2000 ALUMNI SURVEY OF 1997-98 GRADUATES SUMMARY REPORT Ball State University Office of Academic Assessment and Institutional Research March, 2002 AAIR No. ALU-S1-2002 2000 Alumni Survey of 1997-98 Graduates Summary Report Brian K. Pickerill Office of Academic Assessment and Institutional Research Ball State University March, 2002 AAIR No. ALU-S1-2002 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • This survey addresses alumni perceptions of learning at Ball State. Additionally, it provides information about employment, further education, and other departmental experiences. • The 2000 Ball State Alumni Survey was mailed to 2,424 academic year 1997-98 baccalaureate degree graduates during the Summer of 2000. After three mailings, forty-five percent (1,093 alumni) responded to the survey. • Demographics of respondents, such as age, race, and gender were compared to those of the population of all eligible 1997-98 graduates. A higher proportion of female and non-minority alumni responded to the survey than did male or minority alumni. Graduates who had enrolled with distinctive entry status were slightly more likely to respond than were other graduates. Also, respondents had somewhat higher high school percentile ranks, Ball State GPAs, and standardized test scores than did all eligible 1997-98 graduates. • About 88 percent of respondents were employed full-time. Nearly 79 percent of those employed full-time were employed in their major or in a field related to their major. More than nine out of ten were satisfied or very satisfied with their employment. • Among those employed full-time, about 73 percent reported that a college degree was required for their employment. • About 70 percent of full-time employed alumni were working in Indiana. About 12 percent were working in contiguous states. • About 19 percent were continuing college course work at the time of the survey, including 14.9 percent who were pursuing graduate degrees. About 13 percent had completed additional degrees or certification programs since graduating from Ball State in 1997-98. • Sixty-two percent reported plans to eventually obtain a graduate or professional degree. About ten percent indicated they had no plans for further education. • About 97 percent held positive or very positive attitudes toward Ball State. • More than 96 percent of all respondents indicated that their experiences at Ball State prepared them very well or satisfactorily in the areas of intellectual and personal growth as well as preparation for further education. More than 92 percent reported that they were very well or satisfactorily prepared for a career. • About 95 percent or more respondents indicated that they were prepared very well or satisfactorily in the areas of understanding wellness, social sciences, humanities, writing, listening, problem solving, analyzing and evaluating ideas, critical thinking, making informed decisions, self-reliance, working cooperatively, and lifelong learning. • At least 85 percent of respondents indicated that their experiences at Ball State prepared them very well or satisfactorily to understand other cultures, computer technology, sciences, and the Arts. (Table 3.2) • At least 93 percent of all employed respondents were using writing skills, quantitative skills, and computer skills on the job. • When compared by year, respondents held progressively more positive attitudes toward their majors. Ratings of skills and knowledge items were very similar in 1997 and 1998, more favorable in 1999, and slightly closer to 1997 and 1998 levels in 2000. Alumni in 1999 rated their preparation in several skill and knowledge areas higher than in other years. • A group of 452 alumni survey respondents also took the 1998 Ball State Senior Survey. Responses on each survey were compared. Respondents held more favorable attitudes toward the university as alumni than as seniors and also showed a more positive attitude toward some aspects of their major. However, alumni rated several skills and knowledge items slightly lower than did seniors. Where differences were observed on skill and knowledge items, seniors were generally more favorable in their self ratings than were alumni. CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE 1 SECTION 1 Demographic and Academic Characteristics 3 SECTION 2 Employment and Further Education 7 Employment 7 Further Education 13 Ball State Experiences 15 General Evaluation of Learning Experiences 16 Knowledge and Understanding 16 Skills and Abilities 16 Importance of Knowledge and Skills 23 Internships and Employment at Ball State 23 Interaction with Faculty at Ball State 23 Number of Weekly Study and Work Hours 24 SECTION 4 Satisfaction with Departmental Experiences 25 SECTION 5 Writing, Quantitative Skills, and Computer Skills Performed on the Job 27 Writing Tasks on the Job 27 Quantitative Tasks on the Job 27 Computer Tasks on the Job 27 Comparison of Findings: 1997 through 2000 29 Income and Further Education 29 Ratings of Knowledge and Skills 31 Satisfaction with Department of Major 37 Panel Comparison of 2000 Alumni and 1998 Senior Survey Responses 39 Skills 40 SECTION 8 Summary and Discussion 47 APPENDIX 2000 Ball State Senior Survey 49-56 SECTION 3 SECTION 6 SECTION 7 LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1.1 Demographic and Academic Characteristics of Respondents and Academic Year 1997-98 Graduates 4 Table 1.2 High School Academic Characteristics of Respondents and Academic Year 1997-98 Graduates 5 Table 1.3 Ball State Alumni Survey Response Rates by College of Major 5 Table 2.1 Location of Employment—Full-Time Employed Alumni Only 8 Table 2.2 Reasons for Working Outside the Major—Full-Time Employed Alumni Only 10 Table 2.3 Current Occupations of Alumni Employed Full-Time 11 Table 2.4 Plans for Further Education 13 Table 3.1 Evaluation of Overall Experiences at Ball State 16 Table 3.2 Evaluation of Experiences at Ball State 18 Table 3.3 Importance of Knowledge and Skill Areas 19 Table 3.4 Internships and Student Employment 23 Table 3.5 Frequency of Interaction with Faculty 23 Table 3.6 Number of Weekly Study and Work Hours at Ball State 24 Table 4.1 Satisfaction with Department of Major 26 Table 5.1 Writing Tasks Performed on the Job 27 Table 5.2 Quantitative Tasks Performed on the Job 28 Table 5.3 Computer Tasks Performed on the Job 29 Table 6.1 Annual Income from Full-Time Employment Comparison of 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Responses 29 Table 6.2 Alumni Evaluation of Knowledge Items Comparison of 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Responses 30-31 Table 6.3 Alumni Evaluation of Skill Items: Comparison of 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Responses 32-35 Table 6.4 Satisfaction with Department of Major Comparison of 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Responses 36-37 Table 7.1 Panel Comparison of Knowledge Items: Percentage Distributions Table 7.2 Panel Comparison of Skills Items: Percentage Distributions Table 7.3 Panel Comparison of Satisfaction with Major: Percentage Distributions 40 42-43 45 LIST OF FIGURES Page 7 Figure 1 Employment Status Figure 2 Length of Time to Find Full-Time Employment 8 Figure 3 Relationship of Employment to the Major Full-Time Employed Alumni Only 9 Figure 4 Satisfaction with Full-Time Employment 9 Figure 5 Type of Organization in Which Alumni Found Employment 10 Figure 6 Annual Income from Full-Time Employment 12 Figure 7 Current Educational Activities of Alumni 12 Figure 8 Attitude Toward Ball State 15 Figure 9 Mean Ratings of Preparation in Knowledge Areas 20 Figure 10 Mean Ratings of Preparation in Skill Areas 21-22 Figure 11 Attitude Toward Ball State Among Panel Members as Seniors and as Alumni 39 Figure 12 Panel Comparison of Selected Knowledge Items: Means 41 Figure 13 Panel Comparison of Selected Departmental Items: Means 43 Figure 14 Panel Comparison of Selected Skills Items: Means 44 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE In the Summer of 2000, the Office of Academic Assessment surveyed all Ball State University academic year 1997-98 baccalaureate degree recipients for whom addresses were obtainable. The 2000 Ball State Alumni Survey (Appendix A) was mailed to alumni who graduated at the end of the Fall 1997, Spring 1998, or Summer 1998 semesters. Two follow-up mailings were sent to those who did not respond to earlier mailings. The final response rate was 45.1 percent—1093 of the 2,424 graduates responded. The survey was designed by the Office of Academic Assessment and the Alumni Survey Steering Committee. The committee is composed of faculty and professional staff from the colleges, and from the offices of Career Services, University College, and Academic Assessment and Institutional Research. asked. These items addressed alumni employment patterns, the relationship of employment to the major, graduate work, professional development and career progress, income, and the geographical location of graduates. Alumni were also asked for background information about their experiences at Ball State, such as their degree of interaction with faculty and their patterns of enrollment, study, and work. The survey was first administered in Fall, 1991. In developing the survey, the committee reviewed the university mission statement as a means of identifying important topics. As a result, the instrument focused on areas that have remained important and most of the survey has remained the same. With at least two years of postcollegiate experience, alumni were asked to indicate whether their Ball State experiences prepared them or met their needs very well, satisfactorily, or poorly in these areas. Alumni were instructed to consider all activities that may have contributed to their learning, including those outside the classroom. For the second administration in Summer 1994, some items were changed slightly and a section was added that asked about the specific types of writing, computer use, and mathematics that graduates perform at work. For the administration in Summer 1996, the survey was modified to ask graduates about the importance of each knowledge and skill item. The 1997 administration remained virtually unchanged from 1996, with only some minor technical changes. The 1998 version included revised wording of three items about satisfaction with major departments. For the 1999 survey, the questions about the importance of knowledge and skill items were removed in order to shorten the survey. In 2000, the importance items were added back to the survey. Traditional questions about employment and further education were also This report is organized in eight sections. Section!1 compares academic and The primary goal of the project was to determine the extent to which Ball State met the needs of its graduates in important areas such as general education, wellness, computer education, racial and ethnic understanding, appreciation for diversity, and understanding and using new technologies. 1 demographic characteristics of respondents to the characteristics of all eligible 1997-98 baccalaureate graduates. Section 2 describes findings related to further education and employment. Section 3 contains ratings of preparation and importance in several learning areas. Information about student work experiences and attitudes toward the university are also presented in Section 3. Section 4 covers findings about the major, while Section 5 describes data about graduates’ on-the-job writing, computer, and mathematics use. Section 6 compares 2000 findings with three years of earlier data. Section 7 compares longitudinal responses among a group of 452 graduates who took both the 1998 Ball State Senior Survey and the 2000 Ball State Alumni Survey. Section!8 is a short summary and discussion. 2 SECTION 1 Demographic and Academic Characteristics Summary This section compares the demographic and academic characteristics of survey respondents and academic year 1997-98 baccalaureate degree graduates.1 Statistical tests were used to estimate the representativeness of the sample. Statistically significant differences were found between respondents and the population of all academic year 1997-98 graduates on several demographic and academic variables. A higher proportion of women responded to the survey than did men. Also, African Americans were less likely to respond to the survey than were other students. Respondents were found to have slightly higher high school percentile ranks, ACT scores, and Ball State GPAs than the 1997-98 graduating class. Respondents were somewhat more likely than all graduates to have enrolled with an entry status of distinction. These differences were generally slight, but statistically significant. (Tables 1.1-1.3) Respondents were not significantly different from the population of all 1997-98 graduates when compared by age, high school class size, or SAT verbal or quantitative scores.2 • • Among 1997-98 graduates, about 56 percent were female and about 44 percent were male. Among respondents, these percentages were about 64 and 36 percent, respectively. Females were more likely to respond to the survey than were males. The differences between the sample and population were statistically significant. The response rate for African American and other minority alumni was lower than the response rate of Caucasian alumni. The response rate among African American alumni was only 25.9 percent. Other minority alumni responded at a rate of 33.3%, while the response rate for Caucasians was 46.2 percent. • Respondents were not found to be significantly different from the population when compared by age or high school class size. • The average GPA was 3.05 for all eligible graduates, and 3.14 for respondents. Although small, this difference in GPA was statistically significant. Sixty-one percent of respondents earned an average of 3.0 or higher, compared to about 54 percent of all eligible graduates. • Average high school percentile rank was higher among respondents (70.6) than among all eligible graduates (67.8). The difference was statistically significant. • The average SAT verbal score was not significantly higher for respondents (511.4) than for all eligible graduates (507.5), nor was the average SAT quantitative score. (Table!1.2) 1 Information about the population was extracted from the student database. According to university records, a total of 2,655 students graduated with baccalaureate degrees during academic year 1997-98. However, 231 alumni (8.7 percent) had no valid address information, and consequently did not receive the survey. The population of all eligible graduates described in this section refers to those for whom valid addresses were available (N=2,424). 2 While a total of 1,093 alumni responded to the survey, eight responded anonymously. Anonymous replies are included in the study where possible, but are not available for sample/population comparisons. 3 Table 1.1 Demographic and Academic Characteristics of Respondents and Academic Year 1997-98 Graduates Respondents Percentages 1997-98 Graduates Percentages GENDER* Female Male 64.1 35.9 56.1 43.9 RACE* African American Caucasian Other 2.7 96.0 1.3 4.8 93.5 1.7 AGE 22 to 24 25 26 27 28 and older Mean 42.3 33.0 9.2 2.9 12.5 25.95 36.1 32.1 11.5 4.8 15.4 26.20 GPA* Less than 2.5 2.50 to 2.99 3.00 to 3.49 3.50 to 4.00 Mean 9.5 29.3 37.1 24.1 3.14 13.8 32.5 34.4 19.3 3.05 ACADEMIC ENTRY TYPE* Distinction Regular Other 19.8 64.9 15.3 15.6 67.1 17.3 1,085 2,424 N† * † 4 Statistically significant differences exist between respondents and the population of all graduates on this variable. (p≤.05). Eight respondents removed the address labels from their surveys and replied anonymously. A total of 1,093 respondents completed the survey. Table 1.2 High School Academic Characteristics of Respondents and Academic Year 1997-98 Graduates Mean High School Percentile Rank* 70.6 High School Class Size 235.4 SAT Verbal 511.4 SAT Quantitative 507.7 ACT Composite* 22.3 Respondents Std.dev. N 21.1 142.5 79.4 85.6 4.2 1997-98 Graduates Mean Std.dev. N 1,012 1,012 945 945 385 67.8 244.2 507.5 507.2 21.4 21.5 237.5 81.1 85.2 4.2 2243 2244 2077 2077 802 * Statistically significant differences exist between respondents and the population of all graduates on this variable. (p≤.05) Table 1.3 Ball State Alumni Survey Response Rates by College of Major N Mailed COLLEGE Applied Sciences and Technology Architecture and Planning Business Communication Information and Media Fine Arts Sciences and Humanities Teachers College General Studies N 223 82 308 221 128 869 397 196 2,424 N Returned Percent Returned 112 41 139 91 47 404 195 64 50.2 50.0 45.2 41.2 36.7 46.5 49.1 32.3 1,093* 45.1 * Table 1.3 is based on program data from the student database, except for eight alumni who responded anonymously—self reported data were used for those respondents. • As shown in Table 1.3, response rates were not significantly different by college of major, though they varied from a low of about 32 percent among General Studies majors to a high of about 50 percent in the College of Applied Sciences and Technology, and the College of Architecture and Planning. The overall response rate was 45.1 percent. 5 SECTION 2 Employment and Further Education Summary Nearly 88 percent of 19971998 alumni were employed full time. Of those employed full-time, 76 percent found employment prior to or within three months of graduation. Nearly 79 percent of those with full-time jobs held employment within their major or in an area related to their major. Nearly three-fourths (73.4%) of those working full-time indicated that their employment required a college degree. Ninety-one percent of full-time employed respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with their employment. The most often cited occupations represented among those employed full-time were teachers (21.6%) (all types), managers and directors (6.3%), social and welfare workers (3.9%), sales representatives (3.9%), accountants (3.9%), nurses, EMTs and paramedics (3.7%), and architects and landscape architects (3.3%). About 93 percent of those working full-time reported earnings of at least $20,000 per year. (Figure 6) Alumni were asked about their current and anticipated educational activities and plans. At the time of the survey, nearly 20 percent were enrolled at a college or university, and about 62 percent reported they plan to eventually complete a graduate or professional degree. About 90 percent plan to continue their education with some combination of professional development and/or additional college course work. Employment • Nearly 88 percent of 1997-98 alumni were employed full-time. (Figure 1) • About five percent of alumni were employed part-time, and three percent were employed primarily with graduate assistantships, fellowships, or student employment. (Figure 1) Figure 1 Employment Status 6 Figure 2 Length of Time to Find Full-Time Employment • Fewer than five percent were not employed at the time of the survey. (Figure 1) • Forty percent of those employed fulltime either continued a job that they had before graduation (15.4%) or secured employment before graduation (24.9%). As shown in Figure 2, an additional 36 percent found employment within three months of graduation, while about 24 percent found employment three or more months after graduation. (Figure 2) • About 70 percent of those with full-time jobs were working in Indiana, while about 12 percent worked in contiguous states. About 18 percent worked in other, noncontiguous states. Seven graduates worked outside the U.S. (Table 2.1) • About 60 percent of all full-time percent were employed in an area related to their major. (Figure 3) Table 2.1 Location of Employment Full-Time Employed Alumni Only Indiana Contiguous State Other States Foreign Country Total Percent 70.4 11.6 17.6 .5 100.0 N 737 121 184 7 1049 • Of the 21.3 percent of full-time employed alumni who were working in areas not related to their major, the most frequently cited reason was that they could not find employment within their major. Other reasons included developing new interests and finding better pay outside their major. (Figure 3 and Table 2.2) employed alumni were working within their major field of study. About 19 7 Figure 3 Relationship of Employment to the Major Full-Time Employed Alumni Only Figure 4 Satisfaction with Full-Time Employment 8 Table 2.2 Reasons for Working Outside the Major Full-Time Employed Alumni Only Could not find job in major Developed new interest Better pay Did not plan to work in major Could not relocate Better advancement Not licensed/certified Other Total Percent 26.3 20.1 15.6 8.9 6.7 5.6 2.2 14.5 100.0 N 47 36 28 16 12 10 4 26 179 • Among those employed full-time, 73 percent indicated that a college degree was required for their employment. • More than nine out of ten full-time employed alumni were satisfied or very satisfied with their employment. Fewer than nine percent indicated that they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their current employment. • Figure 5 contains information about the types of organizations and businesses in which alumni found full-time employment. The largest specific categories were education (26.7%), professional services (13.0%), health care (11.2%), and finance, insurance, and real estate (8.0%). • Other types of organizations in which alumni found full-time employment include manufacturing (6.4%), social services (6.1%), government (5.5%), media (4.9%), wholesale and retail trade (4.8%), and transportation and utilities (1.3%). (Figure 5) Figure 5 Type of Organization in Which Alumni Found Employment . 9 Table 2.3 Current Occupations of Alumni Employed Full-Time Occupation N Occupation Teachers (Elementary Education) Managers, Directors, Asst./Assoc. Directors, & Proprietors (not Sales, Retail, Personnel or Assistant Managers) Teachers (Special Education) Accountants, Auditors, & Assistant Auditors Sales Representatives, Sales People, and Sales Clerks Social and Welfare Workers Nurses, EMT’s, Paramedics, Health Care Associates Architects, Landscape Architects, Interns, GIS, & Draftspersons Teachers, Substitutes, Aides, Principals (Other or Mixed Level) Computer Programmers, System Analysts, Support Personnel-Help Desk Teachers (High School) Teachers (Middle School) Account Executives Counselors, Therapists, and Speech Pathologists Sales and Retail Managers, Assistant Managers, Buyers, and Merchandisers Administrators and Administrative Assistants Graphic Artists Consultants Bank Managers, Officials, Brokers, Analysts, and Planners Marketing Personnel managers and workers, human resources Probation Officers Insurance Adjusters, Agents, Examiners, Investigators, and Underwriters Police, Detectives, Security Agents, Dispatchers, and Firefighters (not probation officers) Technicians, Medical and Dental Sports, Exercise, and Fitness Instructors and Officials, and Athletic Trainers Consultants Paralegals, Legal Assistants, and Law Clerks Customer Service Representatives Editors, Reporters, And Photojournalists Engineers Technicians (Other) Self-Employed Managers, Officials, Contractors, and Proprietors 81 Advertising Agents, Sales People, Media Buyers, Copywriters Urban and Regional Planners Artists (not Graphic), Entertainers, Musicians, and Writers Environmental Scientists, Conservationists, and Foresters Teachers (Preschool, Early Childhood Ed.) TV Producers, Assistant/Associate Producers, News Reporters, Set Production Assistants Bank Tellers, Client Assistants, Document Assistants Military (Members of the Armed Forces) Job Recruiters Clergy (Priests, Pastors, Ministers), Missionaries Assistant Managers And Manager Trainees Librarians/Archivists Manufacturing Workers, Utilities Workers Researchers and Data Analysts Secretaries and Word Processing Specialists Service Workers Carpenters, Painters, and Construction Workers Communications, Professional and Technical Dieticians and Nutritionists Interior Designers Recreation and Group Workers Attendants, Professional and Personal Service Clerical workers Communications Managers Food Store Managers and Food Service Managers Production Supervisors (manufacturing or printing) Data Processing and Data Entry Event Planners Public Relations Workers Real Estate Agents and Appraisers Peace Corp Volunteers Business Services Managers Chemists Insurance Actuaries Professional and Technical Workers All Other Occupations 10 59 42 37 37 37 35 32 32 28 28 24 21 21 21 19 19 18 17 17 17 15 14 14 13 12 11 11 10 10 10 10 9 Total N 8 8 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 26 954 Figure 6 Annual Income from Full-Time Employment Figure 7 Current Educational Activities of Alumni 11 Table 2.4 Plans for Further Education Percent DO YOU PLAN EVENTUALLY TO… Obtain a graduate or professional degree Obtain another Bachelor’s degree Obtain certification with college course work Obtain certification with non-college course work Take additional college courses Take professional development courses No plans to continue education Total Responses 62.4 8.8 10.5 22.3 6.3 34.7 10.2 155.1* N 661 93 111 236 67 368 108 1,644 * Percentages total to greater than 100% because respondents could choose more than one response. One thousand and fifty eight (1,058) respondents chose one or more responses. • Fewer than seven percent of full-time employed respondents were earning less than $20,000 at the time of the survey. About 14 percent were earning between $20,000 and $24,999. About 27 percent were earning between $25,000 and $29,999. Finally, about 53 percent were earning $30,000 or more in their second year after graduation. Figure 6 contains percentages for each salary range among those who were employed full-time. executives, counselors, therapists, speech pathologists, and sales and retail managers. Further Education • About 19 percent were enrolled in college course work at the time of the survey. About 15 percent were pursuing graduate degrees, while about 4 percent were taking additional undergraduate course work. Seventeen percent were enrolled in noncollegiate professional development courses. (Figure 7) • About 13 percent reported that they had completed an additional degree or certification program. • Teachers (including all full-time primary and secondary school teachers) formed by far the largest occupational category, accounting for more than 21 percent of all full-time employed respondents. (Table 2.3) • It can also be seen from Table 2.3 that alumni frequently reported full-time employment as managers and directors, accountants, sales representatives, social and welfare workers, nurses, architects, computer programmers, account 12 • About 62 percent reported that they plan to eventually obtain a graduate or professional degree. Only about ten percent of respondents indicated they had no plans to continue their education. (Table 2.4) 13 SECTION 3 Ball State Experiences Summary Alumni were asked to reflect on their preparation with respect to several important areas of knowledge and skills. They were asked whether their experiences met their needs very well, satisfactorily, or poorly in areas such as writing, mathematics, critical thinking, and using computers. Alumni were asked whether they would recommend Ball State to others, about their general attitude toward the university, and about interaction with faculty. Finally, alumni were asked about their internship experiences, and about the number of hours they studied and worked in a typical week at Ball State. More than 99 percent of all respondents indicated that their experiences at Ball State prepared them very well or satisfactorily in the area of intellectual growth. More than 96 percent of all respondents indicated that their experiences at Ball State prepared them very well or satisfactorily in the areas of personal growth and preparation for further education. More than ninety-two percent felt that BSU experiences prepared them very well or satisfactorily for their career. In each knowledge and skill area, at least 76 percent of all respondents indicated that Ball State experiences prepared them very well or satisfactorily. (Table 3.2) More than 53 percent of students indicated that they participated in internships, campus employment, or off-campus employment. About 55 percent indicated that they studied at least 11 hours per week while at Ball State. About 28 percent indicated they worked more than 20 hours per week while enrolled at Ball State. Figure 8 Attitude Toward Ball State 14 General Evaluation of Learning Experiences Knowledge and Understanding • Wellness was the knowledge item for which the largest number of alumni felt very well prepared. About 95 percent indicated they were very well (31.0%) or satisfactorily (63.9%) prepared in this area. (Table 3.2) • About 95 percent reported that they were very well or satisfactorily prepared in the social sciences (94.9%), or humanities (95.2%). • About nine out of ten respondents felt very well or satisfactorily prepared in their understanding of the sciences (91.5%), or current events and contemporary issues (87.2%). • Greater than 97 percent indicated that intellectual and personal growth needs were met very well or satisfactorily. The majority of respondents felt very well prepared in these two areas. • When asked about preparation for further education, 96 percent reported they felt very well (43.4%) or satisfactorily (53.0%) prepared. (Table 3.1) • More than nine out of ten felt they were very well (42.9%) or satisfactorily (49.9%) prepared for their careers. (Table 3.1) Even among those who were not employed full time (about 12 percent of all respondents), 85 percent indicated they were very well or satisfactorily prepared in their career area. Table 3.1 Evaluation of Overall Experiences at Ball State Rating of Growth or Preparation in Each Area Very Well Satisfactorily Poorly Percentages OVERALL EVALUATION OF EXPERIENCES Intellectual Growth 54.9 44.1 .9 Personal Growth 64.8 32.6 2.7 Preparation for Further Education 43.4 53.0 3.6 Preparation for Career 42.9 49.9 7.3 • • N 1085 1084 1077 1073 At least 85 percent of respondents indicated that their experiences at Ball State prepared them very well or satisfactorily to understand other cultures, computer technology, and the arts. (Table 3.2) • Eight out of ten respondents reported that they were very well or satisfactorily prepared in understanding racial issues. • Nearly eight out of ten rated their preparation in understanding global issues “very well” or “satisfactorily.” About 84 percent felt they were at least satisfactorily prepared in their understanding of gender issues and morals and ethics. Skills and Abilities • The skill items with the highest percentage of responses in the “very well” prepared category included 15 analyzing and evaluating ideas (45.0%), using library resources (46.7%), planning and organizing (45.5%), selfreliance (47.7%), and working cooperatively (50.6%). (Table 3.2) • 16 Greater than 95 percent rated their preparation very well or satisfactory in the skill areas of writing, problem solving, critical thinking, making informed decisions, and lifelong learning. (Table!3.2) Table 3.2 Evaluation of Experiences at Ball State Rating of Preparation in Each Area Very Well Satisfactorily Poorly Percentages N KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING Other Cultures Computer Technology Wellness Sciences Social Sciences Humanities Arts Gender Issues Racial Issues Morals and Ethics Current Events and Contemporary Issues Global Events SKILLS AND ABILITIES Writing Speaking Listening Problem Solving Analyzing and Evaluating Ideas Conducting Research Using Library Resources Using Mathematics Creative Thinking Critical Thinking Using Computer Technology at Work Providing Leadership Persuading Others Coping with Stress Dealing with the Public Managing Time Planning and Organizing Conflict Resolution Interacting with Diverse Groups of People Making Informed Decisions Self-Evaluation Self-Reliance Working Cooperatively Using New Technologies Clarifying Personal Values Experiencing and Responding to the Arts Lifelong Learning Maintaining Physical Health and Well-Being 23.2 26.0 31.0 19.0 27.1 29.5 25.2 18.4 16.6 22.4 23.8 13.1 64.9 60.3 63.9 72.5 67.8 65.6 60.0 65.4 63.8 61.8 63.4 66.1 11.9 13.8 5.1 8.5 5.1 4.8 14.9 16.2 19.6 15.8 12.8 20.9 1077 1082 1078 1079 1080 1080 1077 1076 1076 1077 1082 1079 44.6 39.0 40.4 40.8 45.0 37.4 46.7 22.0 42.8 42.2 32.0 39.6 23.8 23.3 30.2 40.6 45.5 26.0 36.5 36.3 35.7 47.7 50.6 31.4 29.5 24.8 41.5 33.4 52.0 55.5 54.5 55.3 51.3 52.2 46.7 62.1 50.8 53.3 52.4 50.5 61.0 52.9 53.3 48.1 47.3 57.9 50.8 60.4 55.8 48.3 47.0 52.4 59.5 57.8 53.7 59.7 3.3 5.5 5.1 3.9 3.7 10.4 6.7 15.9 6.4 4.5 15.6 9.9 15.1 23.8 16.5 11.3 7.2 16.1 12.7 3.2 8.5 4.0 2.4 16.2 11.0 17.5 4.8 6.9 1080 1077 1078 1077 1076 1076 1078 1076 1077 1076 1076 1075 1070 1075 1076 1079 1076 1075 1077 1077 1079 1076 1076 1079 1072 1070 1073 1075 17 Table 3.3 Importance of Knowledge and Skill Areas Rating of Importance in Each Area Very Important Important Not Important Percentages N KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING Other Cultures Computer Technology Wellness Sciences Social Sciences Humanities Arts Gender Issues Racial Issues Morals and Ethics Current Events and Contemporary Issues Global Events SKILLS AND ABILITIES Writing Speaking Listening Problem Solving Analyzing and Evaluating Ideas Conducting Research Using Library Resources Using Mathematics Creative Thinking Critical Thinking Using Computer Technology at Work Providing Leadership Persuading Others Coping with Stress Dealing with the Public Managing Time Planning and Organizing Conflict Resolution Interacting with Diverse Groups of People Making Informed Decisions Self-Evaluation Self-reliance Working Cooperatively Using New Technologies Clarifying Personal Values Experiencing and Responding to the Arts Lifelong Learning Maintaining Physical Health and Well-Being 18 52.2 83.6 56.0 31.2 36.7 35.4 29.3 34.4 45.9 68.8 53.4 43.7 42.1 15.6 40.7 60.7 58.0 59.9 56.7 52.4 45.9 28.7 44.9 52.3 5.7 0.8 3.4 8.2 5.3 4.7 14.0 13.2 8.2 2.6 1.7 4.0 1045 1044 1038 1042 1039 1039 1035 1036 1039 1040 1040 1040 84.0 84.3 86.3 84.7 77.2 47.5 43.7 42.2 71.9 74.4 78.5 69.7 42.9 73.6 66.2 83.0 81.4 66.7 66.3 73.7 63.7 73.9 73.8 70.2 59.2 33.6 70.9 65.5 15.7 15.1 13.7 15.3 22.5 47.3 49.5 50.5 27.1 24.9 21.0 29.3 52.6 25.1 31.3 16.6 18.3 32.4 31.4 25.8 35.1 25.1 25.7 28.6 38.1 50.9 27.6 33.5 0.3 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.3 5.2 6.8 7.3 1.0 0.8 0.5 1.0 4.4 1.3 2.5 0.4 0.3 1.0 2.2 0.6 1.3 1.0 0.5 1.2 2.7 15.5 1.5 1.1 1047 1045 1044 1041 1040 1042 1044 1044 1043 1041 1044 1044 1041 1039 1044 1043 1043 1041 1043 1040 1040 1043 1042 1042 1041 1043 1044 1042 Figure 9 Preparation and Importance of Knowledge Areas: Mean Ratings Importance Scale: 1=Not Important, 2=Somewhat Important, and 3=Very Important Preparation Scale: 1=Poorly, 2=Satisfactorily, and 3=Very Well • Nearly 95 percent rated their preparation very well or satisfactory in the skill areas of speaking, listening, and creative thinking. (Table 3.2) • At least nine out of ten respondents felt very well or satisfactorily prepared in providing leadership, self-evaluation, and maintaining physical health and wellbeing. 19 Figure 10 Preparation and Importance of Skills: Mean Ratings Importance Scale: 1=Not Important, 2=Somewhat Important, and 3=Very Important Preparation Scale: 1=Poorly, 2=Satisfactorily, and 3=Very Well 20 Figure 10 (Continued) Preparation and Importance of Skills: Mean Ratings Importance Scale: 1=Not Important, 2=Somewhat Important, and 3=Very Important Preparation Scale: 1=Poorly, 2=Satisfactorily, and 3=Very Well • Nearly nine out of ten respondents felt very well or satisfactorily prepared in conducting research, managing time, and clarifying personal values. • More than 82 percent of all respondents indicated they were very well or satisfactorily prepared in the areas of using mathematics, using computer technology at work, persuading others, dealing with the public, conflict resolution, interacting with diverse groups of people, using new technologies, and experiencing and responding to the arts. (Table 3.2) 21 • Seventy-six percent of all respondents indicated they were “satisfactorily” or “very well” prepared regarding coping with stress—the lowest rated skill item. Importance of Knowledge and Skills • A majority of respondents rated most skill items and several knowledge items as “very important.” Understanding computer technology, writing, speaking, listening, problem solving, managing time, and planning and organizing were rated “very important” by more than 80 percent of all respondents. stress and using computer technology. (Figure 10) • Some skill areas where average ratings of preparation were very similar to average ratings of importance include experiencing and responding to the arts, using library resources, and conducting research. (Figure!10) Internships and Employment at Ball State • A majority of respondents indicated that they participated in an internship program (57.0%), held campus employment (53.8%), or off-campus employment (58.2%), while attending Ball State. (Table!3.3) • As shown in Figure 9, each knowledge area averaged higher on importance than on preparation. • In Figure 9, it can be seen that differences in alumni ratings of the preparation and importance of knowledge items were greatest in response to morals and ethics, and computer technology. Difference between mean importance and mean preparation were smallest in the arts, the humanities, and the social sciences. Percent* N Internship 57.0 621 Campus Employment 53.8 586 Off-Campus Employment 58.2 634 *Percent is based on 1,089 valid cases. N shows the number who indicated internship or employment experience. • About 22 percent indicated they felt very well prepared in the area of morals and ethics, but nearly 69 percent felt it was very important. About 84 percent rated computer technology very important, while 26 percent felt very well prepared by their experiences at Ball State. • As shown in Figure 10, respondents rated skill items higher in importance than in preparation with the exception of using library resources, where the average importance rating was slightly lower than the average preparation rating. Interaction with Faculty at Ball State • When alumni were asked how often they met with faculty members outside of class, about 18 percent indicated that they met often, about 52 percent indicated they met occasionally, and about 31 percent indicated they met rarely or never with faculty members outside of class. (Table!3.4) • 22 Differences in alumni ratings of preparation and importance in skill areas were greatest in response to coping with Table 3.4 Internships and Student Employment Table 3.5 Frequency of Interaction with Faculty Often Occasionally Rarely Never Total Percent 17.6 51.5 27.5 3.3 100.0 N 189 554 296 36 1075 Number of Weekly Study and Work Hours • About 55 percent of alumni reported that they studied 11 or more hours per week while attending classes at Ball State. About 38 percent indicated that they studied five to ten hours per week. About seven percent reported studying an average of less than five hours per week. (Table 3.5) • Seven out of ten respondents indicated that they typically worked 11 or more hours a week while attending classes. Only about 13 percent indicated that they typically did not work while attending classes. (Table!3.5) Table 3.6 Number of Weekly Study and Work Hours at Ball State Percent N HOURS OF STUDY PER WEEK Not at All Less than 5 Hours 5-10 Hours 11-20 Hours Over 20 Hours Total 2.8 4.3 37.5 41.3 14.1 100.0 30 47 407 448 153 1085 HOURS WORKED PER WEEK Not Employed 10 Hours or Less 11-20 Hours Over 20 Hours Total 13.3 15.8 43.1 27.7 100.0 144 171 465 299 1079 23 SECTION 4 Satisfaction with Departmental Experiences Summary Alumni were asked to indicate the degree to which they agreed or disagreed with statements about their department such as “I am satisfied with my department.” At least eighty-five percent of alumni agreed or strongly agreed they were satisfied with their department in general, as well as with teaching ability of faculty, faculty professional expertise, and fairness of grading in departmental courses. At least four out of five alumni agreed or strongly agreed they were satisfied with opportunities for interaction with departmental faculty, availability of required courses in the major, feedback from instructors, and opportunities for evaluation of classroom instruction. Seventy-five percent of those surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that their departmental courses had prepared them for employment. More than two-thirds agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with faculty advising in their department. More than six out of ten respondents agreed or strongly agreed they were satisfied with information provided about internships, practicums, or co-op experiences, opportunities to participate in internships, practicums, or co-op experiences, preparation for graduate or professional school, and opportunities to learn computer applications related to major. About 59 percent of those surveyed expressed satisfaction with opportunities to receive advice about planning a career, and opportunities to receive advice about obtaining a job. (Table 4.1) • Satisfaction with the department, faculty teaching ability, and faculty professional expertise had the highest positive ratings of all departmental items. More than 86 percent agreed or strongly agreed they 24 were satisfied with their department, the teaching ability of faculty in their department, and with faculty professional expertise. (Table!4.1) • At least eight out of ten respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with opportunities for interaction with departmental faculty (83.2%), the availability of required courses in their major (84.2%), fairness of grading (85.1%), feedback from instructors about academic progress (80.3%), and opportunities for evaluation of classroom instruction in the department (80.0%). (Table 4.1) • Three-quarters (74.8%) agreed or strongly agreed their departmental courses prepared them for employment. • About 68 percent agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with faculty advising in their department. • More than six out of ten respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with information provided about internships, practicums, or co-op experiences (64.0%), opportunities to participate in internships, practicums, or co-op experiences (64.4%), preparation for graduate or professional school (64.6%), and opportunities to learn computer applications related to their major (61.6%). • Nearly six out of ten alumni agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with opportunities to receive advice about planning a career (59.3%) and opportunities to receive advice about obtaining a job (59.3%). (Table 4.1) Table 4.1 Satisfaction with Department of Major Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Percentages Strongly Disagree N I am satisfied… with my department. with teaching ability of faculty in my department. with professional expertise of departmental faculty. with opportunities for interaction with departmental faculty. with the availability of required courses in my major. with information provided about internships, practicums, or co-op experiences. with opportunities to participate in internships, practicums, or co-op experiences. that the courses in my department prepared me for employment. that the courses in my department prepared me for graduate or professional school. with the fairness of grading in departmental courses. 36.4 36.4 49.8 51.4 6.5 6.2 6.2 5.1 1.0 0.8 1073 1073 41.1 48.1 6.3 4.0 0.5 1076 40.3 42.9 9.9 6.3 0.6 1071 36.4 47.8 6.3 7.7 1.8 1074 25.4 38.6 14.1 17.1 4.8 1039 29.3 35.1 15.4 15.7 4.4 1030 29.9 44.9 13.4 8.6 3.2 1047 25.7 38.9 26.8 6.1 2.5 825 55.5 8.4 5.0 1.5 1071 with feedback from instructors about my academic progress. with opportunities to learn computer applications related to my major. with opportunities for evaluation of classroom instruction in my department. with faculty advising in my department. with opportunities to receive advice about planning my career. with opportunities to receive advice about obtaining a job. 31.7 48.6 10.2 8.2 1.3 1074 22.7 38.9 13.2 19.0 6.2 1057 28.9 51.1 13.3 5.7 0.9 1072 26.6 41.8 13.8 13.3 4.4 1064 23.4 35.9 16.6 18.1 6.0 1061 24.0 35.3 16.0 17.4 7.3 1056 29.6 25 SECTION 5 Writing, Quantitative Skills, and Computer Skills Performed on the Job Summary At least 93 percent of all employed respondents were using writing, quantitative, or computer skills on the job. Alumni reported using a wide variety of skills in each of these areas, as summarized below. Writing Tasks on the Job • • Notes, letters, and memos were the most often cited types of writing used by alumni in the course of their employment. About two-thirds of employed alumni indicated that they write memos as a part of their job responsibilities, and slightly more wrote notes and memos. About 61 percent indicated that they wrote documentation, and about 49 percent wrote reports. (Table!5.1) Nearly 30 percent reported that they routinely perform proposal writing at work. About 26 percent reported writing newsletters. About 23 percent indicated writing guides or manuals. Fewer than two percent indicated that they did not perform writing tasks on the job. (Table!5.1) Quantitative Tasks on the Job • 26 Eighty-eight percent of all employed respondents reported using basic arithmetic skills on the job, while less than one-half (47.0%) reported using decimal, fraction, and conversions skills at work. Financial calculations was the third most often used quantitative skill reported. About one-third (33.5%), reported using financial calculations at work. (Table 5.2) Table 5.1 Writing Tasks Performed on the Job Percent N 69.2 68.0 66.4 60.8 48.9 37.2 29.5 26.1 22.9 15.9 15.0 11.0 1.5 714 702 685 627 505 384 304 269 236 164 155 114 15 WRITING TASKS Notes Letters Memos Documentation Reports Teaching materials Proposals Newsletters Guides/Manuals Brochures Specifications Other None Total* 472.3 4874 * Percentages total to greater than 100% because alumni could chose more than one response. Table 5.2 Quantitative Tasks Performed on the Job QUANTITATIVE TASKS Basic math skills Decimals, fractions, conversions Financial calculations Statistics Algebra Geometry Higher mathematics applications None Other Percent N 87.6 47.0 33.5 31.3 23.0 16.6 8.3 6.2 2.3 896 481 343 320 235 170 85 63 24 Total* 255.8 2617 * Percentages total to greater than 100% because alumni could chose more than one response. • Less than one-fourth indicated the use of algebra (23.0%) or geometry (16.6%) on the job. About eight percent of respondents used higher mathematics applications on the job. (Table 5.2) Computer Tasks on the Job • Ninety-seven percent of employed respondents reported that they used computers on the job. Word processing was the type of application most used–87 percent reported using word processing software on the job. (Table 5.3) • E-mail and/or communications software were used by over 85 percent of all employed respondents (Table 5.3) • Seventy-one percent of all employed respondents reported using web browsers on the job. Fifty-seven percent of all employed respondents used spreadsheet software at work. Databases were used by about 44 percent of all employed respondents, while information retrieval was used on the job by about 35 percent of employed respondents. (Table 5.3) • Desktop publishing (27.2%) and graphics software (29.2%) were used by less than 30 percent of all employed respondents. • Lesser-used computer software included computer based tutorial and educational programs (21.9%), financial analysis software (19.0%), statistics software (12.5%), programming (8.5%), C.A.D. software (7.0%), and other types of software (5.6%). (Table 5.3) Table 5.3 Computer Tasks Performed on the Job Percent N COMPUTER TASKS Word Processing 87.3 899 E-mail/communications 85.6 882 Web browsing 71.1 732 Spreadsheets 56.6 583 Databases 43.6 449 Information retrieval 35.0 360 Graphics 29.2 301 Desktop publishing 27.2 280 Tutorials/educational 21.9 226 Financial analysis 19.0 196 Statistics 12.5 129 Programming 8.5 88 C.A.D. 7.0 72 Other 5.6 58 None 3.0 31 Total* 513.2 5286 * Percentages total to greater than 100% because alumni could chose more than one response. 27 SECTION 6 Comparison of Findings: 1997 through 2000 Summary In this section of the report, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 alumni survey responses are compared by year to highlight similarities and differences in response. Tables in this section show survey items that were statistically significant when compared by year over this period. Findings are for the graduating class that concluded two years prior to the survey dates shown in the table. (Alumni received the surveys about two years after graduation.) When compared by year, respondents held progressively more positive attitudes toward their departments in general, and about many aspects of their majors. Alumni evaluations of preparation in skill and knowledge areas were generally comparable in 1997 and 1998, became more favorable in 1999, and dropped back closer to 1997 and 1998 levels in 2000. Alumni in 1999 rated their preparation in most skill and knowledge areas higher than in other years. For each survey report, statistical comparisons were made between academic and demographic characteristics of respondents and all alumni. For all four survey administrations shown, cumulative GPA and high school percentile rank were slightly higher among respondents than among all graduates. The 1997 through 2000 respondents were also found to score higher than the population of all eligible alumni on some achievement test scores, and had significantly higher proportions of females. Income and Further Education • 28 In each successive survey, respondents reported significantly higher incomes. The percentage of respondents reporting fulltime incomes of at least $30,000 has risen steadily from about 30 percent in 1997 to about 53 percent in 2000. Conversely, in 1997, about 40 percent of all respondents reported incomes of less than $25,000. By 2000, less than 21 percent of all respondents reported an income of less than $25,000. (Table 6.1) The percentage of alumni attending graduate school and involved in professional development programs varied only slightly from 1997 through 2000—the differences by year were not statistically significant. Also, there were no observed differences, by year, in the percentage of alumni who planned to eventually attend graduate school. • Table 6.1 Annual Income from Full-Time Employment: Comparison of 1997 through 2000 Respondents 1997 1998 1999 2000 Percent ANNUAL INCOME Less than $15,000 5.4 3.9 4.4 2.4 $15,000-$19,999 10.2 9.3 7.4 4.5 $20,000-$24,999 24.5 23.5 17.8 13.6 $25,000-$29,999 29.5 27.2 29.4 26.7 $30,000-$34,999 15.0 17.2 19.9 22.3 $35,000-$39,999 6.9 8.0 9.0 10.8 $40,000 or more 8.4 10.9 12.1 19.7 1105 940 849 918 N Table 6.2 Alumni Evaluation of Knowledge Items Comparison of 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Responses* Percentage Rating Preparation in Each Area Very Well Satisfactorily Poorly N Other Cultures 2000 1999 1998 1997 Computer Technology 2000 1999 1998 1997 Wellness 2000 1999 1998 1997 Social Sciences 2000 1999 1998 1997 Humanities 2000 1999 1998 1997 The Arts 2000 1999 1998 1997 Gender Issues 2000 1999 1998 1997 23.2 28.0 22.3 24.1 64.9 60.6 64.4 61.6 11.9 11.4 13.3 14.3 1077 974 1115 1334 26.0 30.1 25.5 27.0 60.3 52.4 53.0 53.8 13.8 17.6 21.5 19.1 1082 974 1110 1339 31.0 37.9 34.7 35.6 63.9 58.5 59.8 60.5 5.1 3.6 5.5 3.9 1078 976 1112 1338 27.1 29.6 24.8 22.8 67.8 65.4 69.0 70.5 5.1 5.0 6.1 6.7 1080 973 1108 1326 29.5 32.5 27.0 25.1 65.6 61.3 67.0 68.3 4.8 6.2 6.0 6.6 1080 974 1101 1329 25.2 26.6 22.2 21.3 60.0 58.7 63.4 62.0 14.9 14.7 14.4 16.7 1077 971 1108 1328 18.4 25.3 17.8 18.2 65.4 61.6 65.5 64.2 16.2 13.1 16.7 17.6 1076 970 1110 1329 29 Table 6.2 (Continued) Alumni Evaluation of Knowledge Items Comparison of 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Responses* Racial Issues 2000 16.6 1999 21.4 1998 18.4 1997 16.2 Morals and Ethics 2000 22.4 1999 27.2 1998 22.1 1997 20.9 * Differences are statistically significant. (p≤.05) Ratings of Knowledge and Skills • Tables 6.2 and 6.3 show 33 self-ratings of knowledge and skill items, respectively, that changed significantly from 1997 through 2000. Nine of these items were knowledge areas, while 24 were skill areas. • On every knowledge item, 1999 respondents were more likely than other cohorts to indicate they were very well prepared. In fact, if the 1999 cohort is left out of the analysis, most of these items would not differ significantly by year. 30 63.8 60.9 62.4 62.9 19.6 17.7 19.3 20.9 1076 966 1111 1330 61.8 60.9 61.3 62.6 15.8 11.9 16.7 16.5 1077 967 1105 1328 Table 6.3 Alumni Evaluation of Skill Items Comparison of 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Responses* Percentage Rating Preparation in Each Area Very Well Satisfactorily Poorly N Speaking 2000 1999 1998 1997 Listening 2000 1999 1998 1997 Problem Solving 2000 1999 1998 1997 Analyzing and Evaluating Ideas 2000 1999 1998 1997 Conducting Research 2000 1999 1998 1997 Using Library Resources 2000 1999 1998 1997 Creative Thinking 2000 1999 1998 1997 39.0 43.5 37.9 41.3 55.5 52.4 55.8 52.1 5.5 4.1 6.3 6.6 1077 974 1114 1326 40.4 49.2 37.3 40.0 54.5 48.3 56.6 53.8 5.1 2.5 6.2 6.3 1078 973 1114 1326 40.8 49.5 39.5 40.4 55.3 48.2 54.0 54.1 3.9 2.4 6.5 5.5 1077 974 1111 1322 45.0 51.9 41.9 40.8 51.3 45.9 53.2 54.9 3.7 2.3 4.9 4.2 1076 970 1109 1325 37.4 41.0 34.9 31.6 52.2 49.4 49.7 54.2 10.4 9.7 15.4 14.2 1076 974 1111 1319 46.7 50.4 45.2 43.8 46.7 44.4 46.6 47.8 6.7 5.2 8.2 8.3 1078 974 1115 1323 42.8 47.3 40.3 40.0 50.8 48.8 52.1 53.3 6.4 3.9 7.5 6.7 1077 974 1113 1326 31 Table 6.3 (Continued) Alumni Evaluation of Skill Items Comparison of 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Responses* Percentage Rating Preparation in Each Area Very Well Satisfactorily Poorly N Critical Thinking 2000 1999 1998 1997 Using Computers at Work 2000 1999 1998 1997 Providing Leadership 2000 1999 1998 1997 Persuading Others 2000 1999 1998 1997 Coping with Stress 2000 1999 1998 1997 Dealing with the Public 2000 1999 1998 1997 Managing Time 2000 1999 1998 1997 32 42.2 48.8 38.8 40.4 53.3 49.0 55.6 53.5 4.5 2.2 5.6 6.1 1076 971 1112 1321 32.0 36.9 27.8 30.4 52.4 44.1 47.3 46.6 15.6 19.0 24.9 23.0 1076 973 1111 1324 39.6 45.8 35.6 34.9 50.5 45.4 50.9 52.1 9.9 8.8 13.4 13.0 1075 972 1109 1324 23.8 33.7 19.3 22.5 61.0 56.2 62.1 58.9 15.1 10.1 18.6 18.6 1070 971 1104 1320 23.3 27.5 19.9 19.5 52.9 55.2 53.7 52.2 23.8 17.3 26.4 28.3 1075 973 1108 1316 30.2 36.1 27.1 25.3 53.3 54.3 55.1 55.6 16.5 9.7 17.9 19.1 1076 973 1109 1316 40.6 46.3 38.0 37.2 48.1 45.9 49.3 48.5 11.3 7.8 12.7 14.3 1079 974 1110 1323 Table 6.3 (Continued) Alumni Evaluation of Skill Items Comparison of 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Responses* Percentage Rating Preparation in Each Area Very Well Satisfactorily Poorly N Planning and Organizing 2000 1999 1998 1997 Conflict Resolution 2000 1999 1998 1997 Making Informed Decisions 2000 1999 1998 1997 Self Evaluation 2000 1999 1998 1997 Self-Reliance 2000 1999 1998 1997 Working Cooperatively 2000 1999 1998 1997 Using New Technologies 2000 1999 1998 1997 45.5 52.0 41.7 42.7 47.3 43.9 49.0 47.7 7.2 4.1 9.4 9.6 1076 973 1109 1325 26.0 32.9 23.8 23.1 57.9 58.7 58.7 60.2 16.1 8.4 17.5 16.6 1075 969 1102 1322 36.3 45.0 32.1 33.9 60.4 53.6 62.4 60.5 3.2 1.4 5.5 5.6 1077 972 1108 1320 35.7 43.8 34.8 32.4 55.8 52.0 56.5 58.7 8.5 4.2 8.7 8.9 1079 972 1112 1321 47.7 54.2 44.4 44.5 48.3 43.8 50.8 50.1 4.0 2.1 4.9 5.4 1076 971 1109 1321 50.6 54.9 48.1 47.7 47.0 42.6 48.7 48.7 2.4 2.6 3.2 3.6 1076 975 1112 1322 31.4 34.0 27.5 27.0 52.4 49.6 50.1 51.3 16.2 16.4 22.4 21.7 1079 968 1104 1318 33 Table 6.3 (Continued) Alumni Evaluation of Skill Items Comparison of 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Responses* Percentage Rating Preparation in Each Area Very Well Satisfactorily Poorly N Clarifying Personal Values 2000 29.5 59.5 11.0 1072 1999 37.8 56.6 5.7 969 1998 27.3 60.9 11.8 1106 1997 25.6 59.7 14.7 1314 Experiencing and Responding to the Arts 2000 24.8 57.8 17.5 1070 1999 27.4 56.4 16.2 970 1998 23.9 58.3 17.8 1110 1997 21.8 55.3 22.9 1317 Lifelong Learning 2000 41.5 53.7 4.8 1073 1999 41.9 53.8 4.3 972 1998 38.8 54.6 6.6 1113 1997 37.6 54.7 7.7 1319 * Differences are statistically significant. (p≤.05) • • • 34 The percentage of alumni who indicated they were very well prepared in understanding other cultures, social sciences and morals and ethics, increased from the low to mid 20s in 1997 or 1998 to a high in the upper 20s in 1999. Ratings of other cultures and morals and ethics fell back to the low 20s in 2000, while social sciences stayed in the upper 20s. (Table!6.2) The percentage of respondents rating their preparation in the knowledge areas of understanding computer technology, and understanding humanities ranged from the mid 20s to 30 percent or higher in 1999, and dropped back to the mid to upper 20s in 2000. While more than one in five of the 1997 and 1998 respondents indicated they were well prepared to understand the arts, this response increased to more than one in four respondents in 1999 and 2000. (Table!6.2) • Understanding wellness was the only item in Table 6.2 where the lowest percentage of “very well” ratings occurred in 2000. • The percentage of respondents who rated their preparation in understanding racial issues rose from 16 percent in 1997 to 21 percent in 1999, and then fell to about 17 percent in 2000. Gender issues followed a similar pattern. (Table 6.2) • Respondents in 1999 rated all skills items more favorably than did respondents in earlier or later years. Generally, ratings of skill areas remained fairly steady from 1997 through 1998, increased in 1999, then fell back to 1997-1998 levels in 2000 • One exception to the general skills item pattern is lifelong learning. The 2000 cohort rated lifelong learning at nearly the same level as the 1999 cohort. • The percentage of alumni who felt very well prepared in several skill areas such as listening, problem solving, analyzing and evaluating ideas, critical thinking, providing leadership, persuading others, planning and organizing, making informed decisions, and clarifying personal values increased at least ten percentage points from 1998 to 1999. The percentage of the 2000 cohort who felt very well prepared in these areas is lower than the 1999 cohort, but usually higher than 1997 or 1998 cohort levels. • The percentage of alumni who felt very well prepared using a computer at work increased about nine percentage points from 1998 to 1999, then dropped five percentage points in 2000. Table 6.4 Satisfaction with Department of Major Comparison of 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Responses* Strongly Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Disagree Year Percentages N I am satisfied… with my department. 2000 1999 1998 1997 36.4 32.8 33.9 31.2 49.8 53.4 48.8 54.2 6.5 5.6 7.7 6.2 6.2 6.4 7.5 6.1 1.0 1.7 2.2 2.3 1073 975 1110 1326 with information provided about internships, practicums, or co-op experiences. 2000 1999 1998 1997 25.4 24.5 21.8 21.6 38.6 36.2 35.2 33.8 14.1 16.6 17.0 18.1 17.1 15.8 17.8 19.2 4.8 6.9 8.2 7.2 1039 947 1063 1252 with opportunities to participate in internships, practicums, or co-op experiences. 2000 1999 1998 1997 29.3 27.9 26.2 26.0 35.1 33.1 32.7 31.4 15.4 17.6 17.8 19.2 15.7 15.0 15.3 16.6 4.4 6.5 7.9 6.8 1030 943 1048 1246 that courses prepared me for employment. 2000 1999 1998 1997 29.9 28.1 25.7 24.2 44.9 41.9 41.9 43.8 13.4 15.9 15.7 16.1 8.6 8.8 10.5 10.9 3.2 5.3 6.2 5.1 1047 960 1086 1312 with opportunities to learn computer applications related to my major. † 2000 1999 1998 1997 22.7 23.5 22.3 18.5 38.9 37.3 33.5 32.5 13.2 13.6 14.6 15.5 19.0 18.8 19.5 23.7 6.2 6.8 10.1 9.7 1057 955 1085 1294 35 Table 6.4 (Continued) Satisfaction with Department of Major Comparison of 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 Responses* Strongly Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Disagree Year Percentages N I am satisfied … with opportunities for Evaluation of classroom instruction. 2000 1999 1998 1997 28.9 28.7 28.1 26.5 51.1 53.9 49.0 51.3 13.3 11.5 13.1 13.8 5.7 4.6 7.4 6.4 0.9 1.3 2.3 2.1 1072 969 1105 1315 with faculty advising in department 2000 1999 1998 1997 26.6 27.7 23.5 23.3 41.8 39.5 40.6 40.0 13.8 13.6 15.7 15.0 13.3 12.8 13.2 13.7 4.4 6.4 7.1 8.1 1064 971 1102 1311 with opportunities to receive advice about planning my career.†† 2000 1999 1998 1997 23.4 23.2 19.9 13.9 35.9 34.6 34.8 27.6 16.6 16.9 19.3 22.1 18.1 17.3 17.9 24.6 6.0 7.9 8.2 11.7 1061 970 1098 1278 with opportunities to receive advice about obtaining a job.††† 2000 1999 1998 1997 24.0 22.3 18.5 9.3 35.3 34.2 31.8 20.1 16.0 18.2 19.3 21.1 17.4 17.0 20.8 27.7 7.3 8.3 9.6 21.8 1056 960 1084 1179 * † †† ††† Differences are statistically significant. (p≤.05) Wording in 1997 was “with computer training for my career.” Wording in 1997 was “with departmental assistance in planning my career.” Wording in 1997 was “with departmental assistance in obtaining a job.” Satisfaction with Department of Major • Six items about satisfaction with departmental experiences changed significantly over the most recent four years of the survey. With very few exceptions, respondents evaluated these items more favorably from year to year. • All items were rated most favorably in 2000, however, the wording of three of these items was revised in 1998. (As indicated in the footnote for Table"6.4.) • Satisfaction with information about internships as well as the opportunities 36 to participate in internships, (and practicums and co-op experiences) increased steadily from about 55 or 57 percent satisfied or very satisfied in 1997 to about 64 percent satisfied or very satisfied in 2000. (Table"6.4) • The percentage of alumni respondents who were satisfied or very satisfied with opportunities to learn computer applications related to their major increased about eleven percentage points from a bare majority in 1997 to about 62 percent by 2000. (The wording was changed slightly in 1998, as indicated in Table"6.4.) • About 42 percent agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with “departmental assistance in planning my career” in 1997. With new wording in 1998, well over one-half agreed or strongly agreed in 1998 that they were satisfied with “opportunities to receive advice about planning my career.” The percentage of respondents who agree or strongly agree has increased each year through the year 2000. • While less than 30 percent agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with “departmental assistance in obtaining a job” in 1997, more than onehalf agreed or strongly agreed in 1998 that they were satisfied with “opportunities to receive advice about obtaining a job.” By 2000, nearly 60 percent agree or strongly agree that they were satisfied with this aspect of their department. 37 SECTION 7 Panel Comparison of 2000 Alumni and 1998 Senior Survey Responses Summary The Ball State Senior Survey, administered to graduating seniors each spring, has several questionnaire items in common with the Ball State Alumni Survey. In addition, both surveys are conducted in the same manner—via direct mail. Data from the year 2000 Ball State Alumni Survey were matched with data from the 1998 Ball State Senior Survey. Four hundred and fifty-two (452) graduates (about 41 percent of the year 2000 alumni respondents) were found to have taken both surveys, forming a panel of respondents. Using the panel, responses from the same graduates were compared at two different points in time. Responses to items in the knowledge and skills section, departmental items, and some general questions about Ball State were available from both surveys, and are compared in this section of the report. Where differences were observed, alumni were generally more likely to indicate they were “satisfactorily” prepared in skills and knowledge areas while seniors were more likely to indicate they were “very well” or “poorly” prepared. However, panel members held more favorable attitudes toward the university, and some aspects of their majors, as alumni than they did as seniors. Figure 11 Attitude Toward Ball State Among Panel Members as Seniors and as Alumni* 80.0 68.9 70.0 60.0 50.0 53.2 44.6 2000 Alumni 40.0 30.0 1998 Seniors 29.1 20.0 10.0 2.3 1.8 0.0 0.2 Negative Very Negative 0.0 Very Positive 38 Positive Table 7.1 Panel Comparison of Knowledge Items: Percentage Distributions* Percentage Rating Preparation in Each Area Very Well Satisfactorily Poorly N Understanding Other Cultures Alumni 20.9 67.5 11.7 446 Seniors 23.8 57.2 19.1 446 Understanding Computer Technology Alumni 29.5 58.3 12.2 451 Seniors 41.5 46.0 12.5 448 Understanding Wellness Alumni 30.9 65.8 3.4 447 Seniors 39.6 56.2 4.3 445 Understanding Gender Issues Alumni 18.9 65.9 15.1 449 Seniors 28.8 54.2 17.0 441 Understanding Racial Issues Alumni 16.6 64.1 19.3 446 Seniors 25.3 52.1 22.6 443 Understanding Morals and Ethics Alumni 22.7 61.8 15.6 450 Seniors 31.4 55.7 12.9 442 Understanding Global Events Alumni 11.3 68.2 20.4 450 Seniors 17.0 60.8 22.2 446 * Differences are statistically significant. (p≤.05) • • Respondents held more favorable attitudes toward the university as alumni than they did as seniors. Several panelists changed their ratings from “positive” as seniors to “very positive” as alumni. More than 97 percent of panel members held a positive or very positive attitude toward the university both as seniors and as alumni. (Figure"11) As alumni, panel members were more moderate in their evaluation of most knowledge items than they were as seniors. Alumni were more likely to rate preparation in knowledge areas “satisfactorily,” while as seniors, they were somewhat more likely, on most items, to indicate that they were “very well” or “poorly” prepared. • Understanding of morals and ethics were clearly rated lower by alumni than by seniors. (Table"7.1) • Panel members were considerably more likely to rate their preparation in understanding computer technology “very well” as seniors than as alumni. Nearly 42 percent indicated they were prepared very well in understanding computer technology as seniors, compared to about 30 percent the panel as alumni. (Table"7.1) Skills • Seniors rated some skills and abilities higher than did alumni. Primarily, respondents were more likely as seniors to indicate they were “very well” prepared. By the time of the alumni 39 survey, some of those who had previously rated their preparation “very well” had lowered their rating to “satisfactory.” (Table 7.2) faculty, faculty advising, availability of required courses, and opportunities to evaluate classroom instruction. • • All skill items listed in Table 7.2 and Figure!13 were statistically significant when compared using the chi square test of statistical significance. • When compared with seniors, alumni held higher levels of satisfaction toward four aspects of their majors, as indicated in Table!7.3. As alumni, panel members were more satisfied than they were as seniors with the teaching ability of The responses of panelists, both as seniors and as alumni, were very similar to those of all respondents to the 1997 senior survey and the 1999 alumni survey. Figure 12 Panel Comparison of Selected Knowledge Items: Means* Preparation Scale: 1=Poorly, 2=Satisfactorily, and 3=Very Well 40 Table 7.2 Panel Comparison of Skills Items: Percentage Distributions* Percentage Rating Preparation in Each Area Very Well Satisfactorily Poorly N 42.8 51.7 5.5 451 51.6 46.7 1.8 448 Listening Alumni Seniors Analyzing and Evaluating Ideas Alumni Seniors 48.6 57.1 47.4 40.6 4.0 2.2 449 448 Creative Thinking Alumni Seniors 41.0 51.0 52.3 44.5 6.7 4.5 449 447 Critical Thinking Alumni 46.4 55.7 49.1 43.4 4.4 0.9 450 447 Using Computer Technology at Work Alumni Seniors 34.1 49.7 52.5 37.3 13.3 13.0 451 445 Dealing with the Public Alumni Seniors 29.3 37.1 56.2 53.5 14.4 9.4 450 447 Planning and Organizing Alumni Seniors 49.4 58.9 45.2 36.4 5.3 4.7 451 448 Conflict Resolution Alumni Seniors 25.7 32.3 60.4 59.2 13.9 8.5 447 446 Interacting with Diverse Groups of People Alumni Seniors 36.4 48.3 49.8 39.8 13.8 11.9 450 447 Making Informed Decisions Alumni Seniors 37.8 52.9 60.0 45.1 2.2 2.0 450 446 Self Evaluation Alumni Seniors 36.0 52.9 56.0 43.1 8.0 4.0 450 448 Self Reliance Alumni Seniors 47.0 62.6 50.1 35.3 2.9 2.0 449 447 Working Cooperatively Alumni Seniors 51.8 61.8 46.7 37.1 1.6 1.1 448 445 41 Table 7.2 (Continued) Panel Comparison of Skills Items: Percentage Distributions* Percentage Rating Preparation in Each Area Very Well Satisfactorily Poorly N Using New Technologies Alumni Seniors 36.1 47.7 53.6 42.1 14.9 10.3 450 447 Clarifying Personal Values Alumni Seniors 29.3 45.5 60.2 47.3 10.5 7.2 447 446 Lifelong Learning Alumni Seniors 43.9 54.6 50.6 44.3 5.6 1.1 449 447 Maintaining Physical Health and Well-Being Alumni Seniors 31.4 39.8 62.4 53.5 6.2 6.7 449 445 * Differences are statistically significant. (p≤.05) Figure 13 Panel Comparison of Selected Departmental Items: Means* 5=Strongly Agree, 4=Agree, 3=Undecided, 2=Disagree, 1=Strongly Disagree 42 Figure 14 Panel Comparison of Selected Skills Items: Means* Preparation Scale: 1=Poorly, 2=Satisfactorily, and 3=Very Well 43 Table 7.3 Panel Comparison of Satisfaction with Major: Percentage Distributions* Strongly Agree Agree Survey Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree Percentages N I am satisfied… with the teaching ability of faculty in my department. Alumni Senior 36.6 33.0 52.1 49.3 5.2 9.8 5.4 6.3 0.7 1.6 445 448 with the availability of required Alumni courses in my major. Senior 36.3 28.9 50.4 49.1 3.6 8.4 7.6 11.1 2.0 2.4 446 450 with opportunities for Alumni evaluation of classroom Senior instruction in my department. 27.4 25.2 54.0 56.0 13.2 8.9 5.2 7.1 0.2 2.7 446 448 with faculty advising in my department 27.4 25.1 45.8 34.1 12.2 14.6 10.7 17.7 3.9 8.5 441 446 Alumni Senior * Differences are statistically significant. (p≤.05) 44 45 SECTION 8 Summary and Discussion The Office of Academic Assessment and the Alumni Survey Steering Committee conducted this project to provide information about alumni attitudes toward Ball State and its programs. The project is part of an overall assessment plan and is coordinated with other assessment projects. The subject group for this study was chosen so that respondents would not be too far removed from their experiences at Ball State, but would also have ample time to have begun careers. To meet these objectives, alumni who graduated approximately two years prior to the survey date were chosen. The 2000 survey was the seventh administration of the Ball State Alumni Survey. The surveys show that about 91 percent of graduates with full-time jobs are satisfied or very satisfied with their employment. Also, about 79 percent are finding positions they consider to be related to their educational pursuits. Eighty-two percent are finding employment in Indiana or neighboring states, and 72 percent of all new full-time employment reported on the survey is found prior to graduation or within three months after graduation.1 About 15 percent of all respondents were enrolled in graduate or professional degree programs, and about 13 percent had completed an additional degree or certification program. A three point scale was used to elicit alumni attitudes toward the acquisition of skills and knowledge. Alumni were asked 1 This figure is not in a table. It includes only those employed full time, who secured new employment prior to or after graduation, and does not include employment held prior to graduation. Eight hundred (800) new, full-time jobs were reported. 46 whether their needs were met very well, satisfactorily, or poorly in areas such as general education, computer skills, speaking, and writing. Respondents were instructed to consider all activities they participated in at Ball State, including those outside the classroom. The 2000 cohort was similar to earlier cohorts. Where differences occurred, alumni in 1999 and 2000 were somewhat more satisfied with their majors, and more confident of their preparation in knowledge and skill areas than were respondents in other years. About 41 percent of the respondents also took the 1998 Ball State Senior Survey. Alumni in this group were more critical of the knowledge and skills they learned as alumni than they were as seniors. (Respondents rated their preparation in knowledge and skill areas considerably higher as seniors than they did as alumni.) However, panel members held considerably more favorable attitudes toward the university and some aspects of their major departments than they did as seniors. Generally, findings about skills and knowledge areas were very positive. Departmental findings were also very supportive of the University's mission as a premiere teaching institution. Additional information from this survey is available upon request. 47