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The Connection Between
Academics, Student Satisfaction and Graduation Rates
Background
Situation Analysis
College graduation rates have been declining in the United States, and President Barack
Obama wants to improve graduation rates by making college more affordable and by tying
federal funding to college performance (U.S. Department of Education).
During a four-month research course offered at Long Island University: Post (LIU Post),
students took a deeper look into the relationship between graduation/transfer rates, student
satisfaction and the communication between the college administration and students.
The six-year graduation rate at LIU Post is 42 percent with a transfer rate of 43 percent.
In comparison, SUNY Stony Brook has a graduation rate of 70 percent and a transfer rate of 12
percent. Adelphi University has a graduation rate of 66 percent and a transfer rate of 24 percent.
Hofstra has a graduation rate of 61 percent and SUNY Old Westbury has a graduation rate of 35
percent and a transfer rate of 41 percent (Fast Facts).
Student Satisfaction is determined by a number of factors. Student involvement is one of
the largest factors because the students develop relationship with other students while
participating in activities and events. Students are likely to encourage others to engage in
successful behavior when participating in student organizations and activities (T. Finney and R.
Finney). Other factors like tuition and financial aid, living conditions and academic programs
can influence satisfaction as well.
Today there are multiple communication outlets for interaction between students, faculty
and administration. Universities tend to utilize the email more than any other outlet because it is
a fast and efficient way to communicate with students (Kolowich). However, many students feel
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they receive too many emails that are not relevant to their interests like academic programs and
student activities (Nelson). As a result, students tend to ignore emails as a result receiving too
many. Alex Morales uses the term “blanket email syndrome” to explain the habit of ignoring
emails because of the irrelevancy.
College students want to be connected to information in real time and they want it
immediately. Strengthening student engagement requires uncovering the new trends and
adapting to new technologies (Kolowich). It also requires the time and commitment that goes
along with learning and using these technologies to better serve the administration and students
(Ratliff).
Over all, student satisfaction and communication is a large determinant to graduation
rates and transfer rates.
Objectives
This focus group was conducted to ascertain the level of satisfaction of LIU Post students
in the areas of student involvement, student satisfaction and college communication in hopes of obtaining valuable results that will better identify the university’s shortcomings and
accomplishments.
Methodology
Four students participated in the focus group and were recruited through convenience
sampling. A majority of the students were public relations majors and all of them were college
residents. The focus group took place on campus in a classroom on the evening of Monday
March 31, 2014. Nicole Hoyt and Natalie Sorge were moderators and led the discussion
questions. Melissa Bevilacqua operated the camera while Jasmine White and Joseph Bongiorno
took notes in case of equipment failure.
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Executive Summary
Overall students feel they are receiving very good education and are content with their
professors. There are a good number of student organizations, Greek life and athletics, which
contribute to student satisfaction. This helps students create a network and provide much needed
socialization and connections. Students like the proximity of the school to the city and Long
Island.
However, students feel there is not much to do on weekends or at least they don’t know
about the weekend activities. In addition to a lack of activities on weekends, some students who
are involved in Greek organizations believe Greek life is diminishing. Students also complained
at length about living conditions such as dormitories, food services and cleanliness. Students
expressed their frustrations with student services hours and transportation.
Findings in Detail
Academics
All the students who participated feel like they are getting very good education and feel
that they are involved in intense programs that challenged them academically. The level of
education they are receiving is not offered anywhere else. The professors vary depending on
class and curriculum but class size is very important and allows for individual attention and
questions.
Respondents were not pleased with the level of technology offered at the school. Students
were told to provide their own routers and prior to this year were even restricted to bring routers
to their dorms. One student stated, “It’s kind of silly how they give out iPads but have no Wi-Fi.
It doesn’t make sense.”
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The university does not offer a 24-hour lab, which would provide students with the
resources necessary to complete assignments. Many students bring their own printers to ensure
their assignments can be handed in on time. The library services are not up to the standards that
students expect from the university. The library closes very early on weekends and is not
extended for midterms or finals. “The money to print is ridiculous,” a sophomore mentioned,
“especially when we pay so much more for tuition.”
Student Satisfaction
Overall the students felt they are not getting their money’s worth. However, one student
said, “I think you get your money’s worth not in these four years but definitely once you
graduate you’ll see the results because I feel like LIU Post is so connected with alumni that its
super easy to find those connections so even though [we are not happy] on a day to day basis I
think what you’re paying for tuition now will really pay off in the future.”
Three of the four respondents are involved in activities ranging from Greek life, student
organizations to athletics and community involvement. The one student enjoys being productive
in class but has no interest in student activities and prefers the alone time.
Respondents were asked how they felt about the security on campus. One student said
she felt very safe, even walking on campus at night and attributed that to the location of the
school and its expectations. Another respondent said she would like more security during the day
with more attention to detail. She explained the of the lack of security within the resident halls
mentioning, “sometimes the doors are propped open all day.” Another respondent was concerned
about the gates to campus being left open all night, especially since the university claims to be
safe and secure. Respondents also felt that the emergency blue buttons did not offer much
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protection because security’s estimated response time is three minutes. Also, they thought
campus safety people might be perceived as easy to outrun.
Respondents complained about living conditions in the resident halls and in the dining
halls. One respondent mentioned that the bathrooms were unsanitary and the cafeterias dishes,
bowls and utensils were spotted and dirty. “I shouldn’t have to scrape off dirty bowls and dishes
before I used them,” said a sophomore majoring in public relations.
The cleanliness of the restrooms Internet connection issues and the lack of library
resources and hours concerned respondents most. Respondents who dorm said they had a hard
time finding places to study. They explained that there are study lounges throughout the resident
halls however, they lack chairs and the large televisions in those lounges offer distractions to
students studying.
“I have noticed the president is trying to change and while I appreciate her effort I feel
like [this aspect] is not working,” said a respondent dorming from out of state. “This is a
commuter college and I get that but you have dormers and you are just forgetting about them.”
When asked for an example she explained there was a commuter appreciation event recently, yet
there has never been anything offered to residents in that nature.
Students were also asked about their perceptions on student services like the registrar
office, bursar office, etc. As it stands now, there are only five advisors for all of the campus
body. A sophomore studying public relations said, “I need somebody who knows my major and
knows what I am supposed to be taking because my professors do not always know what is best
for me.”
Walk-In Wednesday’s are designed to help students without appointments discuss and
address any issues or concerns about their academic classes. One student referred to it as “walk-
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in and sit down for two hours Wednesdays,” inferring that the wait is not worth the information
offered. Another sophomore public relations major said the earliest time available for her to meet
with an advisor to discuss her classes for next semester is May 5, which is a month after the
registration for classes opens. She went on to say that classes fill up very quickly especially for
pre-requisites in her major and by that time the courses will be filled and she is left with more
scheduling and being locked out of classes she needs to graduate.
Despite the complaints about resident living and academic advising, the students would
not transfer because of the education and connections here at LIU Post.
Communication
Most students who attended campus activities and events said they found out about them
through word-of-mouth, and fliers. Instead, students would like to find out through a calendar of
events, more banners and fliers, posters, and signs around campus and announcements within
Hillwood Commons.
A respondent tried to place a story in the Pioneer about a student organization and was
told that the paper did not run organizational “advertisements.”
The respondents didn’t know how to find the station on their radios in order to listen.
These are LIU Post’s main vehicles of communication and all four students were unclear about
how to get in touch members, when and where to get the information and some did not even
know about a few of the outlets
When asked about what they thought of the school website, they all responded that it was
hard to navigate and students use Google to search for keywords in order to find relevant
information like an academic calendar. Most students bookmark important pages to make it
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easier and quicker to access materials instead of having to navigate through the website to find
the student links.
Students felt that if the university sends fewer emails with more relevant information they
would find the emails more beneficial. They feel they are receiving too many emails that are not
specific to their majors or current interests in organizations and events.
LIU Post sends out student satisfaction surveys for the administration to review how
students feel about services for residents and what recommendations they have to offer for
campus improvements.
One public relations respondent found the survey to be beneficial because after repeating
concerns on a particular issue soon after there was a fix. “I think before we make programs or
put things in action you have to change the morale of the students opinions first,” said the
sophomore resident studying in public relations, “If we are all sitting here thinking ‘oh this
stinks’ then people wont go anyway. So I think it needs to change in our minds before we
actually see changes.”
Conclusions
Academically students feel they are receiving very good education and are content with
their professors. The few student organizations, Greek life and athletics help students create a
network and provide much needed socialization and connections. Students like the proximity of
the school to the city and long island.
Students feel they are getting their money’s worth academically in their field of study and
individualized education and small class sizes are beneficial. However, library services and hours
should be re-evaluated and dormitories need better and consistent Internet connection for optimal
student learning conditions in addition to better living conditions.
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Student satisfaction is low among residents and many changes are needed for students to
feel comfortable living on campus. Students want better communication with administration as
they feel their concerns are not being heard.
Recommendations
1. Improve Library Services
a. Offer extended library hours during midterms and finals.
b. Extend library hours on weekends to the schedule of weekday library hours.
c. Offer free Wi-Fi everywhere on campus
d. Open a 24-hour computer lab on campus for commuters and residence.
e. Develop a schedule time system for students to use study rooms. If a student does
not show up for their scheduled room within a 15 minute window they lose their
“appointment”
2. Improve Communications on Campus
a. Utilize PTV
i. When students-run programming is not scheduled; air a looping slideshow
of campus organization flyers and notices. Add a schedule of upcoming
programming on the channel for an increase of viewers.
b. Utilize The Pioneer
i. Require The Pioneer (campus newspaper) to run a column called “The
Organization Spotlight”
ii. Provide students with a weekly events calendar somewhere in the paper
c. Redesign LIU Post Website: Student Link
i. Easier to navigate
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ii. Easier to search for relevant information
iii. Offer quick links to my.liu.edu and blackboard
3. Improve Resident Living Conditions
a. Offer better meal plans with the option of a commuter plan
b. Hire more security to make resident hall rounds and also for the added security of
the 24-hour computer labs and the extended library hours and also to decrease the
response time of the emergency blue button
c. Create a resident association run by both students and administration
Questions for Future Research
In future research, questions about campus services like transportation and security
services should be addressed. Also questions should future investigate what information the
newspaper, television station and radio station offer and what improvements they would like to
see throughout these outlets.
In addition, speaking with administrative offices regarding the services they offer might
also help further define how and why students receive information through the various
communication outlets on campus.
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