From the Desk of the Chancellor

IUPUI's latest survey of undergraduate student satisfaction and priorities shows that 85% of respondents indicated being satisfied or very satisfied with their academic experiences at IUPUI, and 95% indicated that they intend to complete their degree program here. Since more than 94% reported that the quality of instruction, courses available in their major, and the relevance of classes to their career objectives were the areas of most importance to them, this is good news!

The origin of this survey dates back as far as 1993. It has evolved to incorporate data about the Principles of Undergraduate Learning, IUPUI’s Climate for Diversity, student employment, and, most recently, opportunities associated with the RISE initiative (research, international, service learning, and experiential learning).

Looking back over the past decade of data collection, several trends are noteworthy. First, students have indicated increasing satisfaction with several facets of their academic experience, with issues related to community service opportunities, with their feeling of safety on campus, and with the helpfulness of IUPUI staff. In response to Climate of Diversity questions, 77% of students agreed or strongly agreed that “IUPUI faculty and staff are committed to promoting an environment that respects and celebrates diversity” and “to helping me achieve my educational goals.”

Overseen by our Office of Information Management and Institutional Research, these surveys offer far more than a sounding board for student opinions. Because we are committed to data-driven decision making, what we learn from these and other surveys helps us set the course for the campus.

Here are some of the things we learned in the latest survey:
•Although we have done a good job of providing community service experiences for students, we need to do a better job of providing undergraduate research opportunities. Only 1 in 10 respondents reported working on a research project with a faculty member outside of class, but 43% indicate that the experience is very important to them.
•Males are more likely to have engaged in research, while females are more likely to have engaged in community service. More males than females tend to work 35 hours or more per week and because of their work schedule tend to limit the number of classes they take.
•Although we know that working on campus can bolster student retention, only 15% reported that they work for pay on campus, and 65% have never tried to find an on-campus job.

We are hopeful that the IMPACT Campaign will help us improve student success by increasing scholarship and other funding opportunities that support the RISE initiative.

For further information about the 2010 IUPUI Student Satisfaction and Priorities Surveys, including school-by-school data, and other reports derived from the surveys, visit the Information Management and Institutional Research web site.

Comments? Write chancllr@iupui.edu.