University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point National Survey of
Student Engagement, 2001
The University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point participated in the
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) in the spring of
2001. The survey was distributed—in both paper and web
versions—to a random sample of 350 first-year students who
initially enrolled at UWSP fall 2000 and 350 seniors who had
applied for May 2001 graduation. First-year students
returned 201 surveys and seniors returned 223 for an overall
response rate of 62%. The following tables compare the
mean responses of UWSP students to public masters degree
granting institutions (PMGDI). The tables are organized
according to NSSE’s “five areas of effective educational
practice.” Additional information is located at
http://www.iub.edu/~nsse.
[The single sample t-test is used to test for statistical
significance. A
++ after a mean indicates that UWSP is significantly
higher than public masters, p < .05. A --
indicates the UWSP mean is significantly lower.]
Level of Academic Challenge
|
|
1st Year
|
Senior
|
|
UWSP
|
PMGDI
|
UWSP
|
PMGDI
|
|
Preparing for class per week (studying, reading,
writing, rehearsing, and other activities related to
your academic program)
|
3.99++
|
3.60
|
4.22++
|
3.87
|
|
Number of assigned textbooks, books, or book-length
packs of course readings
|
3.20
|
3.17
|
3.01
|
3.11
|
|
Number of written papers or reports of 20 pages or
more
|
1.13
|
1.23
|
1.61
|
1.61
|
|
Number of written papers or reports of between 5 and
19 pages
|
2.06--
|
2.22
|
2.60
|
2.52
|
|
Number written papers or reports of fewer than 5
pages
|
3.33++
|
3.11
|
3.31++
|
3.03
|
|
Coursework emphasized analyzing the basic elements
of an idea, experience or theory
|
2.99
|
2.99
|
3.12
|
3.22
|
|
Course work emphasized synthesizing and organizing
ideas, information, or experiences into new, more
complex interpretations and relationships
|
2.66
|
2.70
|
2.93
|
2.96
|
|
Course work emphasized making judgments about the
value of information, arguments, or methods
|
2.72
|
2.73
|
2.78
|
2.87
|
|
Course work emphasized applying theories or concepts
to practical problems or in new situations
|
2.85
|
2.85
|
3.09
|
3.13
|
|
Worked harder than you thought you could to meet an
instructor’s standards or expectations
|
2.52
|
2.56
|
2.61
|
2.69
|
|
Campus environment emphasized spending significant
amounts of time studying and on academic work
|
3.06
|
3.05
|
2.95--
|
3.05
|
Active and Collaborative Learning
|
|
1st Year
|
Senior
|
|
UWSP
|
PMGDI
|
UWSP
|
PMGDI
|
|
Asked questions in class or contributed to class
discussions
|
2.63
|
2.69
|
2.96
|
3.07
|
|
Made a class presentation
|
2.04
|
2.13
|
2.86
|
2.84
|
|
Worked with other students on projects during class
|
2.50
|
2.49
|
2.65
|
2.62
|
|
Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare
class assignments
|
2.13
|
2.18
|
2.95++
|
2.70
|
|
Tutored or taught other students
|
1.34--
|
1.53
|
1.86
|
1.75
|
|
Participated in a community-based project as part of
a regular course
|
1.17--
|
1.31
|
1.58
|
1.58
|
|
Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with
others outside of class (students, family members,
co-workers, etc.)
|
2.60
|
2.63
|
2.94
|
2.85
|
Student Interactions with Faculty Members
|
|
1st Year
|
Senior
|
|
UWSP
|
PMGDI
|
UWSP
|
PMGDI
|
|
Discussed grades or assignments with an instructor
|
2.27--
|
2.49
|
2.76
|
2.76
|
|
Talked about career plans with a faculty member or
advisor
|
2.20++
|
2.07
|
2.64++
|
2.36
|
|
Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with
faculty members outside of class
|
1.51--
|
1.65
|
1.99
|
1.97
|
|
Worked with faculty members on activities other than
coursework (committees, orientation, student-life
activities, etc.)
|
1.39
|
1.42
|
1.98++
|
1.74
|
|
Received prompt feedback from faculty on your
academic performance (written or oral)
|
2.53
|
2.48
|
2.74
|
2.74
|
Enriching Educational Experiences
|
|
1st Year
|
Senior
|
|
UWSP
|
PMGDI
|
UWSP
|
PMGDI
|
|
Participating in co-curricular activities
(organizations, publications, student government,
sports, etc.)
|
2.14
|
2.00
|
2.47++
|
1.93
|
|
Had serious conversations with students that have
different religious beliefs, political opinions, or
personal values
|
2.76
|
2.75
|
2.91++
|
2.72
|
|
Had serious conversations with students of a
different race or ethnicity
|
2.14--
|
2.51
|
2.24--
|
2.55
|
|
Used electronic technology (list-serve, chat group,
internet, etc.) to discuss or complete an assignment
|
2.72++
|
2.46
|
2.77
|
2.69
|
|
Campus environment encouraged contact among students
from different economic, social, and racial or
ethnic backgrounds
|
2.37
|
2.43
|
2.03--
|
2.31
|
Supportive Campus Environment
|
|
1st Year
|
Senior
|
|
UWSP
|
PMGDI
|
UWSP
|
PMGDI
|
|
Campus environment provided the support you need to
help you succeed academically
|
3.05++
|
2.89
|
2.81
|
2.76
|
|
Campus environment helped you cope with your
nonacademic responsibilities (work, family, etc.)
|
2.06
|
1.99
|
1.85
|
1.76
|
|
Campus environment provided the support you need to
thrive socially
|
2.37++
|
2.22
|
2.24++
|
2.00
|
|
Quality of relationships with other students on a
scale from 1 to 7, 1 being worst and 7 being best
|
5.65
|
5.57
|
5.87++
|
5.69
|
|
Quality of relationships with faculty members on a
scale from 1 to 7, 1 being worst and 7 being best
|
5.39
|
5.24
|
5.64++
|
5.43
|
|
Quality of relationships with administrative
personnel and offices on a scale from 1 to 7, 1
being worst and 7 being best
|
5.02++
|
4.80
|
4.89++
|
4.52
|
First-year students at UWSP score significantly higher than
public master degree granting institutions on seven of the
thirty-four index items--significantly lower on five items.
UWSP Seniors score significantly higher on eleven
items--significantly lower on two items. While there are
many positive outcomes in these data, UWSP believes that it can
substantially improve on these results.
To achieve such improvement, Academic Affairs and Student
Affairs have jointly set up an ad hoc committee to study
questions of student success and retention and develop an action
plan to address them. Specifically, the committee will:
- Identify key factors affecting retention efforts at UWSP
based on NSSE results and other institutional data.
- Identify 4-5 reasonable strategies that would have the
potential of increasing the retention of first-year students
at UWSP.
- Design an action plan for each strategy and present them
to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and
the Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs for action.
- Evaluate the impact of the strategies that are
implemented.
