MultiInstitutional Study of Leadership

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Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership
Findings for Metropolitan State College of
Denver
Sponsored by the University of Maryland, National
Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs, ACPA
Educational Leadership Foundation, NASPA
Foundation
? MSL/ NCLP, 2006
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Presentation Outline

• Background Purpose
• Frameworks for the Study
• Methodology
• Instrument
• Participating Institutions
• Our Institutions Findings
• Random v. Comparative Samples
• Demographic Results
• Campus Climate Focus

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Background of the MSL

• Rationale 1
• Leadership is one of the most observed and least
  understood phenomena on earth.
• James MacGregor Burns
• Leadership (1978), p. 2

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Background of the MSL

• Rationale 3
• Higher education plays a major part in shaping
  the quality of leadership in modern American
  society.
• Alexander W. Astin Helen S. Astin
• Leadership Reconsidered (2000), p. 2

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Purpose of the MSL

• To examine student leadership values at both the
  institutional and national levels with specific
  attention to the environmental factors that
  influence leadership development in college
  students.

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Framework of the MSL

• Theoretical Framework
• Social Change Model of
• Leadership Development
• (HERI, 1996)
• Conceptual Framework
• I-E-O College Impact Model
• (Inputs-Environment-Outcomes)
• (Astin, 1993, 2001)

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The Social Change Model
Change
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Social Change Model 8 Cs

• Individual Values
• Consciousness of Self
• Commitment
• Congruence
• Community Value
• Citizenship

• Group Values
• Collaboration
• Common Purpose
• Controversy with Civility
• Central Value
• Change

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I-E-O Model

• Inputs students' pre-college characteristics
• e.g., demographics, high school achievement
• Environment programs, experiences,
  relationships, and other factors in the
  collegiate environment
• e.g., co-curricular involvement, mentoring
• Outcomes students' characteristics after
  exposure to the college environment
• e.g., the eight Cs of the Social Change Model

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Key Research Questions

• How do college students score on the eight
  leadership values associated with the Social
  Change Model?
• How do scores compare across particular
  demographic factors, such as gender,
  race/ethnicity, and class-standing?
• What environmental factors (e.g., co-curricular
  involvement, study abroad) contribute to higher
  scores on the leadership outcomes?

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Methodology

• The Survey Instrument
• Web-based (link sent via e-mail)
• Average completion time of about 20 minutes
• Schools could also ask up to 10
  institution-specific custom questions
• Pilot tested at the University of Maryland,
  College Park

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Methodology

• 54 Participating Institutions
• Geographically diverse
• Variety of institutional types and
  classifications
• e.g. community colleges, womens colleges,
  research universities, liberal arts schools,
  HBCUs and HSIs
• Differing levels of leadership programming
  (extensive at some, nascent at others)

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Methodology

• Random Samples
• A random selection of undergraduate students from
  each institution (3,000 for most) was invited to
  participate
• Comparative Sample
• Each institution was allowed to identify a second
  population (up to 500) to serve as a comparison
• At Metro State, we selected student organization
  officers, student athletes, and participants in
  our Metro Scholars programs.

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• Findings

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Response Rates

• Metro State Random Sample
• Responses / Invited 903/3000
• Response rate 30.1
• Metro State Comparative Sample
• Responses / Invited 205/500
• Response rate 41
• Overall National Sample
• Responses / Invited 63,085 / 165,701
• Response rate 38.07

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Demographics

• METRO STATE
• Gender
• Male 39.2
• Female 59.9
• Transgender .8
• Class Standing
• Freshman 1
• Sophomore 17.8
• Junior 47.1
• Senior 34.1

• NATIONAL
• Gender
• Male 38.3
• Female 61.5
• Transgender 0.1
• Class Standing
• Freshman 23.3
• Sophomore 21.7
• Junior 26.3
• Senior 28.8

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Demographics

• METRO STATE
• Race/Ethnicity
• White 67.8
• Black / African American 2.8
• Asian / Asian American 3.0
• Latino/a 10.5
• Amer. Indian .4
• Multiracial 12.6
• Not Included 2.9

• NATIONAL
• Race/Ethnicity
• White 71.8
• Black / African American 5.2
• Asian / Asian American 7.9
• Latino/a 4.4
• Amer. Indian 0.3
• Multiracial 8.2
• Not Included 2.3

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Demographics

• METRO STATE
• TRANSFER STATUS
• Started Here 36.3
• Started Elsewhere 63.7

• NATIONAL
• TRANSFER STATUS
• Started Here 75.8
• Started Elsewhere 24.2

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Results related to campus climate
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Campus Climate
Select the number that best represents your
experience with your overall college climate.
(1 indicates a closed, hostile, intolerant, or
unfriendly climate and 7 indicates an open,
inclusive, supportive, and friendly climate.)
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Learned about other groups
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Learned about My Identity
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Campus Commitment Division vs. Inter-group
Understanding
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Awareness of Complexities of inter-group
understanding
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Outside of Class Multiculturalism Discussions
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Results Related to Social Change Model
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Results Related to Social Change Model
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Metro State Findings Random v. Comparative
Our comparative sample included Student
Athletes, Students Organization Members, Students
in Our Leadership Programs, MetroScholars
Participants
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Other Findings Encourage Involvement in Past
Month
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Discussion

• What does this data tell us about . . .
• Our schools students?
• Our schools campus climate?
• Our schools culture?
• Our schools values and mission?
• Our schools strengths and weaknesses?
• Our schools future strategies?