graduating senior survey report 2011-12 and 2012-13 2014 suggested citation office of institutional...

Graduating Senior Survey Report 2011-12 and 2012-13

August 2014

Office of Institutional Assessment George Mason University

August 2014 Suggested Citation Office of Institutional Assessment, George Mason University (2014). Graduating Senior Survey Report 2011-12 and 2012-13. Fairfax, VA: Office of Institutional Assessment, George Mason University. Contact Information Office of Institutional Assessment 3100 Alan and Sally Merten Hall 4400 University Drive, MS 3D2 Fairfax, VA 22030 Phone: (703) 993-8834 Fax: (703) 993-8835 Web: https://assessment.gmu.edu Email: [email protected]

Office of Institutional Assessment – George Mason University GSS Report 2011-12 and 2012-13

i

TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................................................................... iii

LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................................................... iii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................................ 1

Educational Experiences in the Major .................................................................................................................................... 1

Scholarly and Creative Activities ............................................................................................................................................. 1

Opportunities for Scholarly and Creative Activities .......................................................................................................... 1

Doing Research or Creative Projects .................................................................................................................................... 1

Global Knowledge ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Finance and Employment ........................................................................................................................................................ 2

Satisfaction ................................................................................................................................................................................. 2

Student Comments .................................................................................................................................................................... 2

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Survey Administration and Response Rate ........................................................................................................................... 3

Overall Response Rate and Demographics .......................................................................................................................... 3

Response Rate by College ...................................................................................................................................................... 3

Enrollment Status ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Scope and Structure of the Report .......................................................................................................................................... 4

EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES IN THE MAJOR ................................................................................................................ 5

Contribution of Courses in the Major to Student Competence ......................................................................................... 5

Comparison by College, 2013 ................................................................................................................................................ 5

Comparison by Engagement Level, 2012 and 2013 ........................................................................................................... 6

Comparison by GPA, 2013 ................................................................................................................................................... 7

SCHOLARLY AND CREATIVE ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................................ 9

Awareness of Students as Scholars .......................................................................................................................................... 9

Opportunities for Scholarly or Creative Activities ............................................................................................................. 10

Overall ................................................................................................................................................................................... 10

By College .............................................................................................................................................................................. 11

Doing Research or Creative Projects .................................................................................................................................... 11

Trend Analysis ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Reasons for Doing or Not Doing a Research or Creative Project ..................................................................................... 13

Comparison by NSSE Engagement Level .......................................................................................................................... 14

Contribution of Scholarly or Creative Activity to Learning .............................................................................................. 14

GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE ........................................................................................................................................................... 17

Overall Trend Analysis ........................................................................................................................................................... 17

Comparison by College/School ............................................................................................................................................. 17

STUDENT FINANCES ............................................................................................................................................................... 19


ii

Employment History ............................................................................................................................................................... 19

Educational Debt ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19

SATISFACTION .......................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Overall Satisfaction and Sense of Belonging ........................................................................................................................ 21

Satisfaction with Education Received in the Major ............................................................................................................ 21

Satisfaction with Level of Involvement in Campus Activities ........................................................................................... 22

Comparison of Satisfaction by Transfer Status and Sex .................................................................................................... 22

Would Attend Mason Again .................................................................................................................................................. 22

APPENDIX A: Demographics of Survey Respondents and All Graduating Seniors, 2012 ............................................. 25

APPENDIX B: Response Rates by College and Degree, 2012 .............................................................................................. 26

APPENDIX C: Demographics of Survey Respondents and All Graduating Seniors, 2013 .............................................. 27

APPENDIX D: Response Rates By College and Degree, 2013 ............................................................................................. 28


iii

LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Self-Reported Contribution of Courses in the Major to Student Competence .................................................. 5

Table 2. Comparison by College of Self-Reported Contribution of Courses in the Major to Student Competence, 2013 ...................................................................................................................................................... 6

Table 3. Comparison by Engagement Level of Self-Reported Contribution of Courses in the Major to Student Competence, 2012 and 2013 ..................................................................................................................................... 7

Table 4. Comparison by GPA of Self-Reported Contribution of Courses in the Major to Student Competence, 2013 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 8

Table 5. Student Familiarity with Students as Scholars, 2012 and 2013 ............................................................................. 9

Table 6. Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students, 2012 ............................................................................... 10

Table 7. Selected Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students by College, 2012 ............................................ 11

Table 8. Seniors Having Done/Doing Research Before Graduation, 2011 vs. 2012 ....................................................... 12

Table 9. Seniors Having Done/Planning to Do Research by Engagement Level, 2012 .................................................. 14

Table 10. Scholarship, Creative or Research Experience that Contributed the Most to Student Learning, 2012 ........ 15

Table 11. Global Knowledge, 2011- 2013 ............................................................................................................................... 17

Table 12. Percent of Students Working for Pay While Enrolled at Mason, 2012 ............................................................. 19

Table 13. Percent of Students Working for Pay While Enrolled at Mason, 2013 ............................................................. 19

Table 14. Satisfaction with Education in the Major: 2005-2013 ......................................................................................... 21

Table 15. Student Satisfaction by Transfer Status and Sex, 2013 ........................................................................................ 22

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. All Graduating Seniors by Transfer Status, 2007-2013 .......................................................................................... 3

Figure 2. Percentage of Graduating Transfer Students by Self-Reported Credit Hours Accepted by Mason, 2012 ..... 4

Figure 3. Sources of Information About Students as Scholars, 2013 .................................................................................... 9

Figure 4. Research Opportunities for UG Students Outside of Regular Course/Program Requirements, 2013 ......... 11

Figure 5. Percent of Students Doing Research with Faculty Outside of Course Requirements, 2013 ........................... 12

Figure 6. Reasons for Working or Planning to Work on a Research Project with a Professor, 2013 ............................ 13

Figure 7. Reasons for Not Doing a Research Project with a Professor, 2013 .................................................................... 13

Figure 8. Areas in Which Students Made a Substantial Contribution to the Project, 2012 ............................................ 15

Figure 9. Global Knowledge Composite Compared by College, 2013 ............................................................................... 18

Figure 10. Educational Debt, 2006 and 2013 ........................................................................................................................... 20

Figure 11. Students’ Sense of Belonging and Overall Satisfaction, 2003-2013 .................................................................... 21

Figure 12. Satisfaction with Level of Involvement in Campus Activities, 2013 .................................................................. 22

Figure 13. Students’ Response on Attending Mason if They Were To Do It All Over Again, 2003-2013 ...................... 23


iv


1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report presents results from the 2012 and 2013 Graduating Senior Surveys. The survey was administered to 4,657 seniors in the 2012 academic year and to 4,833 seniors in the 2013 academic year. The response rates were 41% and 43% for 2012 and 2013, respectively. Major highlights from the report are as follows: Educational Experiences in the Major

• In both 2012 and 2013, over 80% of the graduating senior respondents reported that courses in their major contributed either “a great deal” or “a fair amount” to their competence in all eight areas measured by the survey – a finding comparable to that of 2011.

• Among the respondents that took both the GSS and the 2012 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), those with a higher level of engagement, as measured by the NSSE benchmarks Active and Collaborative Learning and Student-Faculty Interaction, reported a stronger sense of their major’s contribution to their competence in all eight areas measured.

Scholarly and Creative Activities Opportunities for Scholarly and Creative Activities

• Over 80% of respondents in 2012 “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that their major/department/college offered opportunities for scholarship, creative activities or research. A substantial majority in both years also reported that there are opportunities to participate in such activities outside of course/program requirements.

Doing Research or Creative Projects

• Compared to the class of 2011, significantly more graduating senior respondents in 2012 reported that they had engaged in research as part of a course or program requirement (70% vs. 78%). On the other hand, the percentage of students who reported having engaged in research or creative projects with a faculty member outside of course/program requirements has remained a steady 16-17% since 2011.

• GSS/NSSE respondents with a higher level of engagement, as measured by NSSE benchmarks, were significantly more likely than their peers with a lower level of engagement to report doing research or creative projects in at least four of the eight areas measured by the GSS.

• Gaining experience for career or graduate school was the primary reason for working on a research project with a professor (71%). Among those who had not done a research project, lack of time was the main barrier cited by 58% of the respondents, followed by lack of knowledge about research availability or how to find a project (about 36% each).

Global Knowledge

• Over 70% of students “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that they increased their global knowledge since being at Mason, a finding consistent since 2011. However, the 2012 and 2013 graduating seniors reported having a better understanding of a specific country or region outside their home country or region at a significantly lower level than their 2011 peers.


2

Finance and Employment

• At the time of graduation, about two-thirds of respondents in 2013 reported that they had educational debt, compared to 55% in 2006. The percentage of graduates owing more than $20,000 in 2013 more than doubled compared to 2006 (30% and 12%, respectively).

• Most Mason students work for pay to some extent while taking classes. For example, 57% of the 2012 respondents reported working off campus for 20 or more hours per week during at least half of their semesters. Similarly, two-thirds of the 2013 respondents worked for pay at least half of their semesters. In both years, the percentage of students having worked on campus remained small (about a quarter).

Satisfaction

• Students are satisfied with their Mason experience. The percentage of respondents who are “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their overall Mason experience has been hovering around 90% since 2003. Nearly three-quarters of students expressed satisfaction with their sense of belonging at Mason during that same period.

• Since 2005, the overwhelming majority of survey respondents (over 90%) reported being “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with the education they received in their major.

• Over the past decade, between 80% and 88% of graduating senior respondents said that they would come back to Mason if they were to do it all over again.

• Native students reported a stronger sense of belonging at Mason and a higher level of involvement in campus activities than transfer students.

• Women expressed a higher level of satisfaction with their education in the major than men. Student Comments

• Respondents were asked to provide comments on their experiences at Mason. Substantial numbers of students submitted comments that cover a variety of topics including campus environment, academic environment and experiences, courses and curriculum, program-specific issues, and administration. These comments are available online at assessment.gmu.edu and can be viewed by college, major, and concentration.

All results are available at assessment.gmu.edu and can be viewed by college, major and concentration.


3

INTRODUCTION Survey Administration and Response Rate Overall Response Rate and Demographics The Office of Institutional Assessment has been conducting the Graduating Senior Survey (GSS) since 1989. Each year, seniors who have filed their intent to graduate are directed to take the survey online. In the 2012 academic year (summer and fall 2011, spring 2012), 4,657 undergraduate students graduated with 4,718 degrees. Of these individual, 1,898 completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 41%. In the 2013 academic year (summer and fall 2012, spring 2013), 4,833 undergraduate students graduated with 4,920 degrees. In total, 2,083 students completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 43%. The demographics of the 2012 and 2013 respondents were somewhat similar: women account for 59% of the respondents in both years; about one-half of the respondents were white (52% and 51%, respectively). The percentage of respondents 22 years old or younger was 42% in 2012 and 45% in 2013. See Appendices A and C for more information on the demographic characteristics of the respondents. Response Rate by College The survey response rates vary by college. The response rates range from 32% to 52% in 2012 and from 36% to 50% in 2013. The Volgenau School of Engineering had the highest response rate in both years (52% and 50%). See Appendices B and D for detailed college information and go to assessment.gmu.edu for response rates by major. Enrollment Status Respondents were classified into two groups based on where they started their college education: native students are those who started college at Mason as first-time freshmen; transfer students are those who started college at another post-secondary institution as first-time freshmen and later transferred to Mason. As shown in Figure 1, the percentage of transfer students was 60% and 58% for the graduating class of 2012 and 2013, respectively. The percentages of transfer students have been fairly consistent since 2007 Figure 1. All Graduating Seniors by Transfer Status, 2007-2013

Note: Based on institutional data. The percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding. In 2012, transfer respondents were asked to indicate how many of their credit hours were accepted by Mason. Results in Figure 2 show that nearly one-half of transfer students brought 60 or more credit hours from another

43%

44%

43%

40%

42%

57%

57%

58%

60%

58%

0% 50% 100%

2007

2010

2011

2012

2013

Native Transfer


4

institution, followed by another 39% of students who brought in 30-59 credit hours. The overall pattern is very similar to that from the previous year. Figure 2. Percentage of Graduating Transfer Students by Self-Reported Credit Hours Accepted by Mason, 2012

Further analysis reveals that in-state transfer students tend to carry more credit hours from another institution than their out-of-state counterparts: 47% of in-state transfer students brought in 60 or more credit hours compared to 34% of out-of-state transfer students. Scope and Structure of the Report This report primarily focuses on survey results from 2012 and 2013. The report includes five main sections:

• Educational Experiences in the Major • Scholarly and Creative Activities • Global Knowledge • Student Finances • Satisfaction

The Graduating Senior Survey is modified, as needed, each year to address the changing needs and priorities of stakeholders in the Mason community. Beyond common topics covered in the 2012 and 2013 surveys (e.g., enrollment history, employment, education in the major, Students as Scholars, and satisfaction), each survey has unique items (e.g., different items related to Students as Scholars) or rating scales (e.g., different response options for employment). Given these differences, a comparison of data from both years on some items is not always feasible. To the extent possible, items on the same topic from different years are presented in the same table/figure or adjacent tables/figures to illustrate patterns of change over time. Throughout the report, 2012 refers to data and survey results from the 2011-12 academic year and 2013 refers to the 2012-13 academic year. Important Notes:

• Due to a technical problem with the online survey administration of the GSS 2013, analyses for two items in this report only include the spring 2013 data (i.e., reasons for doing and reasons for not doing research or creative projects).

• Analyses were performed on a subset of students who participated in both the 2012 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and either the 2012 or 2013 Graduating Senior Survey. The NSSE was administered in spring 2012 to students that were classified as seniors by the Registrar’s Office. Depending on their graduation date, these seniors would have taken either the GSS 2012 (spring 2012 graduates, n=361) or the GSS 2013 (summer and fall 2012/spring 2013 graduates, n=222).

• Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.

15%

39%

46%

Less than 30

30-59

60 or more


5

EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES IN THE MAJOR This section examines the perceived contributions that the major had on student competence. Overall results are provided at the university and college levels first, followed by further analysis by student engagement and GPA. Contribution of Courses in the Major to Student Competence On the survey, students were asked to report the extent to which courses in their major contributed to their competence in eight areas. Mean comparisons in Table 1 reveal that graduates in 2012 and 2013 reported levels of contribution that were statistically comparable to their 2011 predecessors in all eight areas. The percentages of “a great deal” and “a fair amount” combined range from 81% to 92% in 2012 and from 80% to 93% in 2013. Critical thinking and analysis is the area in which education in the major was perceived to make the biggest contribution to students’ competence (over 90% for “a great deal” and “a fair amount” combined). This is followed by writing within their field/major and connecting concepts across disciplines (at least 87% for “a great deal” and “a fair amount” combined). Table 1. Self-Reported Contribution of Courses in the Major to Student Competence

To what extent did courses in your major contribute to your competence in the following areas:

Year A great deal

A fair amount

A little Not at all

Mean1

Critical thinking and analysis 2011 54% 37% 7% 1% 3.45 2012 56% 36% 7% 1% 3.47 2013 57% 36% 7% 1% 3.49

Connecting concepts across disciplines 2011 44% 44% 10% 2% 3.30 2012 44% 45% 10% 2% 3.30 2013 45% 42% 11% 2% 3.31

Conducting research within your field/major 2011 43% 38% 17% 3% 3.21 2012 43% 38% 16% 3% 3.22 2013 44% 36% 17% 4% 3.20

Writing within your field/major 2011 52% 36% 12% 1% 3.38 2012 51% 36% 13% 1% 3.36 2013 53% 34% 12% 1% 3.38

Identifying, locating, evaluating and managing information resources within your field/major

2011 42% 44% 13% 1% 3.27 2012 43% 44% 12% 2% 3.28 2013 42% 44% 13% 2% 3.25

Applying the ideas of your field/major outside of the classroom

2011 43% 38% 16% 3% 3.22 2012 44% 37% 16% 3% 3.22 2013 44% 36% 18% 3% 3.20

Applying ethics within your field/major 2011 43% 38% 15% 4% 3.21 2012 41% 40% 15% 4% 3.18 2013 42% 38% 16% 4% 3.18

Identifying and assessing the validity of assumptions within your field/major

2011 42% 44% 12% 3% 3.25 2012 42% 45% 11% 2% 3.26 2013 41% 45% 12% 3% 3.24

1 Mean values are based on a 1-4 scale: 1= Not at all, 2=A little, 3=A fair amount, and 4=A great deal. One-way ANOVA was conducted to compare means across years; no significant differences emerged.

Comparison by College, 2013 Table 2 shows the mean comparison of self-reported competence contributed by major for each college. Results reveal significant variations by college. Compared to their peers from other colleges, respondents in S-CAR reported the highest contribution by their major in five areas of competence including critical thinking and analysis, as was


6

the case in 2011. CHHS respondents rated the contribution of their major the highest in two areas (identifying, locating, evaluating and managing information resources within your field/major; and identifying and assessing the validity of assumptions within your field/major). CHSS gave the highest rating for writing within the field/major. The results for S-CAR should be interpreted with caution given the small number of graduates and respondents (n=26). Table 2. Comparison by College of Self-Reported Contribution of Courses in the Major to Student Competence, 20131

To what extent did courses in your major contribute to your competence in the following areas: CEHD CHHS CHSS COS CVPA S-CAR Business Volgenau All

Critical thinking and analysis 3.07 3.56 3.54 3.51 3.44 3.69 3.41 3.45 3.47

Connecting concepts across disciplines 3.11 3.41 3.37 3.24 3.24 3.42 3.33 3.16 3.31

Conducting research within your field/major 3.38 3.37 3.31 3.02 3.11 3.58 3.00 3.01 3.20

Writing within your field/major 3.26 3.52 3.61 3.22 3.09 3.50 3.12 2.99 3.38

Identifying, locating, evaluating and managing information resources within your field/major

3.26 3.46 3.30 3.10 3.00 3.35 3.15 3.23 3.25

Applying the ideas of your field/major outside of the classroom

3.40 3.47 3.24 2.93 3.42 3.54 3.05 3.07 3.20

Applying ethics within your field/major 3.25 3.43 3.21 2.70 3.07 3.56 3.24 3.19 3.18

Identifying and assessing the validity of assumptions within your field/major

3.13 3.41 3.28 3.30 3.03 3.31 3.13 3.15 3.24

1 Mean values were calculated on a 1-4 scale: 1=Not at all, 2=A little, 3=A fair amount, and 4=A great deal. Comparison by Engagement Level, 2012 and 2013 The survey data were analyzed in connection with student performance on two benchmark measures from the 2012 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to determine whether perceived contribution of courses in the major to student competence varied by engagement level. The two benchmarks are Active and Collaborative Learning (ACL) and Student-Faculty Interaction (SFI). ACL is a composite measure on how often students participate in class, work collaboratively with other students inside and outside of class, tutor others, and participate in community-based projects as part of course assignments. SFI is a composite measure indicating how frequently students interact with faculty and advisors about their study, career plans, and research or other activities outside of class. ACL and SFI are conducive to student learning and development, satisfaction, persistence, and retention (Kuh, 2009). Graduating seniors who completed both the GSS and the NSSE were put into two groups based on whether their benchmark scores on Active and Collaborative Learning were above the median (labeled high group) or at or below the median (labeled low group). The same procedure was repeated to determine the high and low groups for Student-Faculty Interaction. The two groups were then compared in their self-reported contribution of courses in the major to their competence levels. Results in Table 3 show that that students with a higher level of engagement, as measured by Active and Collaborative Learning or Student-Faculty Interaction, had a significantly better perception


7

of contributions made by courses in their major than students with a lower level of engagement – a finding true for all eight competencies. Table 3. Comparison by Engagement Level of Self-Reported Contribution of Courses in the Major to Student Competence, 2012 and 20131

By ACL2 By SFI2 To what extent did courses in your major contribute to your competence in the following areas3:

High (n=281)

Low (n=283) Sig. E.S.4 High

(n=316) Low

(n=225) Sig. E.S.4

Critical thinking and analysis 3.53 3.33 ** 0.28 3.49 3.32 ** 0.23

Connecting concepts across disciplines 3.40 3.16 *** 0.31 3.34 3.19 * 0.19

Conducting research within your field/major 3.30 3.00 *** 0.35 3.24 3.00 ** 0.28

Writing within your field/major 3.43 3.27 * 0.21 3.44 3.23 ** 0.28

Identifying, locating, evaluating and managing information resources within your field/major 3.32 3.14 ** 0.23 3.29 3.12 * 0.21

Applying the ideas of your field/major outside of the classroom 3.30 2.97 *** 0.38 3.22 2.98 ** 0.28

Applying ethics within your field/major 3.26 2.91 *** 0.40 3.20 2.89 *** 0.35

Identifying and assessing the validity of assumptions within your field/major 3.28 2.98 *** 0.36 3.24 2.95 *** 0.35

1 Based on analysis of data from 2012 and 2013 graduating seniors who completed both the GSS and the 2012 NSSE (n=361 and n=222, respectively)

2 ACL = Active and Collaborative Learning, SFI = Student-Faculty Interaction (NSSE benchmarks) 3 Mean values were calculated on a 1-4 scale: 1=Not at all, 2=A little, 3=A fair amount, and 4=A great deal 4 ES=Effect Size, small: 0.20, medium: 0.50, large: 0.80 (criteria for t-test, Cohen, 1988) * p<.05, ** p<.01, *** p<.001, t-test (2-tailed) Comparison by GPA, 2013 To look at whether a correlation exists between perceived major contributions to competence and student achievement (as measured by GPA), survey respondents were classified into four groups based on their cumulative GPA: Low (2.00 – 2.50), Medium-Low (2.51-3.00), Medium-High (3.01-3.50), and High (3.51-4.00). Analyses were then conducted to determine whether perceived major contributions in the eight areas vary by GPA level. All groups report an average above 3.0 (3=a fair amount) on all eight measures. Meaningful differences between groups are limited even though several are statistically significant. For example, the Medium-High group is somewhat more likely to rate major contributions higher than some other groups, but not all. What is most striking is that the High GPA group is least likely among all groups to report that courses in their major contributed to competence in applying ethics (see Table 4).


8

Table 4. Comparison by GPA of Self-Reported Contribution of Courses in the Major to Student Competence1, 2013

GPA Range

To what extent did courses in your major contribute to your competence in the following areas:

Low

(n=100)

Medium Low

(n=423)

Medium High

(n=858)

High

(n=671)

Sig. Post- Hoc

E.S. 2

1 2 3 4

Critical thinking and analysis 3.44 3.40 3.53 3.49 * 2<3 0.01

Connecting concepts across disciplines 3.33 3.23 3.35 3.31

Conducting research within your field/major 3.27 3.15 3.21 3.22

Writing within your field/major 3.34 3.29 3.36 3.46 * 2<4 0.01

Identifying, locating, evaluating and managing information resources within your field/major 3.34 3.20 3.28 3.22

Applying the ideas of your field/major outside of the classroom 3.25 3.10 3.26 3.19 ** 2<3 0.01

Applying ethics within your field/major 3.33 3.22 3.24 3.06 *** 4<1,2,3 0.01

Identifying and assessing the validity of assumptions within your field/major 3.31 3.18 3.29 3.19 * 4<3 0.01

1 Mean values were calculated on a 1-4 scale: 1=Not at all, 2=A little, 3=A fair amount, and 4=A great deal 2 ES=Effect Size, small: 0.01, medium: 0.059, large: 0.138, (criteria for ANOVA, Cohen, 1988) * p<.05, ** p<.01, *** p<.001, one-way ANOVA


9

SCHOLARLY AND CREATIVE ACTIVITIES This section focuses on survey results related to student scholarship – specifically Students as Scholars, a Mason initiative intended to promote research and creative activities by undergraduate students. Major topics covered are:

• Awareness of Students as Scholars • Opportunities for scholarly or creative activities • Doing research or creative projects • Contribution of scholarly or creative activity to learning

Since the Graduating Senior Survey incorporated substantial changes in items addressing scholarly and creative activities in the past few years, cross-year comparisons are not available on several items. Reference to the 2011 data is included in trend analyses where applicable. Awareness of Students as Scholars In 2012 and 2013, respondents were asked how familiar they were with Students as Scholars. Results in Table 5 show that only a small percentage of seniors (14% and 12%, respectively) were very familiar with or had heard of Mason’s Students as Scholars initiative. Table 5. Student Familiarity with Students as Scholars, 2012 and 2013 Have you heard of Mason’s Students as Scholars: Fostering a culture of student scholarship?

Yes, I am very familiar with it

Yes, I have heard of it

Maybe, I am not sure

No, I haven’t heard of it

2012 3% 11% 13% 73%

2013 3% 9% 11% 77% In 2013, respondents were asked where they had learned about the Students as Scholars program. Results in Figure 3 show that, of the 2013 respondents who had heard or weren’t sure if they had heard about Students as Scholars (n=481), about a quarter said that they read about it in a university email, website, or blog (26%) or learned about it from a professor (23%). Other clearly identified sources include presentations on the topic or through friends (9% each). Figure 3. Sources of Information About Students as Scholars, 2013

Note: Percentages do not add to 100 because respondents could select “all that apply”.

9%

9%

10%

23%

26%

42%

A friend told me about it

I heard a presentation about it

Other

A professor told me

I read about it in a university email, website, or blog

I can't remember where I heard about it


10

Opportunities for Scholarly or Creative Activities Overall Students as Scholars aims at increasing opportunities for scholarly or creative activities among undergraduate students. About 80% of the 2012 survey respondents “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that courses in their major offered opportunities for them to participate in scholarly, creative activities and research; and, that their department/college provided opportunities for undergraduates to present the results outside of the classroom (see Table 6). Over 80% of student respondents also confirmed (“strongly agree” and “agree” combined) that there were opportunities for them to participate in such activities outside of their course/program requirements. Table 6. Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students, 2012

To what extent do you agree with the following statements about scholarship, creative activities and research:

Strongly Agree

Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

Do Not Know

The courses in my major offer opportunities for undergraduates to participate in such activities. 17% 50% 10% 3% 20%

Mason has student groups or organizations that include a focus on such activities. 17% 49% 8% 2% 25%

My department/college offers opportunities for undergraduates to present the results of such activities outside of classroom presentations.

15% 39% 11% 4% 31%

To what extent do you agree with the following statements about scholarship, creative activities and research outside of course/program requirements:

There are opportunities for undergraduates to participate in such activities. 19% 65% 13% 4% N/A

I know where to find information about opportunities to participate in such activities. 13% 45% 31% 11% N/A

My professors encourage undergraduates to participate in such activities. 14% 46% 31% 9% N/A

I don’t have time to participate in such activities. 25% 44% 26% 5% N/A

In GSS 2013, a new item with a different response scale was used to gauge seniors’ perception of research opportunities for undergraduates. As shown in Figure 4, students have a positive view of research opportunities for undergraduates at Mason: 70% of the respondents reported that there were research opportunities (“there are many” and “there are some” combined) outside of regular course/program requirements.


11

Figure 4. Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students Outside of Regular Course/Program Requirements, 2013

By College Opportunities for scholarly and creative activities were compared by college/school. Results in Table 7 show that student-reported opportunities vary significantly at the college/school level, although, generally speaking, these percentages are high – none are below 52%. Compared to students in other colleges, S-CAR students were most likely to report that their major offers them opportunities to participate in research activities as part of course requirements and present their work outside of classes (90% and 85%, respectively); a higher percentage of CVPA respondents (73%) strongly agreed or agreed that their professors encouraged them to participate in such activities. The results for S-CAR should be interpreted with caution given its small number of respondents (n=26). Table 7. Selected Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students by College, 2012

CEHD CHHS CHSS COS CVPA S-CAR Business Volgenau Sig. E.S. 1

The courses in my major offer opportunities for undergraduates to participate in such activities

69% 83% 87% 86% 83% 90% 78% 79% *** .02

My department/college offers opportunities for undergraduates to present the results of such activities outside of classroom presentations

68% 73% 83% 79% 77% 85% 71% 77% *** .03

My professors encourage undergraduates to participate in such activities

56% 64% 61% 60% 73% 67% 55% 52% * .01

Note: The percentages are for respondents indicating “strongly agree” or “agree” combined. 1 ES=Effect Size, small: 0.01, medium: 0.059, large: 0.138, (criteria for ANOVA, Cohen, 1988) * p<.05, *** p<.001, one-way ANOVA Doing Research or Creative Projects Trend Analysis To what extent do undergraduates engage in scholarly or creative activities? Results in Table 8 show that, at the time of the survey, over 70% of the graduating seniors in both 2011 and 2012 had done or were doing scholarly or creative work as part of course or program requirements. Examples of such activities include working on a paper/creative project involving independent research or involving research with other students. A much smaller proportion of seniors in both years (10-22%) had done or were engaged in research activities outside of course/program requirements.

26%

44%

28%

2%

There are many

There are some

There are few

There are none


12

How did student involvement in the Students as Scholars change over time? A comparison of the 2011 and 2012 data reveals that significantly more seniors in 2012 had worked on a paper or creative project involving independent research than their predecessors. On the other hand, the 2012 graduating seniors were less likely to publicly present their scholarly or creative work outside of class than their 2011 counterparts. Table 8. Seniors Having Done/Doing Research Before Graduation, 2011 vs. 2012

Which of the following have you done or do you plan to do before graduating from Mason?

Year Have done/ currently

doing

Plan to do before

graduation

Have not done/do not

plan to do

Mean1 Sig. E.S.2

As part of course/program requirements

Work on a paper or creative project involving independent research

2011 70% 8% 23% 2.47 *** .016

2012 78% 4% 18% 2.60

Work on a paper or creative project involving research with other students

2011 70% 8% 22% 2.48

2012 74% 4% 22% 2.52

Outside of course/program requirements

Work on a research or creative project with a Mason faculty member

2011 16% 8% 76% 1.40

2012 17% 6% 77% 1.40

Work on a research or creative project with a Mason staff member

2011 11% 7% 83% 1.28

2012 10% 5% 85% 1.26

Work on a research or creative project with a Mason student group or organization 2012 22% 7% 72% 1.50 N/A3

Work on a scholarly or creative project with an individual or group outside of the university 2012 22% 12% 67% 1.55 N/A3

Publicly present your scholarly or creative work outside of class

2011 21% 16% 64% 1.57 * .07

2012 19% 14% 68% 1.51 1 Mean values are based on a recoded 1-3 scale: 1= Have not done/do not plan to do, 2 = Plan to do before graduation, 3= Have

done/currently doing. 2 ES=Effect Size, small: 0.20, medium: 0.50, large: 0.80 (criteria for t-test, Cohen, 1988) 3 N/A = Not applicable for cross-year comparison * p<.05, *** p<.001, t-test (2-tailed) In GSS 2013, a new item with a different response scale was used to assess student engagement in scholarly or creative projects outside of course requirements. Figure 5 shows that 17% of the respondents reported having engaged in research or creative projects with a faculty member outside of their course/program requirements at the time of survey administration. This figure is comparable to the percentage reported in 2011 and 2012 (16% and 17%, respectively – see Table 8). Figure 5. Percent of Students Doing Research with Faculty Outside of Course Requirements, 2013

17%

83%

Yes

No


13

Reasons for Doing or Not Doing a Research or Creative Project The GSS 2013 also asked respondents to indicate the reasons for doing research or creative projects with a professor. As shown in Figure 6, of those who had worked or planned to work on a research activity/project with a Mason faculty member outside of regular course assignment (n=224, spring 2013 data), over two-thirds selected gaining experience for a career or graduate school as the primary reason, followed by working on a specific project and working with a specific faculty mentor (50% and 41%, respectively). Figure 6. Reasons for Working or Planning to Work on a Research Project with a Professor, 2013

Note: Percentages do not add to 100 because respondents could select “all that apply”. Results in Figure 7 show that, of those who had not worked or did not plan to work on a research/creative project with a faculty member (n=975, spring 2013 data), not having the time was the primary reason for over half of the respondents (58%). Other reasons included not knowing about its availability and not knowing how to find a project (37% and 36% respectively). Figure 7. Reasons for Not Doing a Research Project with a Professor, 2013


11%

13%

19%

21%

41%

50%

71%

Other

To meet other students with similar interests

Received compensation

Required by my program

Work with a specific faculty mentor

Work on a specific project

Gain experience for career or graduate school

5%

8%

24%

26%

36%

37%

58%

Other

I looked but could not find an opportunity of interest

I was not interested in participating

I needed to work for pay

I didn’t know how to find a project

I did not know/never heard about it

I didn't have time in my schedule


14

Comparison by NSSE Engagement Level Does participation in scholarly and creative activities differ by level of engagement in college as measured by the NSSE benchmarks of Active and Collaborative Learning (ACL) and Student-Faculty Interaction (SFI)? To examine this question, survey respondents were classified into two groups based on whether their benchmark score on ACL is in the top portion (above median) or bottom portion (at or below median). The same procedure was repeated to determine the high and low groups for SFI. The two groups were then compared by their self-reported participation in scholarly or creative activities. Results in Table 9 show that students with a higher level of engagement in ACL scored significantly higher on five of the seven items addressing undergraduate research. Additionally, students with a higher level of interaction with faculty also outperformed their lower-level counterparts on four of the seven measures including doing research or creative projects with faculty, staff or other students, and presenting their work outside of class. Keep in mind that the relationships between ACL, SFI and GSS questions as reported here are correlational, not causal. Also, be aware that the high level of significance between a high score on the SFI and response item #3 in Table 9 (a research or creative project with a faculty member) is not surprising. While the SFI construct includes several different kinds of interactions with faculty, it also includes a question that replicates response item #3. Table 9. Seniors Having Done/Planning to Do Research by Engagement Level, 2012

By ACL2 By SFI2 Which of the following have you done or do you plan to do before graduating from Mason? 1

High (n=136)

Low (n=200) Sig. E.S. 3 High

(n=205) Low

(n=120) Sig. E.S. 3

Work on a paper or creative project involving independent research 2.71 2.57 0.18 2.67 2.56 0.14

Work on a paper or creative project involving research with other students 2.61 2.42 * 0.23 2.49 2.51 -0.02

Work on a research or creative project with a Mason faculty member 1.59 1.38 * 0.26 1.61 1.16 *** 0.58

Work on a research or creative project with a Mason staff member 1.30 1.18 0.20 1.31 1.06 *** 0.42

Work on a research or creative project with a Mason student group or organization 1.64 1.35 ** 0.36 1.56 1.27 ** 0.36

Work on a scholarly or creative project with an individual or group outside of the university

1.63 1.41 * 0.27 1.51 1.48 0.04

Publicly present your scholarly or creative work outside of class 1.70 1.44 ** 0.33 1.63 1.36 ** 0.34

1 Mean values were calculated on a recoded 1-3 scale: 1=Have not done/do not plan to do, 2=Plan to do before graduation and 3=Have done/currently doing.

2 ACL = Active and Collaborative Learning, SFI = Student-Faculty Interaction (NSSE benchmarks) 3 ES=Effect Size, small: 0.20, medium: 0.50, large: 0.80 (criteria for t-test, Cohen, 1988) * p<.05, ** p<.01, *** p<.001, t-test (2-tailed) Contribution of Scholarly or Creative Activity to Learning To obtain more in-depth information on student scholarly or research activities, the GSS 2012 asked respondents to think of one scholarship, creative or research experience that contributed the most to their learning while attending Mason. About one-half of the respondents (53%) said that they had such an experience as part of a course/program requirement, with another 14% indicating such an experience outside of a course/program requirement. Key findings about the nature of this experience are as follows:


15

• Of the students who reported having a scholarship, creative or research experience that contributed

significantly to their learning (n=1190), 40% said that they had the experience via collaboration with other students; 37% said they had that experience working on a project with faculty and another 37% said they had worked by themselves (see Table 10).

• Close to two-thirds of these respondents said that this experience took place during their senior year, while almost one-third reported that they had the experience during their junior year (see Table 10).

• Students’ contributions to the projects were primarily in the area of collecting and analyzing data (64% and 60%, respectively), followed by writing and interpreting findings (58% and 56%, respectively) (see Figure 8).

Table 10. The Scholarship, Creative or Research Experience that Contributed the Most to Student Learning, 2012

Whom did you work with? 1 Faculty Staff Other

Students People outside

of Mason Myself

37% 9% 40% 18% 37%

I had this experience primarily during my (year):

Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior

2% 5% 32% 61% 1Percentages do not add to 100 because respondents could select “all that apply”. Figure 8. Areas in Which Students Made a Substantial Contribution to the Project, 2012


8%

45%

47%

54%

56%

58%

60%

64%

Submitting for Publication

Designing Study/Project

Reviewing Literature

Presenting Final Product

Interpreting Findings

Writing Findings

Analyzing Data

Collecting Data


16


17

GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE This section focuses on graduating seniors’ self-reported global knowledge as measured by four survey items. Trend analyses at the university level are presented first. This is followed by a college-level comparison of a composite global knowledge measure based on the 2013 survey results. Overall Trend Analysis Since 2007, graduating seniors have been asked on the exit survey about their level of agreement with four items addressing global knowledge. The survey results from the last three years are summarized in Table 11. Over 70% of the respondents “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that their knowledge level, understanding and awareness had increased since coming to Mason, a finding consistent since 2011. On average, students were most positive about their increased ability to identify causes of some significant global issues and understand a specific global problem or issue as a result of their Mason education. Table 11. Global Knowledge, 2011- 2013 Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements:

Year Strongly agree

Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

Mean1 Sig.

I am able to identify causes of some significant global issues better than I could before I came to Mason.

2011 37% 49% 11% 3% 3.20

2012 36% 47% 13% 4% 3.16

2013 36% 48% 13% 3% 3.17

I have a better understanding of a specific country or region outside my home country or region than I did before I came to Mason.

2011 38% 44% 16% 3% 3.16

** 2012 35% 43% 17% 5% 3.08

2013 36% 41% 19% 5% 3.08

I have a better understanding of a specific global problem or issue than I did before I came to Mason.

2011 37% 48% 13% 3% 3.19

2012 37% 45% 14% 4% 3.15

2013 37% 46% 14% 3% 3.17

I think about the global impact of U.S. policies now more than I did before I came to Mason.

2011 34% 43% 20% 4% 3.06

2012 33% 42% 20% 6% 3.01

2013 34% 40% 21% 6% 3.02 1 Mean values were calculated on a 1-4 scale: 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, 4=strongly agree. ** p<. 01, one-way ANOVA Comparison by College/School To facilitate a comparison of global knowledge by college/school, a composite global knowledge measure was created using the 2013 survey data by averaging a student’s responses to all four questions listed in Table 11. A university-level average and college/school-level averages were then calculated and compared. As shown in Figure 9, the average level of composite global knowledge was 3.11 on a 4-point scale at the university level. The composite averages for the colleges/schools varied significantly – ranging from 2.61 to 3.58. Scoring above the university average, S-CAR students, followed by CHSS and CHHS students, reported the highest increases in global knowledge. The results for S-CAR should be interpreted with caution given its small number of respondents (n=26).


18

Figure 9. Global Knowledge Composite Compared by College, 2013

2.62

3.11 3.24

3.02 2.91

3.58

3.07 2.94

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

CEHD CHHS CHSS COS CVPA S-CAR Business Volgenau

College Average University Average = 3.11


19

STUDENT FINANCES This section presents survey results related to employment history and educational debt. Employment History Most Mason students work to some extent while taking classes. In 2012 and 2013, survey respondents were asked how often they worked for pay while enrolled in Mason. Since the item changed in wording and response options, results from the two years are presented in separate tables. In 2012, over one-half of the respondents reported working off campus for 20 or more hours per week during at least half of their semesters (see Table 12). Similarly, two-thirds of the 2013 respondents worked for pay at least half of their semesters (see Table 13). A much smaller percentage of respondents had worked on campus for pay – a finding true for both years. Table 12. Percent of Students Working for Pay While Enrolled at Mason, 2012 While enrolled in Mason, how often did you work for pay during the fall and spring semesters?

At least 50% of semesters

Less than 50% of semesters Not at all

Off Campus

Less than 20 hours/week 21% 24% 56%

20 or more hours/week 57% 13% 30%

On Campus

Less than 20 hours/week 14% 11% 75%

20 or more hours/week 14% 5% 81% Table 13. Percent of Students Working for Pay While Enrolled at Mason, 2013

At least 50% of semesters

Less than 50% of semesters Not at all

While you were a student at Mason, about how many semesters did you work for pay?

67% 16% 17%

(Of those who worked) How many semesters did you work on campus? 14% 13% 73%

Educational Debt As reported in the Common Data Set (irr.gmu.edu) by the Office of Institutional Research and Reporting, 57% of Mason’s 2012 graduates had student loans with an average debt of $25,822. The Institute for College Access & Success reports that in 2012, 66% of graduates from public colleges had student loans and the average debt was $25,550. * On the 2013 Graduating Senior Survey, students were asked to indicate how much money they will owe for tuition, books, and other educational expenses at the time of graduation. As shown in Figure 10, about two-thirds of the 2013 respondents had an educational debt of varying amounts, compared to 55% in 2006. Nearly half of the 2013 senior respondents who have debt reported that they owed more than $20,000. This is a dramatic increase since 2006

* The Institute for College Access and Success. 2014. Quick Facts about Student Debt. http://bit.ly/1lxjskr.


20

when approximately one in five who had debt reported it to be that high. The percentage with no debt has decreased substantially in that time frame. In 2006, 45% of respondents said they had no debt; in 2013, 36% made that claim. Among the 2013 respondents, the distribution of educational debt levels of native students is very similar to that of transfer students. Figure 10. Educational Debt, 2006 and 2013

45%

36%

36%

35%

21%

15%

14%

15%

22%

20%

20%

21%

12%

30%

31%

29%

2006 Overall

2013 Overall

2013 Native

2013 Transfer

None <=$10,000 $10,001-$20,000 >$20,000


21

SATISFACTION This section focuses on satisfaction of graduating seniors. Overall results on several satisfaction measures are presented first with trend data included where feasible. Subgroup results by transfer status and sex are also presented for the 2013 graduating class. Overall Satisfaction and Sense of Belonging The overwhelming majority of graduating senior respondents express satisfaction with their Mason experience. Figure 11 shows that the percentage of respondents who are “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their overall experience has been hovering around 90% over the past ten years. Further, about three-quarters of respondents have been “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their sense of belonging at Mason since 2003. Despite these overall high levels of satisfaction, over the past few years, the percentage of respondents who are “very satisfied” with their overall Mason experience and with their sense of belonging has been declining. In 2009, 34% were “very satisfied” with their overall experience compared to 26% in 2013. With regards to sense of belonging, 29% were “very satisfied” in 2009, whereas in 2013, 21% felt that way. Figure 11. Students’ Sense of Belonging and Overall Satisfaction, 2003-2013

Note: Percentages are for “very satisfied” and “satisfied” combined. Satisfaction with Education Received in the Major In the GSS 2013, respondents were asked to report their satisfaction with the education they received in their major. Results in Table 14 show that the percentage of graduates reporting “very satisfied” or “satisfied” has been consistently over 90% since 2005. In 2013, while the total percentage of graduates reporting satisfaction continues to be high (91%), the proportion for being “very satisfied” has decreased by 7-percentage points from 2010. (This question wasn’t asked in 2011 and 2012). Table 14. Satisfaction with Education in the Major: 2005-2013

Level of Satisfaction 2005 2006 2009 2010 2013

Very Satisfied 47% 50% 48% 47% 40%

Satisfied 45% 43% 44% 45% 51%

76% 79% 77%

74% 78% 78% 80% 78%

75%

94% 90% 90% 89% 90% 90% 88% 87% 88%

2003 2004 2005 2006 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Sense of belonging to Mason Overall Mason experience


22

Satisfaction with Level of Involvement in Campus Activities About two-thirds of the 2013 respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with their level of involvement in campus activities (see Figure 12). Since this is a new item, no comparison data are available. Figure 12. Satisfaction with Level of Involvement in Campus Activities, 2013

Comparison of Satisfaction by Transfer Status and Sex Student satisfaction varies significantly by transfer status and sex. As shown in Table 15, students who started their college education at Mason reported a stronger sense of belonging at Mason and a higher level of involvement in campus activities than transfer students. Women reported a higher level of satisfaction than men with the education they received in the major. Table 15. Student Satisfaction by Transfer Status and Sex, 2013

Native (n=1108)

Transfer (n=931) Women

(n=1200 ) Men

(n= 838)

Item Mean Mean Sig. E.S. 1 Mean Mean Sig. E.S. 1

Sense of belonging at Mason 2.95 2.87 * 0.10 2.91 2.90

Overall Mason experience 3.11 3.11 3.13 3.08

Education you received in your major 3.28 3.30 3.33 3.23 ** 0.14

Your level of involvement in campus activities 2.83 2.61 *** 0.27 2.72 2.70

1 ES=Effect Size, small: 0.20, medium: 0.50, large: 0.80 (criteria for t-test, Cohen, 1988) * p<.05, ** p<.01, *** p<.001, t-test (2-tailed) Would Attend Mason Again The large majority of graduating seniors reported that they would attend Mason if they were to do it all over again. As shown in Figure 13, in the past ten years, at least 80% of survey respondents consistently reported “definitely yes” or “probably yes” in response to the question: “If you were to do it all over again, would you attend Mason?” The percentage of graduates reporting either “probably no” or “definitely no” has been consistently low (13%-20%). A closer look reveals that the percentage of students indicating “definitely yes” has been recovering during the last two years after a downward trend that began in 2009.

8%

29%

48%

15%

Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Satisfied Very Satisfied


23

Figure 13. Students’ Response on Attending Mason if They Were To Do It All Over Again, 2003-2013

4% 4% 4% 3% 3%

4% 4% 5% 4% 4%

14% 14% 13% 11% 10%

12% 12% 15% 16%

13%

49% 47% 47% 46%

43%

47% 48% 45%

43% 44%

34% 35% 36% 40%

45%

38% 37% 35%

38% 39%

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Definitely No Probably No Probably Yes Definitely Yes


24


25

APPENDIX A: Demographics of Survey Respondents and All Graduating Seniors, 2012 In the 2011-12 academic year (Summer and Fall 2011, Spring 2012), 4657 students graduated with 4718 degrees; 1,898 responded to the survey, yielding a response rate of 40.8%. Students earning double degrees are counted just once in the following tables.

Age At Graduation Survey Respondents All Graduates

Count Percent Count Percent Response Rate

22 or younger 801 42% 1830 39% 44%

23-24 440 23% 1221 26% 36% 25-27 282 15% 709 15% 40% 28-30 137 7% 347 8% 39% 31-34 89 5% 233 5% 38% 35 or older 149 8% 317 7% 47%

Domicile (Virginia Residency) Survey Respondents All Graduates


In-State 1700 90% 4161 89% 41%

Out-of-State 198 10% 496 11% 40% Final Grade Point Average Survey Respondents All Graduates


3.501-4.000 590 31% 1189 26% 50%

3.001-3.500 745 39% 1886 41% 40% 2.501-3.000 477 25% 1299 28% 37% 2.001-2.500 86 5% 283 6% 30%

Race/Ethnicity Survey Respondents All Graduates


American Indian 2 <1% 4 <1% 50%

Asian 308 16% 816 18% 38%

Black/African American 125 7% 389 8% 32%

Hispanic 176 9% 456 10% 39%

Pacific Islander 6 <1% 11 <1% 55%

White 994 52% 2243 48% 44%

Other/Unknown 212 11% 567 12% 37%

Two or more 75 4% 171 4% 44%

Sex Survey Respondents All Graduates


Women 1111 59% 2620 56% 42%

Men 781 41% 2023 44% 39%

Unknown 6 <1% 14 <1% 43%


26

APPENDIX B: Response Rates by College and Degree, 2012 In the 2011-12 academic year (Summer and Fall 2011, Spring 2012), 4657 students graduated with 4718 degrees; 1,898 responded to the survey, yielding a response rate of 40.8%. Students earning double degrees are counted twice in the following tables. As a result, the total number of respondents is 1,913 instead of 1,898 as in Appendix A.

Academic Unit / College Survey Respondents All Graduates


College of Education & Human Development 69 4% 180 4% 38%

College of Health and Human Services 131 7% 378 8% 35%

College of Humanities & Social Sciences 883 46% 2079 44% 42%

College of Science 173 9% 408 9% 42%

College of Visual & Performing Arts 75 4% 233 5% 32%

School of Business 295 15% 883 19% 33%

School of Conflict Analysis & Resolution 26 1% 52 1% 50%

Volgenau School of Engineering 261 14% 505 11% 52%

Degree Survey Respondents All Graduates


Bachelor of Arts, BA 710 37% 1746 37% 41%

Bachelor of Fine Arts, BFA 22 1% 72 2% 31%

Bachelor of Individualized Study, BIS 38 2% 80 2% 48%

Bachelor of Music, BM 11 1% 26 1% 42%

Bachelor of Science, BS 1066 56% 2552 54% 42%

Bachelor of Science in Education, BSED 2 <1% 21 <1% 10%

Bachelor of Science in Nursing, BSN 59 3% 210 5% 28%

Bachelor of Social Work, BSW 5 <1% 11 <1% 45%

Semester of Graduation Survey Respondents All Graduates


Summer 2011 442 23% 1037 22% 43%

Fall 2011 449 24% 1130 24% 40%

Spring 2012 1022 53% 2551 54% 40%


27

APPENDIX C: Demographics of Survey Respondents and All Graduating Seniors, 2013 In the 2012-13 academic year (Summer and Fall 2012, Spring 2013), 4,833 students graduated with 4,920 degrees; 2,083 responded to the survey, yielding a response rate of 43%. Students earning double degrees are counted just once in the following tables.

Age at Graduation Survey Respondents All Graduates


22 or younger 937 45% 1987 41% 47% 23-24 485 23% 1223 25% 40% 25-27 263 13% 692 14% 38% 28-30 140 7% 356 7% 39% 31-34 98 5% 237 5% 41% 35 or older 160 8% 338 7% 47%

Domicile (Virginia Residency) Survey Respondents All Graduates


In-State 1854 89% 4303 89% 43%

Out-of-State 229 11% 530 11% 43%

Final Grade Point Average Survey Respondents All Graduates

Count Percent Count Percent Response Rate 3.501-4.000 681 33% 1384 29% 49% 3.001-3.500 872 42% 2020 42% 43% 2.501-3.000 430 21% 1172 24% 37% 2.001-2.500 100 5% 256 5% 39% Less than 2.000 1 <1% 0%

Race/Ethnicity Survey Respondents All Graduates

Count Percent Count Percent Response Rate American Indian 5 <1% 14 <1% 36% Asian 330 16% 881 18% 37% Black/African American 167 8% 414 9% 40% Hispanic 233 11% 528 11% 44% Pacific Islander 8 <1% 17 <1% 47% White 1066 51% 2287 47% 47% Two or more 107 5% 236 5% 45% Other/Unknown 167 8% 456 9% 37%

Sex Survey Respondents All Graduates

Count Percent Count Percent Response rate Women 1225 59% 2740 57% 45% Men 854 41% 2085 43% 41% Unknown 2 <1% 6 <1% 33%


28

APPENDIX D: Response Rates By College and Degree, 2013 In the 2012-13 academic year (Summer and Fall 2012, Spring 2013), 4,833 students graduated with 4,920 degrees; 2,083 responded to the survey, yielding a response rate of 43%. Students earning double degrees are counted twice in the following tables. As a result, the total number of respondents is 2,117 instead of 2,083 as in Appendix C.

Academic Unit / College Survey Respondents All Graduates Count Percent Count Percent Response Rate

College of Education & Human Development 88 4% 229 5% 38%

College of Health & Human Services 141 7% 391 8% 36%

College of Humanities & Social Sciences 1000 47% 2168 44% 46%

College of Science 181 9% 407 8% 44%

College Visual & Performing Arts 96 5% 249 5% 39%

School of Business 319 15% 884 18% 36%

School of Conflict Analysis & Resolution 26 1% 63 1% 41%

Volgenau School of Engineering 266 13% 529 11% 50%

Degree Survey Respondents All Graduates


Bachelor of Arts, BA 839 40% 1752 36% 48%

Bachelor of Fine Arts, BFA 30 1% 93 2% 32%

Bachelor of Individualized Study, BIS 31 2% 63 1% 49%

Bachelor of Music, BM 18 1% 30 1% 60%

Bachelor of Science, BS 1098 52% 2698 55% 41%

Bachelor of Science in Education, BSED 13 1% 27 1% 48%

Bachelor of Science in Nursing, BSN 63 3% 207 4% 30%

Bachelor of Social Work, BSW 25 1% 50 1% 50%

Semester of Graduation Survey Respondents All Graduates


Summer 2012 337 16% 1087 22% 31%

Fall 2012 477 23% 1234 25% 57%

Spring 2013 1303 62% 2599 53% 57%

Office of Institutional Assessment George Mason University 3100 Alan & Sally Merten Hall • MS3D2 • 703-993-8834 • [email protected] • assessment.gmu.edu Karen Gentemann Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness [email protected] 703.993.8836 Stephanie Hazel Associate Director [email protected] 703.993.5106 Sarah Pérez-Kriz Associate Director [email protected] 703.993.8616 Zhicheng Zhang Associate Director [email protected] 703.993.5104 Nicole Long Assessment Analyst [email protected] 703.993.4267 Rawa Jassem Applications Analyst & Web Developer [email protected] 703.993.8876 Karen Manley Administrative & Communications Coordinator [email protected] 703.993.8834

graduating senior survey report 2011-12 and 2012-13 2014 suggested citation office of institutional...

Documents