The Profile of Today

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The Profile of Todays College StudentUsing
national study results to impact change on
campusKim Kloeppel, MPAUniversity of New
MexicoAmy Feder, M.S.StudentVoiceJune 13,
2009
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Session Objectives

• This session will
• Provide insight into how students are using
  technology by comparing some common assumptions
  (what we think students are doing online) versus
  what students actually self-report.
• Explore whether the areas of campus and academic
  involvement, services, and values are unique to
  an institutional setting by comparing results
  from the University of New Mexico to the national
  Profile.
• Explore whether students with differing
  characteristics are using these areas in
  different ways.
• Discuss how data on can inform practice and
  programming.
• Compare various student profiles and discuss
  how they were implemented for program changes.

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Profile of Todays College Student

• National assessment sponsored by NASPA.
• Over 35,000 students from 45 colleges and
  universities responded to the Profile in spring
  2008.
• Sections of the Profile include
• Demographics Expectations of College
• Campus Involvement Academic Involvement
• Academic Integrity Health and Wellness
• Technology Use Media Consumption
• Diversity Issues Values and Beliefs
• Future Aspirations

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The Profile of Todays College Student

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Purpose of the Profile

• To provide institutions with
• A descriptive portrait of their students at all
  levels, from first year to senior year-plus
• Credible, accurate, timely, and relevant
  information that can be used to inform decision
  making and improve programs and services.
• Longitudinal data to track changes and trends
• Benchmarking data to compare characteristics of
  students to national profile of students

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Reporting

• Institutional data
• Filter
• Graphs
• Crosstabs
• Data export
• Benchmarking (comparing self over time, also
  comparing to national average and peer
  institutions that you select)
• Screenshots for each

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Institutional Data
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Reporting

• Institution data
• Filter
• Graphs
• Crosstabs
• Data export
• Benchmarking data
• Comparing self over time
• Comparing to national average and peer
  institutions

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Benchmarking Data
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The National Profile
  2008 2009
I will find a job before I graduate. 39.06 27.77
Financial aid offered was a very important factor in college choice. 48.97 55.62
Never miss class 23.94 27.30
Communicate with faculty outside of class 75.52 81.65
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Administration at UNM

• Data was collected via web survey for three weeks
  using StudentVoice.
• Random sample of undergraduates stratified by
  class standing.
• Students were sent an initial invitation email
  followed by a reminder email.
• Respondents completed the demographics section as
  well as four out of nine randomly selected
  sections.

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What do you think the results show?

• Do you communicate with faculty outside of class?
• How many years will it take you to graduate?
• Do you text-message people with a cell phone?
• How frequently do you send text messages?
• How frequently do you use the Internet for
  participating in online social networks
  (Facebook/MySpace)?
• Do you have a profile on an online social network?

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Analysis of data

• UNM compared their results with 3 other areas 1)
  the national average, 2) the regional peer group,
  and 3) the referent peers. There were many areas
  where UNM had considerable differences than these
  3 areas.
• There were many questions of concern at UNM
  regarding program planning.
• Demographics can be very pertinent to the data
  analysis. Consider doing some cross-tabs.
• Student profiles were created to look at special
  areas 1) single mom w/children living off
  campus, 2) male student living working on
  campus, and 3) returning student over 30 years
  old living off-campus.

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Demographic Section

• Descriptive questions about how students identify
  themselves
• Detailed demographics include questions about
• Foreign language fluency
• U.S. generational status
• College-going generation status
• Relationship status
• Living arrangements
• Work responsibilities

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UNM Demographic Findings
UNM National
Full-time 81 91
Age 19 - 23 11 - 14 15 - 20
Off-campus w/parents 23 14
Off-campus w/family 30 13
Work for pay 74 83
Work 21 - 40 hours 35 30
Work to support self/family 30 19
First generation 24 18
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UNM Demographic Findings
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Campus Involvement

• Expectations of involvement
• Level of involvement
• Involvement learning outcomes

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UNM Campus Involvement Findings

• UNMs students were less involved in campus
  activities in most areas athletics/sports,
  movies/concerts/speakers, community service,
  Greek organizations, student clubs
  organizations.
• Reasons given work, inconvenience of commuting
  returning to campus, commitments to off-campus
  activities family commitments.

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Academic Involvement Integrity

• College choice process
• Course attendance
• Academic preparation
• Faculty interaction
• Learning study styles
• Definitions of cheating
• Likelihood of cheating or reporting cheating
• Decision making and behavior

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UNM Academic Involvement/Integrity Findings
UNM National
Expected college coursework to be much more difficult. 17 12
Communicate with faculty outside class 29 24
Feel they will graduate in 4 years 32 50
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Health and Wellness

• Physical health
• Mental health
• Sexual activity
• Smoking, drinking, illegal drug use
• Eating habits

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UNM Health and Wellness Findings

• UNM has a higher percent of problems/impact on
  addiction or dependence, anxiety, chronic health
  problems, hearing, sight, abuse, assault, death
  of a family or friend, eating disorders,
  financial problems, injuries, pregnancy,
  relationship difficulties sexually transmitted
  infections.
• However, some of the other directed questions on
  these issues did not provide additional data on
  the strength of these problems/impact.

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Technology Use

• Internet
• E-mail
• Text messaging
• Online social networks

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UNM Technology Findings
UNM National
Own desktop computer 60 41
Own laptop computer 74 83
Participate in online social networks more than 5 times per week 29 55
Use campus and work computers 25 10
Do not have internet access where they live 11 3
Have a social network profile 66 85
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Media Consumption

• Newspaper, magazine, radio, and television
• Preferred sources of information
• Influence of media

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UNM Media Consumption Findings

• UNM students are more apt to stay informed on
  areas of science/health, technology news in my
  field of study vs. business, entertainment,
  sports.
• TV, radio magazines were used for educational
  purposes vs. entertainment purposes.

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Diversity Issues

• Definition of diversity
• Views on diversity
• Diversity related behavior
• Diversity learning outcomes

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UNM Diversity Findings
UNM National
Felt campus is diverse 91 80
Strongly agree/agree they personally contribute to campus diversity 74 62

• UNM students have learned more and become more
  aware about age and political diversity since
  starting college.
• UNM students consider the campus to be liberal
  (49) compared to 34. Conservative (5) compared
  to 17.

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Future Aspirations

• Academic plans
• Postgraduate plans
• Perceptions of the job market

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UNM Future Aspirations Findings
UNM National
Anticipate earning a bachelors degree as their highest degree 23 28
Anticipate earning a doctorate degree as their highest degree 30 26

• UNM students were very concerned with work hours
  (20) compared to 13 when selecting their 1st
  job.
• They were less concerned about room for
  advancement (15) vs. 23.
• UNM students expect to earn 20K to 40K during
  1st year of employment compared to 34, and 29
  expected 40K to 60K compared to 35.

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Actions Taken

• Demographic data and student profiles
• Student housing planning (families/children
  older ages)
• Student employment on campus
• Student involvement in activities
• Technology enhancements and strategic planning
• Academic involvement with faculty
• Years to graduate
• Health wellness planning programmatic
  changes

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Next Steps

• Present data information to UNM stakeholders
• How can this data provide value-added
  programs/services to students?
• Use data to make programmatic changes and
  strategic planning
• Conduct same survey in Spring 2010
• Compare current results with next survey
• How has data changed?
• Future strategic planning revised

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Questions?

• For more information go to
• www.studentvoice.com
• Click on Partnerships
• Kim Kloeppel
• kimmerly_at_unm.edu
• Amy Feder
• afeder_at_studentvoice.com