Leslie Dare, Ed.D. Amanda G. Thomas

1
Division of
Student Affairs
How Distance Learners will Shape Student Affairs
Practice on Tomorrows Campus
NASPA Annual ConferenceTampa, FloridaMarch 22,
2005

• Leslie Dare, Ed.D.Amanda G. Thomas

2
Presentation Agenda

• Overview of DE Student Affairs Survey
• Overview of NC State Division of Student
  Affairs
• Overview of Distance Education at NC State
• Survey Goals, Process Methodology
• Respondent Demographics
• Survey Results
• Distance Education Planning Campus
  Considerations
• Distance Education Planning Student Affairs
  Considerations
• Integrating the Distance Learning Population
• Recommendations for Serving Distance Learners
• Questions Answers

3
Part 1Overview of Survey
4
NC State University

• Established 1887 Land-Grant Institution
• 29,000 students
• 50 States
• 90 Countries
• 6,000 employees
• 11 Colleges

5
Division of Student Affairs

• Mission The Division of Student Affairs
  facilitates the total educational growth and
  development of NC State students to include
  personal, social, physical, cultural, leadership,
  and intellectual development.
• 35 Units
• 600 Employees
• Motto STUDENTS FIRST

6
Division Units Programs
Womens Center University Career
Center ROTC Upward Bound/Talent
Search University Scholars Campus
Activities Student Health Services University
Housing Carmichael Complex Facilities
Operations
Music Multicultural Student Affairs Center
State/Arts Outreach Physical Education Greek
Life Crafts Center Caldwell Fellows Student
Conduct Distance Education Technology Services
Gallery of Art Design Counseling
Center University Dining Dance
Program University Theatre Health
Promotions Campus Recreation Research
Assessment Student Leadership, Ethics Public
Service
7
Why Distance Education and Student Affairs?

• Increasing numbers of distance learners

8
Distance Education Enrollment
Projected Enrollment Increase University Total
22 Distance Education 302
9
Why Distance Education and Student Affairs?

• Increasing numbers of distance learners
• Students First
• Accreditation Appropriate student development
  services must be provided for distance learning
  programs as well as on-campus programs.
• Created leadership position

10
Distance Education Technology Services

• Help Division units serve distance learners
• Technology Planning Resources

11
Distance Education Enrollment
DE is 7.42 of Total
DE is 24.40 of Total
12
Distance Education Enrollment

• Pure DE population
• -Those students taking only DE courses
• Hybrid DE population
• -Those students taking both DE and On Campus
  courses

13
Survey Goals

• Primary
• Create a baseline understanding of distance
  learners.
• Gauge their use, sense of importance, and
  satisfaction of the various services, programs
  and courses emanating from our Division.
• Secondary
• Other units outside of the Division will be
  provided an opportunity to submit items for the
  survey.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with other
  service and program units.

14
Survey Topics

• Overall DE Experience
• Technology Resources Skills
• Sense of Connection
• Communication
• Services and Programs

15
Methodology Survey Sample

• Census of Distance Education population
• All students enrolled in a minimum of one
  distance education course during Fall 2003
  semester
• N 2,077
• Control Group of On Campus population
• Students not taking any distance education
  courses during Fall 2003 semester
• Matched against census group for gender
  ethnicity
• N 6,190

16
Methodology Survey Distribution

• Method
• Web vs. paper
• Online survey (using .asp and MySQL database)
• Paper available (about 10 requests)
• Correspondence
• Initial invitation
• Two follow-up messages
• Bulk email used for all correspondence
• Email, phone and fax used for troubleshooting
• Incentive
• Cash rewards via drawings

17
Methodology Return Rate
DE Students also received follow-up from faculty
just prior to Follow-up 1.
18
Demographics

• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Age
• Full-Time/Part-Time Status
• Classification

19
Respondent Profile - Gender
20
Respondent Profile - Ethnicity
21
Respondent Profile - Age
22
Respondent Profile - Status
23
Respondent Profile - Classification
24
Survey Results
25
Reminders

• Purpose for today is not to make a complete
  report on the survey data, but rather to set the
  stage for a discussion about responding to this
  new population in our practice.
• This survey conducted in November 2003 and
  population has already changed this is just a
  snapshot of that time frame. (Survey will be
  repeated in November 2005.)
• Full survey data and previous presentations
  available on the website.

26
Section 1 Overall DE Experience

• Primary Reason for Taking DE Course
• Frequency of Campus Visits
• Reasons for Campus Visits

27
Frequency of Campus Visits
28
Primary Reason for Taking DE Course
29
Reasons for Campus Visits
30
Section 2 Technology

• Satisfaction of Overall Computer Skills
• Type of Internet Connection at Home
• Quality of Internet Connection at Home

31
Satisfaction of Overall Computer Skills
32
Type of Internet Connection at Home
33
Quality of Internet Connection at Home
34
Frequency of Typical Internet Home Use
35
Locations for Internet Connection
36
Section 3 Sense of Connection With

• Students in course
• Other students in general
• Instructor
• Academic advisor
• Academic department
• Faculty in general
• NC State in general

37
Sense of Connection Other Students in Course
38
Sense of Connection Other Students in General
39
Sense of Connection Instructor
40
Sense of Connection Academic Advisor
41
Sense of Connection Academic Department
42
Sense of Connection Faculty
43
Sense of Connection NC State University
44
Section 4 Communication Preference

• Receiving Initial Communication
• Receiving Subsequent Communication
• Sending Communication

45
Communication Preference DE Pure
46
Communication Preference On Campus
47
Section 5 Services and Programs

• Rating on Importance and Satisfaction

• Academic Advising - Credit Programs Office
• Academic Advising - Faculty Advisors
• Academic Advising - Virtual Advising Center
• All Campus Student ID Card
• Bookstores
• Career Center
• Cashiers Office
• Center Stage
• Chaplains Cooperative Ministry
• Club Sports
• Computing Help Desk - College

• Computing Help Desk - University
• Counseling Center
• Crafts Center
• Dance Program
• Dining
• Financial Aid
• Fitness/Wellness
• Gallery of Art and Design
• Greek Life
• Gym Facilities
• Health Promotion

48
Section 5 Services and Programs

• Rating on Importance and Satisfaction

• Housing
• Intramural Sports
• Library Services
• Multicultural Student Affairs
• Music
• Orientation
• Online Leadership Development Series
• Outdoor Adventures
• Parents and Families Services
• Physical Education
• Registration Records
• Student Center

• Student Conduct
• Student Government
• Student Handbook
• Student Leadership, Ethics Public Service
• Student Health Services
• Student Legal Services
• Student Media
• Student Organizations
• Theatre Programs
• WolfCamp
• Womens Center

49
Section 5 Services and Programs

• Currently NOT Available to Distance Learners
• Rating on Importance and Likeliness

• Club Sports
• Intramurals
• Outdoor Adventures
• Fitness/Wellness
• Gymnasium
• Counseling Center
• Student Legal Services
• Student Health Services
• Online Leadership Development Services
• Virtual Orientation

50
Club Sports - Likeliness
14 Combined
51
Intramurals - Likeliness
15 Combined
52
Outdoor Adventures - Likeliness
20 Combined
53
Fitness/Wellness - Likeliness
38 Combined
54
Gymnasium - Likeliness
44 Combined
55
Counseling Center - Likeliness
30 Combined
56
Student Legal Services - Likeliness
28 Combined
57
Student Health Services - Likeliness
32 Combined
58
Online Leadership Development Series - Likeliness
31 Combined
59
Virtual Orientation - Likeliness
30 Combined
60
Highlights from Survey

• Accurate profile of distance learners
• Success with online survey and bulk email
• Good skills, good connections
• Importance is slippery
• If we build it, they will come

61
Part 2DE PlanningCampus Considerations
62
DE Planning Campus Considerations

• Enrollment Conundrum
• DE is the supposed solution to already growing
  enrollment
• At the same time, we are actively recruiting new
  DE audiences
• military, community colleges, corporate
• OneCampus campaign
• Result of straining our resources

63
DE Planning Campus Considerations

• Projected Enrollment
• 9 per year student headcount
• (both pure and hybrid)
• 15 per year student credit hours
• (both pure and hybrid)

64
DE Planning Campus Considerations

• Growth of Degree Programs
• 1999 (Designation of DE funding)
• 3 Masters programs
• 2004-2005
• 10 Graduate programs
• 10 Certificate programs
• 2005-2006
• 14 Graduate programs
• 10 Certificate programs
• 2006-2008
• 19 Graduate programs
• 10 Certificate programs
• Undergraduate degree completion programs

65
DE Planning Campus Considerations

• Administration
• Deliberate inclusion of courses taught via DE as
  part of the tenure review process.
• Integration of admissions, billing, registration
  for courses, registration windows.
• Integration of tuition and fees model.

66
Part 3DE PlanningStudent Affairs Considerations
67
DE Planning Student Affairs Considerations

• Services Programs
• Allocation of funds to Student Affairs (2000)
  from DE budget
• Funds used to create a full-time position (2001)
  Distance Education Coordinator now is
  Director, DE Technology Services
• Creation of Distance Education/Technology
  Advisory Group (2002)

68
DE Planning Student Affairs Considerations

• Services Programs
• Administration of DE Student Affairs Survey
  (2003)
• Dissemination of Results Decisions
• Division-wide presentation
• Unit presentations
• Special Requests
• Repeat in 2005
• Likeliness groups involved in fee discussion

69
DE Planning Student Affairs Considerations

• Services Programs
• Integration of Fees Model
• Possible new model per credit hour
• Concern of suddenly serving significantly larger
  population
• Concern of managing expectations
• Concern of providing appropriate services

70
Part 4Integrating theDE Population
71
Integrating the DE Population

• Perceptions of Distance Learners by
• Student Affairs literature multi-dimensional
  learners whose non-curricular needs are likely
  met through existing life circumstances
• Student Affairs practitioners confusion
• Student Affairs graduate students not real
  students as compared to traditional
• Distance Learners in some cases, dont need
  anything beyond basic administrative services
  unaware of potential services not currently
  available and/or advertised.

72
Integrating the DE Population

• Summary This is the invisible population.
• Not physically on campus
• Currently most are not in degree programs (though
  that will shift in several years)
• Not often considered in events, budgeting,
  planning (especially in Student Affairs)
• Separate/not-available services
• Somewhat analogous to other populations who were
  small and marginalized, but are now more
  mainstreamed.

73
Suggestions

• Investigate campus resources
• Figure out how distance education is administered
  and funded
• Not everybody understands Distance Education
• Be aware of the politics
• Be aware that not everyone is committed to
  serving this population
• Look for data already collected at your
  institution

74
Questions Answers
75
Assessing the Co-Curricular Needs of Distance
Learners A Student Affairs Perspective
Leslie A. Dare, Ed.D. Amanda G. Thomas
Division of Student Affairs NC State
University Campus Box 7301 Raleigh, NC 27695-7301
919.515.1329 leslie_dare_at_ncsu.edu amanda_thomas_at_nc
su.edu

• This Presentation
• http//www.ncsu.edu/student_affairs/naspa05/
• This Project
• http//www.ncsu.edu/student_affairs/survey/de.html
  
• Distance Education Technology Services (Student
  Affairs, NC State)
• http//www.ncsu.edu/student_affairs/dets/
• Research Assessment (Student Affairs, NC State)
• http//www.ncsu.edu/student_affairs/sara/
• Division of Student Affairs (NC State)
• http//www.ncsu.edu/student_affairs/