College Student Satisfaction & Assessment By: Laura Heidel Western Kentucky University CNS 610

Purpose The purpose of this podcast is to inform viewers on the importance college student satisfaction has within student affairs departments and higher education institutions.

Objectives 0 You will be able to identify aspects that contribute to college student satisfaction. 0 You will be familiar with ways to measure college student satisfaction. 0 You will be able to recognize why college student satisfaction is important in student affairs departments and higher education institutions.

What is student satisfaction? “Student satisfaction is a multidimensional outcome behavior with important contributions to overall satisfaction coming from a mixture of functional and educational components” (Markham & Postema, 2001).

Performance Experience Perception & Evaluation Expression of Satisfaction Expectation Student Satisfaction Cycle (Flanagan, 2008)

What contributes to Student Satisfaction? 0 Academic advising 0 Campus life 0 Learning experiences 0 Student support services 0 Concern for the student 0 Safety & security

Academic Advising The relationship between a student and his or her advisor is “perhaps the most crucial aspect of a student’s interaction and engagement with an institution of higher education” (Roberts & Styron, 2008). “Many students who depart prematurely from college often state a poor academic advising experience, and one of the main components of any retention program is an excellent advising program” (Tuttle, 2000).

Campus Life “Failing to become involved in campus activities, organizations, and extracurricular activities, which promote involvement and integration of college life, can lead to higher chances of attrition for some students” (Roberts & Styron, 2008). “It is imperative for higher education administrators to work diligently to provide students with opportunities to get involved with campus organizations and activities” (Tinto, 1993).

Learning Experiences The satisfaction of “the students' academic experience, the institutions curriculum, and the campus's overriding commitment to academic excellence” has a big impact on student satisfaction. This covers areas such as the variety of courses offered, the effectiveness of the faculty in and out of the classroom, and the effectiveness of the adjunct faculty and graduate teaching assistants” (Noel-Levitz, 2012).

Student Support Services “It is important for institutions of higher learning to implement and maintain various academic resources that promote student success and increase student persistence. These resources are needed by a significant number of students who are not adequately prepared for the academic challenges they will face at the university” (Roberts & Styron, 2008).

Concern for the Student Based on the “institution's commitment to treating each student as an individual. Those groups who frequently deal with students on a personal level (e.g., faculty, advisors, counselors, residence hall staff) are included in this” (Noel-Levitz, 2012).

Safety & Security How well is the “institution's responsiveness to students' personal safety and security on campus?” (Noel-Levitz, 2012). If a student does not feel safe on their campus, then they will not be overall completely satisfied.

Ways to Measure Student Satisfaction Quantitative Methods 0 Face-to-face interviews 0 Group based surveys 0 Postal surveys 0 Suggestion boxes 0 Telephone surveys 0 Web-based surveys Qualitative Methods 0 Focus Groups 0 Teledepth interviews 0 Participant observation 0 Direct observation (Flanagan, 2007)

Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) “The Student Satisfaction Inventory gives you a powerful tool to improve the quality of student life and learning. It measures student satisfaction and priorities, showing you how satisfied students are as well as what issues are important to them” (Noel-Levitz, 2012).

Facts of the SSI Versions Available 0 Institutional Priorities Survey 0 Adult Student Priorities Survey 0 Adult Learner Inventory 0 Priorities Survey for Online Learners 0 Parent Satisfaction Survey Quick Facts 0 Over 3,000,000 students have taken the SSI. 0 2,400 campuses utilize the SSI. 0 Can be taken on paper or electronically. 0 Prices range from $1.70- $2.20 per inventory. (Noel-Levitz, 2012)

Why is student satisfaction important? 0 “Colleges use survey findings to target areas for improvement or to identify a need for new programs. Strengthening academic and co-curricular programs forms the basis for high-achieving institutions, contributing to institutional effectiveness and ensuring student success.” 0 “Dissatisfied students often become drop-outs.” 0 “Satisfaction surveys provide insights as to how institutional quality and reputation is perceived by various audiences.” 0 “Results aid in strategic planning and institutional goal setting, providing important direction for operational objectives and program planning.” (Billups, 2008)

Implications & Conclusion 0 Student satisfaction comes from a variety of factors within a higher education institution. 0 There are many ways to measure college student satisfaction, but the most effective is through surveys. 0 The level of student satisfaction can cause a student to remain in college or end up dropping out. 0 The results of assessing student satisfaction can benefit student affairs departments and how they set goals and plan programs.

“References” Billups, Felice D., "Measuring College Student Satisfaction: A Multi-Year Study of the Factors Leading to Persistence" (2008). NERA Conference Proceedings Paper Flanagan, A. (2008). Measuring student satisfaction with teaching and services [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from Markham, S., Postema, M. (2001). Student satisfaction: A method for exploring quality factors within. Proceedings of the NACCQ. Retrieved from Noel-Levitz Inc. (2012). Student satisfaction inventory. Retrieved from priorities-assessments/student-satisfaction-inventory priorities-assessments/student-satisfaction-inventory Roberts, J., Styron, R. (2008). Student satisfaction and persistence: Factors vital to student retention. Retrieved from Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press Tuttle, K. N. (2000). Academic advising. New Directions for Higher Education, 111, 15-24