format on neither campus don t know prefer not to answer Q38. How many credit hours have you taken in a distance learning format? 14,15 none hours hours hours hours hours hours hours > 30 hours don t know Responses to this open-ended question were categorized by the Office of. 15 Responses of none may be underrepresented due to a large number of participants not responding to this question. 24

27 Satisfaction with Graduate and Professional Student Government Association Q39. Do you have any recommendations or suggestions about the mission and activities of the Graduate and Professional Student Government Association (GPSGA)? 16 n % don t know about GPSGA or not involved should advertise and increase visibility GPSGA is doing a good job or has been helpful specific suggestions or requests for action should involve more students not a useful or good organization should increase/continue to provide assistantship stipends, benefits, travel money, etc should better disseminate information should have a presence in Tulsa meeting times could be more convenient should have a more active voice/receive more university support other no comment Responses to this open-ended question were categorized by the Office of. 25

28 Career Plans Q40. Which of the following best describes the employment setting for your future career plans? private sector/industry government K-12 education higher education non-profit other undecided don t know prefer not to answer

29 Overall Satisfaction Q41. How would you rate your overall satisfaction with your experience as a graduate student at OSU? very satisfied generally satisfied generally dissatisfied very dissatisfied don t know prefer not to answer Q42. Do you have any final comments or recommendations about your experience as a graduate student at OSU? 17 n % OSU has been a positive experience faculty or staff courses and coursework funding, assistantships, or benefits department OSU-Tulsa, OSU-OKC, or OSU-Okmulgee distance learning student services advising research graduate college communication diversity other no comments or recommendations Responses to this open-ended question were categorized by the Office of. 27