Undergraduate Students at UMass Boston: A Presentation for the Student Educational Research and Advocacy Center April 4, 2007 Prepared by: The Office of Institutional Research and Policy Studies Jennifer Brown, Director Kevin B. Murphy, Associate Director

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 2 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) A national survey that seeks information from first year students and seniors. We participated most recently in 2004, and will participate again this fall. Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) A national survey of the backgrounds, attitudes, and expectations of (mostly) first year students. Integrated Postsecondary Data System (IPEDS) The main U.S. government higher education data collection system. UMass Boston Records (UMB) Where does this information come from?

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 3 UMass Boston First Year respondents tended to be older than their colleagues in the comparison groups. (NSSE)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 4 This is also true of seniors. (NSSE)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 5 However, not all of our students are past traditional college age. Almost 2/3 are in the traditional age group. (UMB)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 6 UMass Boston respondents were more racially/ethnically diverse than were the national comparison groups. (NSSE)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 7 UMass Boston undergraduates are the most racially and ethnically diverse in the UMass System. (IPEDS Fall 2005)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 8 UMass Boston respondents were more likely to have transferred here from another college. (NSSE)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 9 UMass Boston respondents were also more likely to have come here from other countries. (NSSE) (UMass Boston records indicate that 22% of the fall 2005 undergraduates were citizens of countries other than the U.S.)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 10 They were also more likely to speak a language other than English as a first language. (CIRP)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 11 UMass Boston respondents reported lower levels of parental income than did their colleagues at the other public universities. (CIRP)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 12 UMass Boston respondents reported working more hours off campus each week than did their counterparts. (NSSE)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 13 UMass Boston respondents were less likely to attend school full time. (NSSE)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 14 Many UMass Boston respondents expected that their undergraduate education would be delayed by work or family responsibilities. (NSSE & CIRP)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 15 Many Boston students chose UMass Boston, because of financial reasons or to be near home. (CIRP)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 16 Many UMass Boston respondents have their permanent homes close to school. (CIRP)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 17 In fact, most UMass Boston respondents live with their families or other relatives. (CIRP )

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 18 They spend significantly more time commuting to class than their colleagues in the Urban Consortium or at other Doctoral Intensive Universities. (NSSE)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 19 In fact, one fifth of UMass Boston students spent an average of over two hours a day commuting to class. (NSSE)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 20 Not surprisingly, in the past two CIRP administrations, a majority of UMass Boston respondents indicated that they might like to live in a dorm. (CIRP)

OIRP 04/04/2007 KBM 21 Thank you!