IR Research Update

A newsletter created by the Office of Institutional Research and Planning providing information to the PSU community

Volume 1 Issue 1 January 1998

Current undergraduate student survey

The IR Research Update has been designed to provide the campus community with information about research projects currently underway in the Office of Institutional Research and Planning. The Update will be produced periodically throughout the year, and will focus on specific research topics, such as student and alumni survey findings, trends in student and faculty demographics, or issues in student retention. We gratefully acknowledge the support provided for our two Graduate Assistant-editors for this edition from the Pew Leadership Award, presented to PSU’s University Studies Program in 1996. With this support, we have been able to improve the analysis and reporting of survey information, which has been collected by OIRP since 1992. We look forward to your comments or suggestions for future topics. - Kathi Ketcheson, Acting Director

-  Responses to the current undergraduate student survey numbered 509 (43%). Respondents are those who entered PSU as freshmen (51%), and those who entered as undergraduate transfer students (48%).

- A majority of the respondents are currently employed (75%), and work between 16 and 35 hours per week (58%). Most (93%) of the respondents report paying for their own education from a combination of financial aid sources (33%), or loans or scholarships only (36%); some report receiving no financial assistance at all (30%).

- Nearly all respondents live off campus and commute to PSU by driving alone (45%), or by accessing Tri-Met/Max (36%).

- More than half of respondents (54%) report attending both day and evening classes.

- A majority of respondents report that one or both parents have attended or completed college: 56% of mothers, and 71% of fathers.

- Most respondents (85%) plan to earn a degree at PSU; some intend to earn a bachelor’s degree (35%), while others intend to go on for a master’s degree (34%).

- Interestingly, 77% of respondents to the 1995 Entering Student Survey indicated that they expect to earn their degree at PSU, compared to 85% of respondents to the Current Undergraduate Student Survey.

- More than half (51%) of respondents intend to complete their degrees within 3 to 5 years. A third (34%) of respondents determined their majors before enrolling, while 40% chose majors during freshman or sophomore years.

- The top concern reported by respondents is academic performance (59%); course availability (16%) and finances (15%) were the next highest.

- Respondents receive social support for their educational goals. Parents (85%), friends (83%) and fellow students (74%) are their main sources of support. Other groups or individuals are spouse (67%), PSU faculty (64%), and employers (63%).

 - Respondents learned about PSU in a number of ways, including families (27%), friends (25%), and PSU catalogs and brochures (18%).

- The top three factors influencing students’ decisions to attend PSU were: ability to stay in Portland (78%), cost (70%), and program offerings (68%).

- The top three reasons respondents reported for studying at PSU were: 1) receive a college degree (94%), 2) prepare for a career (92%), and 3) increase potential income (81%).

- An open-ended question asked respondents to explain what they intend to gain from their under-graduate education. Their answers focused on basic themes, such as "knowledge that I can apply to my life as a whole" and "knowledge I need for my career goals".

- Seventy-seven percent of respondents reported that PSU offers the courses or programs needed to achieve their long-range career goals.

- Respondents overwhelmingly expressed satisfaction with the following areas: Admissions (83%), course content (82%), testing and grading practices (79%), library (79%), and registration procedures (77%).

- Most respondents (51%) reported having reviewed their student records on the World Wide Web. A majority (82%) of respondents noted that they often use the library or the Internet for research.

- Respondents were asked to indicate how often they participated in certain activities as part of their course work at PSU. Written academic essays (85%), use of the library and the Internet for research (82%), and group or team projects (75%) were the top three.

- Several differences were noted when comparing some of the same questions from the 1995 Entering Student Survey and the 1997 Current Student Survey. In 1997, 85% of respondents reported that they were "socially comfortable coming onto the campus and going to class," compared to 78% of respondents to the 1995 Entering Student Survey. Furthermore, 68% of currently enrolled respondents reported that they "know how to get help with questions and concerns." This is 11% higher than 1995 Entering Student Survey responses to the same question. Additionally, 62% of the Current Student Survey respondents said that they had "met a faculty member I can talk to." This shows a slight increase from the 56% reported by entering students in 1995.

- Overall, students’ experiences at PSU were positive, from academic learning in the classroom to social interaction on campus.

This edition of IR Research Update was created by Kathi Ketcheson, Acting Director, Lina Lu, Research Assistant, Leigh Hedrick, Graduate Research Assistant, Gillian Lerner, Graduate Research Assistant, and Nobuko Wantabe, Graduate Research Assistant. For further information or additional copies contact the Office of Institutional Research and Planning at PSU, P.O. Box 751, Portland, Oregon 97207-0751, telephone (503) 725-3432.