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Dec. 7, 2006
Contact: Gordon Ovenshine: 724-738-4854;
gordon.ovenshine@sru.edu
SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY RATES HIGH ON
NATIONAL STUDENT ENGAGEMENT SURVEY
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa.
– Results from the 2006 National Survey of Student Engagement
(NSSE) show that Slippery Rock University students consistently
rate their experience at SRU higher than do students attending peer
institutions.
NSSE, launched in 1999
with a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts, involves surveying
randomly chosen first-year students and seniors. Students are asked
a series of questions about their level of involvement in certain
activities that show a high correlation to five learning
benchmarks, including student-faculty interaction and academic
challenge.
“These survey data
prove that ‘It's a great time to be at Slippery Rock
University,’ is more than just a tagline. We’ve made an
incredible commitment to improving each student’s curricular
and co- curricular learning experience and the physical learning
environment.These data show that students find those changes to be
very positive,” said Robert Smith, SRU president.
The five benchmark
categories surveyed include: level of academic challenge; active
and collaborative learning; student-faculty interaction; enriching
educational experiences, and supportive campus
environment.
Freshman SRU students
recorded scores that were statistically higher than their
respective peer institutions in all five categories and exceeded
the national average of all participating NSSE institutions in
three of five categories – active and collaborative learning,
student-faculty interaction and enriching educational
experience.
Seniors at Slippery
Rock University recorded responses higher than peer institutions in
all five categories and exceeded the national average of all
participating NSSE institutions in four of the five categories
– level of academic challenge, active and collaborative
learning, student-faculty interaction and supportive learning
environment.
“We are especially
pleased that our seniors, those students who have been here for
three or more years and who really know the institution intimately,
rated their experience so high,” Smith said.
SRU seniors gave
high marks to their professors with 77 percent reporting that they
received prompt written or oral feedback from faculty compared to
just 63 percent in the national group. Slippery Rock University
students also outpaced their peers in the area of community service
or volunteer work with 72 percent reporting that they had
participated in such activities compared to only 59 percent in the
total NSSE sample.
Results from the NSSE
survey will be used as part of Slippery Rock University’s
continuous improvement program.
“As a University we
are accountable to a variety of stakeholders including parents,
students, legislators, accrediting bodies and the Pennsylvania
State System of Higher Education. This survey is just one of a
wide-range of assessment activities the University routinely
utilizes to help us measure our effectiveness and strengthen the
learning environment.” Smith said.
NOTE TO EDITORS: A Copy of the Survey results can
be found at:
http://www.sru.edu/pages/8179.asp
#PN, PR, PgN
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