REPORT ON THE
ENROLLED STUDENT SURVEY
SPRING 2004


By The
Institutional Research and Effectiveness Department

SUL ROSS STATE UNIVERSITY


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
Overview of the Responses
Graphic Summary of Results for Various Student Subgroups
Responses to Each Survey Question
Top 10 Questions with Disagree/Agree Responses
Comparing Changes in 2004 Responses with 2001 Responses
Comparing the Graduating Student Survey with the Enrolled Student Survey
Analysis of "Does Not Apply" Responses
Attachment A -- Comments by Respondents
Attachment B -- The Enrolled Student Survey Instrument


INTRODUCTION

The Spring 2004 Enrolled Student Survey provides information about students' satisfaction with Sul Ross State University. It provides a snapshot of how they feel about a variety of topics. It gives insight into the things that are done well and the things that may need improvement. By using the demographic information collected with the survey, cross-sections of sub-groups of students by demographics such as gender, ethnicity, age, major, classification, and part/full time may be investigated. By comparing with the 2001 survey, changes in student satisfaction may be identified.

This student satisfaction survey should be perceived as a means toward improvement of the services that Sul Ross State University provides for its students. Its results find their primary meaning in relationship to intended student outcomes. Its questions may provide data for departments wishing to document effectiveness.

This report presents the results of the Enrolled Student Survey of Spring 2004 and compares them with the Enrolled Student Survey of Fall 2001 wherever appropriate. A total of 208 students participated in the Enrolled Student Survey for Spring 2004 compared to 434 for Fall 2001. A random selection of 16 classes provided this cross-section of the 2110 enrolled students in Spring 2004 compared to 32 classes for 1992 enrolled students in Fall 2001. Labs were eliminated and classes with less than 5 students were eliminated prior to making the random selections. The random selection included classes (students) from all three schools and all departments on the Alpine campus.

The smaller numbers in 2004 compared to 2001 still showed similar cross-sections in the various demographic categories. The samples in 2001 and 2004 provided similar Confidence Intervals and Confidence Levels. The sample size was smaller in 2004 compared to 2001 for two reasons. First, it was determined that the sample size was larger than necessary in 2001. Second, some of the classes randomly selected for the 2004 survey could not participate for various reasons and this made the sample size smaller than anticipated.

The survey consisted of 40 multiple-choice questions ranging over the spectrum of facilities, functions and services provided by Sul Ross State University. The questions were designed to provide a benchmark of information about the students, to watch for trends, to help make predictions about future students, to collect effectiveness data, and to motivate and inspire students. The 2001 survey had 88 multiple-choice questions, but analysis of the questions revealed several ways to consolidate questions and still gather similar information. This 40-question 2004 survey was the result.

Participants were not asked to provide their student ID on the 2004 survey. This was done because many students opted to leave the student ID blank on the 2001 survey, thus their demographic information was lost. The 2004 survey included demographic questions on gender, classification, major, ethnicity, full/part-time, and age. This produced much more complete demographic data in 2004. Only one student opted to leave all this data out, and this particular student chose to respond with a single answer on all the rest of the questions showing that the survey was not taken seriously.


OVERVIEW OF THE RESPONSES

The Stacked Percent Chart gives a quick graphic of the distribution of responses. In both 2001 and 2004, the predominant answer was "Agree" as may be seen in the larger yellow area of the charts.


The horizontal axis is numbered from 1 to 40 for 2004 and from 1 to 88 for 2001. The vertical axis is percent. The blue area at the bottom shows the percentage of "Strongly Disagree" responses. The light purple area shows the "Disagree" responses. The large yellow area shows the "Agree" responses. The blue-green area shows the "Strongly Agree" responses. Finally the dark purple area at the top shows the "Does Not Apply" responses.



The large "Does Not Apply" area to the right of the 2001 chart shows the Distance Learning and the Graduate questions that did not apply to many of the students. These questions were omitted from the 2004 survey.


GRAPHIC SUMMARY OF RESULTS FOR VARIOUS STUDENT SUBGROUPS

The table on the following page displays a graphic representation of survey results for various subgroups of students for every question. To observe responses to a question for various subgroups of students, look at a row. To observe responses to all questions by a particular subgroup of students for all questions, look at a column. This graphic gives a quick visual way to see the results of the survey without getting into detailed numbers.

The symbols represent:
   (Strongly Disagree)
(Disagree)
(Agree)
(Strongly Agree)
(Does Not Apply)

These steps were followed to arrive at the symbol used:
  1. If more than 50% of the responses are "Does Not Apply" the symbol is used.
  2. Calculate an average value for each question (omitting the "Does Not Apply" responses) using the weights of Strongly Disagree = weight 1, Disagree = weight 2, Agree = weight 3, and Strongly Agree = weight 4.
  3. If the average is between 1 and 1.75, the symbol is used.
  4. If the average is between 1.75 and 2.5, the symbol is used.
  5. If the average is between 2.5 and 3.25, the symbol is used.
  6. If the average is between 3.25 and 4, the symbol is used.
Note that the rows for questions 27, 28, and 29 stand out with more dissatisfaction in more demographic areas than other rows. These same areas of food, housing, and parking showed up with dissatisfaction in both surveys. However, note that the food and the housing question also show up near the top of the list of questions where respondents selected "Does Not Apply."

Note that none of the columns of subgroups of respondents really stand out with more dissatisfaction.




RESPONSES TO EACH SURVEY QUESTION
The four choices of "Strongly Disagree," "Disagree," "Agree," and "Strongly Agree" are displayed graphically along with the number of responses of each choice for each question and for all participants. The scale of the bar graph is the same for each question. The number of "Does Not Apply" responses is not shown.




TOP 10 QUESTIONS WITH DISAGREE/AGREE RESPONSES

To compute an average score for each question on the survey, a weight of 1 is assigned to "Strongly Disagree," 2 to "Disagree," 3 to "Agree," 4 to "Strongly Agree," and "Does Not Apply" is omitted. Thus the lowest averages are the ones participants disagreed with the most and the highest averages are the ones participants agreed with the most and the break-even point is 2.5.

The ten items that participants agreed with most in 2004 are:
ITEMAVG
4I feel safe on the University campus.3.29
22On the whole, the campus is well-maintained.3.25
36The Library resources are useful for my assignments.3.25
1My instructors care about me as an individual.3.25
8The faculty are knowledgeable in their field(s).3.23
11I received adequate instruction in the use of Library resources.3.21
16Faculty come to class well prepared.3.20
13Class change (drop/add) procedures are easily followed.3.18
24The Sul Ross web site is satisfactory in meeting my needs.3.16
37Services of the University Post Office are adequate.3.16


The ten items that participants agreed with most in 2001 are:
ITEMAVG
33.I am serious about my education goals.3.42
39.I feel safe on the University campus.3.24
17.The faculty are knowledgeable in their field(s).3.16
64.The Library's resources are useful for my assignments.3.11
3.My instructors care about me as an individual.3.11
6.On the whole, the campus is well-maintained.3.11
69.The University Center is a comfortable place for students to spend their leisure time.3.08
27.The content of the courses within my major is valuable.3.07
7.The University provides adequate teaching facilities (i.e. classrooms, labs, lighting, air conditioning, etc.).3.06
35.Class change (drop/add) procedures are easily followed.3.05


Note that the underlined items appear on the top 10 list for both surveys. The questions from 2001 that are not underlined were not a part of the survey in 2004.


The ten items that participants disagreed with most in 2004 are:
ITEMAVG
28The general condition of the Residence Halls or Campus Apartments is satisfactory.2.17
27University Center Food Service is satisfactory in meeting my needs.2.30
29University parking is adequate2.62
23Channels for expressing student complaints are readily available.2.72
3Student Government Association meetings provide a good environment for me to express my concerns.2.76
12The classes I need are available when I register.2.81
15Graduate-level courses are offered often enough to complete my degree requirements.2.86
39The University Department of Public Safety patrolmen provide adequate security.2.90
10Faculty provide timely feedback about student progress in courses.2.92
19Student disciplinary procedures are fair.2.93


The ten items that participants disagreed with most in 2001 are:
ITEMAVG
55.The general condition of the Residence Halls or Campus Apartments is satisfactory.2.37
53.University Center Food Service is satisfactory in meeting my needs.2.50
50.Pertinent news about my student activities is published in my hometown media.2.54
70.Food services are satisfactory in meeting my needs.2.55
38.Adequate scholarships are available.2.60
67.Telephone services in the dormitories meet my needs.2.61
48.I would attend activities held on weekends more often than those held on weekdays.2.62
22.I generally know what is happening on campus.2.63
32.Channels for expressing student complaints are readily available.2.65
54.The hours of operation for University Center Food Service are satisfactory in meeting my needs.2.66

Note that the underlined items appear on the bottom 10 list for both surveys. Question 70 from 2001 is very similar to question 27 from 2004. Question 22 from 2001 is very similar to question 5 from 2004. The questions 50, 38, 67, 48, and 54 from 2001 that are not underlined were not a part of the survey in 2004.

Thus generally the students were satisfied or dissatisfied with essentially the same services in 2004 as they were in 2001.


COMPARING CHANGES IN 2004 RESPONSES WITH 2001 RESPONSES

By comparing the computed averages for questions in 2004 to the same questions in 2001, areas that are improving in the respondent's perceptions may be identified. The overall average of the averages rose from 2.90 in 2001 to 3.01 in 2004.

The averages went down for only six of the questions and this change was only significant for four of the questions. The averages went up for the rest of the questions but this change was only significant for eleven of the questions.
COMPARING RESULTS FROM THE GRADUATING STUDENT SURVEY FOR FY 2003 WITH THE ENROLLED STUDENT SURVEYS OF 2001 AND 2004

It is interesting to compare the results from the Graduating Student Survey (GSS) for Fiscal Year 2003 with the Enrolled Student Surveys (ESS) for 2001 and 2004. The wording of the questions varies between the GSS and the ESS, but the content compares in 19 areas (Residence Halls, Food, Parking, SGA, Classrooms, Bookstore, Publications, Financial Aid, Advising, Grounds, Cashier, Health Services, Counseling, Career Services, Post Office, University Center, Web, Library, and Registration).

The list above is in order of descending differences in the averages where the first two topics stand out. Residence Halls, has the greatest difference. The satisfaction average on the ESS in 2001 went down on the GSS 2003 and then down again on ESS 2004. The same trend is true for Food, Parking, and SGA. Bear in mind that graduates do not use these services as much as undergraduates and that these comparisons have limited value.

All of the rest of the 16 topics have minor differences except for the Bookstore that showed higher satisfaction on ESS 2004 than it did on GSS 2003.


ANALYSIS OF "DOES NOT APPLY" RESPONSES

The "Does Not Apply" choice was marked in numerous instances and the number of times it was selected may be of interest or it may indicate services that are not utilized by most students.

The following list shows the question number, the question, and the percent selecting "Does Not Apply" in 2004 in descending order
15Graduate-level courses are offered often enough to complete my degree requirements.75.4%
28The general condition of the Residence Halls or Campus Apartments is satisfactory.71.9%
27University Center Food Service is satisfactory in meeting my needs.62.5%
3Student Government Association meetings provide a good environment for me to express my concerns.51.5%
37Services of the University Post Office are adequate.47.9%
35The counseling services are satisfactory in meeting my needs.34.2%
33The Career and Testing Service programs are satisfactory in meeting my needs.33.3%
14Technical and personal support provided by the Academic Center for Excellence is satisfactory in meeting my needs.23.4%
30The Health Services are satisfactory in meeting my needs.16.3%
19Student disciplinary procedures are fair.13.1%
23Channels for expressing student complaints are readily available.13.1%
25Student Financial Assistance has helped me meet expenses.12.5%
13Class change (drop/add) procedures are easily followed.9.5%
20I can easily get involved in campus organizations.8.4%
40SRSU recruiting materials accurately portray the institution.8.3%
6When researching for information about Sul Ross, I found the online college databases useful.7.8%
7The student-centered learning environment at SRSU contributes to my success.7.3%
38The University Center is satisfactory in meeting my needs.5.2%
39The University Department of Public Safety patrolmen provide adequate security.5.1%
29University parking is adequate3.5%
18I feel a sense of pride about my campus.3.5%
9My academic advisor is available and helpful to me.1.5%
21The campus staff are caring and helpful.1.5%
34The services provided by the Cashiers Office are adequate.1.5%
26The University provides adequate teaching facilities.1.0%
24The Sul Ross web site is satisfactory in meeting my needs.1.0%
8The faculty are knowledgeable in their field(s).1.0%
31The Bookstore services are satisfactory in meeting my needs.1.0%
10Faculty provide timely feedback about student progress in courses.1.0%
2The administration of the University demonstrates support for students and their success.0.5%
4I feel safe on the University campus.0.5%
12The classes I need are available when I register.0.5%
11I received adequate instruction in the use of Library resources.0.5%
22On the whole, the campus is well-maintained.0.5%
32Admissions staff are helpful during registration.0.5%
36The Library resources are useful for my assignments.0.5%
1My instructors care about me as an individual.0.0%
5I am successful when seeking information on this campus.0.0%
16Faculty come to class well prepared.0.0%
17Information about what is happening on campus is available.0.0%

Most of the questions that scored high in "Does Not Apply" responses in 2001 were eliminated in the 2004 survey.


ATTACHMENT A -- COMMENTS BY RESPONDENTS

ATTACHMENT B -- THE ENROLLED STUDENT SURVEY INSTRUMENT


SUL ROSS STATE UNIVERSITY
ENROLLED STUDENT SURVEY


Sul Ross state University is interested in systematically listening to its students.
Therefore, your thoughtful and honest responses to this survey are very important.

You are part of a sample of students carefully selected to share feedback about your
university experiences thus far. Your responses will give your campus leadership insights
about the aspects that are important to you as well as how satisfied you are with them.


Instructions:
  • Use a No. 2 pencil only. Please do not use ink or ballpoint pen.
  • Erase changes completely and cleanly.
  • Completely darken the oval that corresponds to your response.

DEMOGRAPHICS
Gender:    Male    Female
Classification:    Freshman    Sophomore    Junior    Senior    Graduate
Major:    Animal Science    NRM    Education    Business    Lang & Lit
    Fine Arts    Behavioral Sci.    Earth Sci.    IT    CS/Math     PE
    Biol    CJ    Nursing    Pre-Prof.    Undecided
Ethnicity:    Hispanic    White     Black    Asian    Nat. Amer.    Non-Res. Alien
Full/Part-Time:    Full-Time    Part-Time (less than 12hr UG or less than 9hr GR)
Age:    < 17    17    18    19-21    22-24    25-30    31-35    36-50
    51-64    65 +


Please darken the appropriate bubble on this form. If a particular statement DOES NOT APPLY to you, be sure to blacken the 5th. You are welcome to add comments in any white space on the page, or on the back. Turn in the completed form to the survey administrator.

Mark the response that best represents your opinion:
GENERAL SATISFACTIONStrongly
Agree		AgreeDisagreeStrongly
Disagree		Dies Not
Apply
1.My instructors care about me as an individual.
2.The administration of the University demonstrates support for students and their success.
3.Student Government Association meetings provide a good environment for me to express my concerns.
4.I feel safe on the University campus.
5.I am successful when seeking information on this campus.
6.When researching for information about Sul Ross, I found the online college databases useful.


Mark the response that best represents your opinion:
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCEStrongly
Agree		AgreeDisagreeStrongly
Disagree		Dies Not
Apply
7.The student-centered learning environment at SRSU contributes to my success.
8.The faculty are knowledgeable in their field(s).
9.My academic advisor is available and helpful to me.
10.Faculty provide timely feedback about student progress in courses.
11.I received adequate instruction in the use of Library resources.
12.The classes I need are available when I register.
13.Class change (drop/add) procedures are easily followed.
14.Technical and personal support provided by the Academic Center for Excellence is satisfactory in meeting my needs.
15.Graduate-level courses are offered often enough to complete my degree requirements.
16.Faculty come to class well prepared.


Mark the response that best represents your opinion:
CO-CURRICULAR EXPERIENCEStrongly
Agree		AgreeDisagreeStrongly
Disagree		Dies Not
Apply
17.Information about what is happening on campus is available.
18.I feel a sense of pride about my campus.
19.Student disciplinary procedures are fair.
20.I can easily get involved in campus organizations.


Add your comments below:




Mark the response that best represents your opinion:
CAMPUS SERVICES AND FACILITIESStrongly
Agree		AgreeDisagreeStrongly
Disagree		Dies Not
Apply
21.The campus staff are caring and helpful.
22.On the whole, the campus is well-maintained.
23.Channels for expressing student complaints are readily available.
24.The Sul Ross web site is satisfactory in meeting my needs.
25.Student Financial Assistance has helped me meet expenses.
26.The University provides adequate teaching facilities.
27.University Center Food Service is satisfactory in meeting my needs.
28.The general condition of the Residence Halls or Campus Apartments is satisfactory.
29.University parking is adequate.
30.The Health Services are satisfactory in meeting my needs.
31.The Bookstore services are satisfactory in meeting my needs.
32.Admissions staff are helpful during registration.
33.The Career and Testing Service programs are satisfactory in meeting my needs.
34.The services provided by the Cashiers Office are adequate.
35.The counseling services are satisfactory in meeting my needs.
36.The Library resources are useful for my assignments.
37.Services of the University Post Office are adequate.
38.The University Center is satisfactory in meeting my needs.
39.The University Department of Public Safety patrolmen provide adequate security.
40.SRSU recruiting materials accurately portray the institution.


Add your comments below: