Student Engagement at the Research University (SERU) at UW: Student Life

Student Engagement at the Research University (SERU) at UW:

Student Life

Student Life Assessment Meeting02 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

Women Men Fr./So. Jr./Sr.0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

% of Population% of respondents

SERU 2014:Representativeness

• Under-represented minority (URM) and International students were under-represented

URM Asian American White American Other/Unknown International0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

% of Population% of respondents

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?

1504; 21%

336; 5%

600; 9%

18; 0%

2282; 32%

2158; 31%

133; 2%

Campus residence hallCampus owned apartment or houseSorority or fraternityCo-op student housingOff-campus in an apartmentOff-campus in a houseOther, please elaborate

Categories will be collapsed as: Campus housing, Sorority/Fraternity, and Elsewhere


What was your social class growing up?

Low income Working class Middle class Upper-middle class Wealthy0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

10.3

20.6

41.4

25.6

2.1

Perc

ent


What is your spiritual/religious preference?

Spiritual but not religious Not spiritual or religious Selected religion No response0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

10.3

43.441.1

5.1

Perc

ent

Not spiritual or religious includes: Not particularly spiritual, No preference, Agnostic, and Atheist


Do you have a physical or learning disability?

45% of those reporting a physical or learning disability indicated they receive disability accommodations

Physical disability Learning disability Either physical or learning0

100

200

300

400

500

600

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

143

383

481

2.1

5.8

7.4

Num

ber s

electi

ng Y

es

Perc

ent


What is your sexual orientation?

Bisexual

Gay/Lesbian

Heterosexual

Questioning

Self-identified Queer

Decline to state

Other; please elaborate

No response

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

4.1

2.5

82.5

1.4

0.9

4.9

1.9

1.8

Percent


What is your political orientation?

Very liberal

Liberal

Slightly liberal

Moderate or middle of the road

Slightly conservative

Conservative

Very conservative

No response

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

8.6

30.5

15.6

25.5

9

6.6

1.1

3

Percent

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)


Average weeknight hours of sleep? 4 or less

2%

5 hrs11%

6 hrs29%

7 hrs36%

8 hrs18%

9 or more3%


How do students spend their week?

* The graph includes only those students who responded to all of the activities items.

Classes/labs Coursework Student clubs or organizations

Leisure Work Other0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

14.713.2

2.9

37.7

8.8

14.5Hour

s per

wee

k


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

Fr. So. Jr. Sr. Total0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

27

41

55

64

52

13.7 14.2

18.0 17.6 16.9

Perc

enta

ge re

porti

ng so

me

work

hou

rs

Aver

ge n

umbe

r of h

ours

wor

ked

(wor

kers

only

)


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


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.


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]”

Campus housing Sorority/Fraternity Elsewhere Total1

2

3

4

5

2.3

2.62.5 2.4

2.12.2 2.3 2.2

WomenMen

Mea

n (3

=Neu

tral)


The UW is… “Safe [1] … Dangerous [5]” by Sex and Residence

Cam

pus h

ousin

g

Soro

rity/F

rate

rnity

Else

wher

e

Cam

pus h

ousin

g

Soro

rity/F

rate

rnity

Else

wher

e

Women Men

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

16 13 15 25 23 22

4433

40

4441 41

30

3432

2528 28

918 11

6 8 8

Five (Dangerous)FourThreeTwoOne (Safe)

Perc

ent


Indicate level of agreement with the following in terms of yourself.

1 = Strongly disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Strongly agree

Students of my race/ethnicity are respected

Students of my socio-economic status are respected

Students of my gender are respected

Students of my religious beliefs are respected

Students of my political beliefs are respected

Students of my sexual orientation are respected

Students of my immigration background are respected

Students with a physical, psych, or learning disability like mine are respected

1 2 3 4 5 6

4.8

4.8

5.0

4.7

4.7

5.2

4.7

4.7

Average rating


Students of my race/ethnicity are respected on this campus.


African Amer.

Pacific Islander

Asian Amer.

Hispanic Amer.

Native Amer.

White Amer.

1 2 3 4 5 6

3.9

4.5

4.6

4.6

4.7

5.2


Students of my socioeconomic background are respected on this campus.


Low-income or poor

Working-class

Wealthy

Middle-class

Upper-middle or professional-middle

1 2 3 4 5 6

4.2

4.6

4.8

4.8

5.1


Students of my gender are respected on this campus.


Women

Men

1 2 3 4 5 6

4.9

5.1


Students of my political beliefs are respected on this campus.


Conservative

Moderate

Liberal

1 2 3 4 5 6

4.0

4.6

5.0

Self-identified Queer

Gay/Lesbian

Bisexual

Decline to state

Questioning

Heterosexual

1 2 3 4 5 6


Students of my sexual orientation are respected on this campus.



Students with a physical, psychological, or learning disability like mine are respected….


Physical disability

Learning disability

No physical or learning disability

Either physical or learning disability

Receive disability accommodations

No disability accommodations

1 2 3 4 5 6

4.2

4.3

4.8

4.3

4.5

4.2


Students of my immigration background are respected on this campus.


Visa

Permanent resident

U.S. citizen

1 2 3 4 5 6

4.4

4.5

4.8

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.

The interest in and attention to international students shown by professors

The interest in and attention to international students shown by American students

The campus services provided specifically for international students

The campus services provided for all students

Quality of info provided about campus rules, regulations, requirements, resources

Opportunities to explore American life/culture outside the university

1 2 3 4 5 6

3.9

3.7

4.0

4.1

4.1

3.9

Average satisfaction

SERU 2014:Overall Evaluation

Four items asked about general satisfaction.

1 = Very dissatisfied, 3 = Somewhat dissatisfied, 4 = Somewhat satisfied, 6 = Very satisfied

My UW grade point average

Overall social experience

Overall academic experience

Value of your education for the price you are paying

1 2 3 4 5 6

3.8

4.2

4.4

3.9

Average Satisfaction


• 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)


Social satisfaction varied by class and residence.



2

3

4

5

6

4.1 4.2 4.14.3 4.2

5.0 4.9 4.9 5.1 5.0

3.73.9 4.0

4.2 4.0

Campus housing Sorority/Fraternity Elsewhere

Socia

l sat

isfac

tion


Academic satisfaction* varied by class and residence.

* Average of “my UW GPA” and “overall academic experience”



2

3

4

5

6

4.1 4.2 4.1 4.3 4.1

3.84.0 4.2

4.44.13.6 3.8

4.1 4.2 4.1


Acad

emic

satis

facti

on


Actual UW GPA supports the observation that living in campus housing is preferred for first-years and sophomores.

Fr. So. Jr. Sr. Total1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

3.3 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4

3.2 3.3 3.3 3.4 3.33.13.2 3.3 3.3 3.3


Cum

ulativ

e UW

GPA


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.

< 3.67 3.67-3.82 3.83-3.93 ≥ 3.941.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

Fr. Campus HousingFr. Sorority/FraternityFr. Elsewhere

High School GPA

Aver

age

Cum

ulativ

e UW

GPA


Academic satisfaction* varied by average hours of sleep.

4 or less 5 6 7 8 9 or more1

2

3

4

5

6

3.64.0

4.24.5 4.5

4.2

4.14.3 4.3 4.5 4.6 4.4

0 hrs paid work1+ hrs paid work

Average weeknight hours of sleep

Aca

dem

ic sa

tisfa

ction

* Average of “my UW GPA” and “overall academic experience”



Students use the time that they are not sleeping to do coursework (in-class + studying).


25

30

35

40

31.7 32.3

30.429.3

28.126.3

31.3

28.227.4

25.924.8

22.1



Tota

l aca

dem

ic ho

urs


The extra hours of coursework do not translate into a better GPA.


2

3

4

3.1 3.2 3.3 3.3 3.43.3



Cum

ulativ

e UW

GPA


Two items asked about commitment to UW.


I feel that I belong at the UW

Knowing what I know now, I would still choose to enroll at the UW

1 2 3 4 5 6

4.6

4.7

Average Agreement


• 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


Commitment to UW* varied by ethnicity/resident status.

* Average of “I belong at the UW” and “I would re-enroll at the UW”


International

Asian Amer.

Pacific Islander

Native Amer.

African Amer.

Other/Unknown

Hispanic Amer.

White Amer.

1 2 3 4 5 6

4.4

4.5

4.5

4.6

4.7

4.7

4.8

4.8

Committed to UW

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.

Student Engagement at the Research University (SERU) at UW: Student Life

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