WASC Accreditation :: Student Experience Data Analyses

In addition to analyzing data obtained from enrolled students (2004), data collected from the 1999 graduating class exit survey and data collected in the fall of 2004 from alumni who had graduated up to 5 years previously were analyzed. Here you can link to both the quantitative and qualitative analyses conducted as well as a summary of the components and a synthesis of the findings.

Quantitative Analysis of Responses to Survey Items From Enrolled Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Fall 04 Undergraduate & Graduate Student Survey

To capture the student experience, faculty, staff, and the student member of the Student Experience Committee visited classes and engaged students in discussion related to their experiences as a student at SJSU. In addition, students were asked to complete a survey which contained 21 likert scaled items grouped into three sections: a) experiences getting started at SJSU, b) experiences while attended SJSU, and c) experiences related to their transition beyond SJSU. Following these likert scaled (1 through 5) items were six demographic items pertaining to aged, language, major (which was used to identify the college), ethnicity, status when first enrolled, and present class level (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, masters/credential student).

Survey Results - Fall 04 Undergraduate & Graduate Students
(CFRs 1.2, 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 2.10, 2.11, 2.12, 2.13, 2.14, 3.1, 3.6, 4.1, 4.8)

The survey was complete by 820 students enrolled in classes at SJSU in the Fall of 2004. Sixty two percent (512) of the students were undergraduates (juniors & seniors), 36% (294) were graduate students, and the remaining students (14) did not provide a response to the item on class level. Distribution across the colleges is conveyed below.

College	Number of Students	College	Number of Students
Business	114	Humanities	59
Applied Sci & Arts	87	Science	232
Education	49	Social Science	120
Engineering	79	Social Work	37

Median age for the undergraduate students was 23 (S.D. = 5.9). Median age for the gradate students was 29 (S.D. = 7.7). With respect to language, 77% (both undergrad and grad) identified English as their primary language. This is comparable to campus wide information obtained from the Writing Skills Test (74.4%).

Below is a crosstabulation of class level with status when first enrolled. Most of the undergraduates are transfer students (64%). Among graduate students it was interesting to observe that 24% started here at SJSU as undergraduates.

Entering Status	Currently Undergrad Student	Currently Grad Student
Native Frosh	172 (33.8%)	16 (5.5%)
UG Transfer from Community College	277 (54.4%)	39 (13.3%)
UG Transfer from another University	47 (9.2% )	18 (6.1%)
Entered as Graduate/Post-baccalaureate Student	13 (2.6% )	220 (75.1%)

Turning to an analysis of the responses to the likert-scaled survey items, a factor analysis was conducted to understand the underlying structure of the likert items. Five factors emerged:

Summary information for each factor is presented below. As can be seen in the summary statistics, for both undergrad and graduate students their experiences in the area of instruction are rated highest followed by the application process for graduate students and student services for undergraduate students.

It should be noted that advising in the major did NOT cluster with the advising factor (which included for example, GE advising, pre-collegiate advising). Major advising was associated with the factor on instruction and related resources. This highlights the very distinct experiences that students are having with advising in general and advising in the major. Student experiences with advising in the major were more positive compared to other advising.

Most of the items in this factor were skipped (selected 'not used') by a large proportion of both the undergraduate and graduate students. The responses to the items in this factor are presented in the following tables. From the tables below, student experiences tend to be predominantly in the categories fair and good. In addition, the areas where students indicate a more positive experience are internships and preparation for future careers.

Q17 career planning advice	very poor	undergrad	grad	total
27	15	42
7.5%	9.3%	8.1%
poor	67	31	98
18.6%	19.3%	18.8%
fair	136	52	188
37.8%	32.3%	36.1%
good	96	46	142
26.7%	28.6%	27.3%
excellent	34	17	51
9.4%	10.6%	9.8%
Total	360	161	521
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q18 internship experiences	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
27	14	41
11.7%	9.0%	10.6%
poor	41	15	56
17.8%	9.6%	14.5%
fair	70	37	107
30.4%	23.7%	27.7%
good	51	52	103
22.2%	33.3%	26.7%
excellent	41	38	79
17.8%	24.4%	20.5%
Total	230	156	386
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q19 prep for future careers	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
20	11	31
5.2%	5.0%	5.1%
poor	51	19	70
13.3%	8.6%	11.6%
fair	131	64	195
34.2%	28.8%	32.2%
good	121	92	213
31.6%	41.4%	35.2%
excellent	60	36	96
15.7%	16.2%	15.9%
Total	383	222	605
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q20 opportunities to connect with alums, mentors, professionals	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
39	18	57
12.2%	9.3%	11.1%
poor	56	44	100
17.5%	22.7%	19.5%
fair	98	62	160
30.6%	32.0%	31.1%
good	83	43	126
25.9%	22.2%	24.5%
excellent	44	27	71
13.8%	13.9%	13.8%
Total	320	194	514
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q21 career center resources	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
14	7	21
4.5%	5.4%	4.8%
poor	35	18	53
11.4%	13.8%	12.1%
fair	103	49	152
33.4%	37.7%	34.7%
good	105	39	144
34.1%	30.0%	32.9%
excellent	51	17	68
16.6%	13.1%	15.5%
Total	308	130	438
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Advising/Orientation - Information in tables below related to CFR 2.10, 2.12, 2.13, 2.14

The responses to the items in this factor are presented in the following tables. A quick reminder, this factor does not include advising in the major. From the tables below, student experiences in this area tend to be wide ranging and span primarily the poor to good categories. In addition, the area where students indicate a more positive experience is with new student orientation.

The responses to the items in this factor are presented in the following tables. From the tables below, student experiences in this area tend to range primarily in the fair to excellent categories. Classroom instruction and library resources were the areas student responses reflect a particularly positive experience.

The responses to the items in this factor are presented in the following tables. Note that very few students have experience with housing services so the number responding to the housing item was very low. From the tables below, student experiences in the area of student services tend to range primarily in the fair to good categories with the exception of financial aid which was spread out across all categories from very poor to excellent.

Two items comprised this factor. The first was related to the application process. For both undergrad and grad students their experiences with the application process were generally positive. The second was related to the transfer of units to SJSU from other colleges/universities. With respect to the transfer of units, undergraduates were more widely spread out than graduates in their experiences. With the greater proportion of our students historically and presently being transfer students greater attention is needed in this area so that the transfer of units and communication with community colleges is clearer and facilitates a smooth transfer into SJSU.

Q2 pre-college advising	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
42	13	55
10.3%	9.8%	10.1%
poor	96	29	125
23.5%	21.8%	23.1%
fair	143	45	188
35.0%	33.8%	34.7%
good	88	28	116
21.5%	21.1%	21.4%
excellent	40	18	58
9.8%	13.5%	10.7%
Total	409	133	542
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q3 new student orientation	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
26	17	43
7.0%	9.0%	7.7%
poor	63	26	89
17.1%	13.8%	15.9%
fair	137	58	195
37.1%	30.7%	34.9%
good	116	64	180
31.4%	33.9%	32.3%
excellent	27	24	51
7.3%	12.7%	9.1%
Total	369	189	558
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q4 new student advising	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
53	21	74
12.6%	10.2%	11.8%
poor	92	41	133
21.9%	19.9%	21.2%
fair	145	67	212
34.5%	32.5%	33.9%
good	96	56	152
22.9%	27.2%	24.3%
excellent	34	21	55
8.1%	10.2%	8.8%
Total	420	206	626
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q8 GE advising	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
50	11	61
12.2%	6.6%	10.6%
poor	89	29	118
21.7%	17.5%	20.5%
fair	143	57	200
34.8%	34.3%	34.7%
good	104	47	151
25.3%	28.3%	26.2%
excellent	25	22	47
6.1%	13.3%	8.1%
Total	411	166	577
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q9 major advising	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
22	17	39
4.6%	6.6%	5.3%
poor	53	33	86
11.0%	12.7%	11.6%
fair	123	73	196
25.5%	28.2%	26.4%
good	146	77	223
30.2%	29.7%	30.1%
excellent	139	59	198
28.8%	22.8%	26.7%
Total	483	259	742
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q11 library resources	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
8	10	18
1.6%	3.7%	2.4%
poor	13	19	32
2.7%	7.1%	4.2%
fair	68	55	123
13.9%	20.5%	16.2%
good	161	90	251
32.9%	33.6%	33.2%
excellent	239	94	333
48.9%	35.1%	44.0%
Total	489	268	757
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q13 classroom instruction	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
7	5	12
1.4%	1.7%	1.5%
poor	30	13	43
5.9%	4.5%	5.4%
fair	145	75	220
28.7%	26.0%	27.7%
good	223	132	355
44.1%	45.7%	44.7%
excellent	101	64	165
20.0%	22.1%	20.8%
Total	506	289	795
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q14 class size conducive to learning	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
22	16	38
4.4%	5.6%	4.8%
poor	48	21	69
9.5%	7.3%	8.7%
fair	166	65	231
32.9%	22.6%	29.2%
good	183	111	294
36.3%	38.5%	37.1%
excellent	85	75	160
16.9%	26.0%	20.2%
Total	504	288	792
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q15 academic support services e.g. tutoring	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
14	11	25
4.5%	9.3%	5.8%
poor	54	19	73
17.3%	16.1%	17.0%
fair	114	37	151
36.5%	31.4%	35.1%
good	87	39	126
27.9%	33.1%	29.3%
excellent	43	12	55
13.8%	10.2%	12.8%
Total	312	118	430
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q16 technology resources (computer labs)	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
23	18	41
5.3%	8.1%	6.3%
poor	58	35	93
13.4%	15.8%	14.2%
fair	117	64	181
27.0%	29.0%	27.7%
good	143	68	211
33.0%	30.8%	32.3%
excellent	92	36	128
21.2%	16.3%	19.6%
Total	433	221	654
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q6 housing services	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
14	4	18
9.3%	9.5%	9.4%
poor	32	7	39
21.3%	16.7%	20.3%
fair	50	15	65
33.3%	35.7%	33.9%
good	40	11	51
26.7%	26.2%	26.6%
excellent	14	5	19
9.3%	11.9%	9.9%
Total	150	42	192
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q7 financial aid	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
24	26	50
10.9%	18.2%	13.7%
poor	33	28	61
14.9%	19.6%	16.8%
fair	65	31	96
29.4%	21.7%	26.4%
good	59	40	99
26.7%	28.0%	27.2%
excellent	40	18	58
18.1%	12.6%	15.9%
Total	221	143	364
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q10 student health services	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
11	3	14
4.1%	2.5%	3.6%
poor	15	4	19
5.5%	3.4%	4.9%
fair	81	27	108
29.9%	22.7%	27.7%
good	95	50	145
35.1%	42.0%	37.2%
excellent	69	35	104
25.5%	29.4%	26.7%
Total	271	119	390
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q12 student life (recreation, clubs/organizations)	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
18	9	27
5.1%	6.0%	5.3%
poor	52	22	74
14.7%	14.6%	14.7%
fair	123	46	169
34.7%	30.5%	33.5%
good	102	50	152
28.8%	33.1%	30.1%
excellent	59	24	83
16.7%	15.9%	16.4%
Total	354	151	505
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q1 application process	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
42	11	53
8.4%	3.8%	6.7%
poor	61	28	89
12.2%	9.7%	11.3%
fair	177	103	280
35.3%	35.5%	35.4%
good	152	94	246
30.3%	32.4%	31.1%
excellent	69	54	123
13.8%	18.6%	15.5%
Total	501	290	791
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Q5 transfer units	very poor	Undergrad	Grad	Total
48	8	56
15.0%	5.1%	11.7%
poor	49	17	66
15.3%	10.8%	13.8%
fair	93	43	136
29.1%	27.2%	28.5%
good	83	54	137
25.9%	34.2%	28.7%
excellent	47	36	83
14.7%	22.8%	17.4%
Total	320	158	478
100.0%	100.0%	100.0%

Qualitative Analysis of Responses to Open-Ended Interview Items
From Enrolled (2004) Undergraduate and Graduate Students
(CFRs 1.5, 1.6, 1.9, 2.10, 2.13, 2.14, 3.1, 3.2, 3.5)

Data was collected in teams of two: one facilitator and one recorder. Each recorder prepared a summary of the discussion, lead by the facilitator, around these eight open-ended items:

Below is a sample summary report from a recorder in an evening graduate class (31 students).

Quantitative Analysis of Responses to Survey Items From Alumni
(CFRs: 1.5,2.1, 4.8)

Data collection (Fall 04) for alumni involved solicitation via email requesting individuals who had graduated up to five years ago from SJSU to complete an on-line survey. The on-line survey contained 31 Likert items in 6 categories: (a) current perceptions of the university; (b) what shapes their current perceptions; (c) perceptions of student services while a student at SJSU; (d) perception of quality of academic programs while a student at SJSU; (e) factors contributing to quality of academic programs while a student at SJSU; and (f) perception of the quality of campus activities while a student at SJSU. In addition, there were two demographic items and two open-ended questions. The first open-ended item asked “what was your most valuable and most challenging experience while a student as SJSU?” The second open-ended question asked about “the effectiveness of SJSU’s academic program overall and specifically in your major.”

Survey Results

The survey was complete by 811 SJSU alumni in the Fall of 2004. Seventy-six percent (616) had earned an undergraduate bachelor's degree from SJSU, 27% a Master's degree, and 3% a teaching credential. All had graduated within the past five years.

Below are responses to the question 'What is your current perception of SJSU in each of these areas?'. Alumni perceptions of the campus are predominately good.

Area	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent
Academic programs	3%	18%	61%	19%
Leadership of campus	12%	42%	41%	5%
Relations with community	8%	35%	47%	10%
SJSU's reputation	7%	37%	48%	8%
Student resources (e.g. career center, health center, counseling)	6%	29%	50%	16%

Below are responses to the question 'Which of the following shape your current perception of SJSU?' Clearly, experiences as a student are most influential in shaping the perceptions of alumni.

Item	% Selecting an item
Alumni publications	28%
Experience as a student	92%
Experience as an alumni	38%
Interaction with current faculty, staff, administrators	46%
Media (e.g. newspaper, TV)	30%
Word of mouth	38%

Below are responses to the question 'What was your perception of the quality of each of the following while you were a student at SJSU?'. The difference in responses to advising in the Major compared to GE is striking. Perceptions of the quality of advising in the major are considerably higher than those related to GE. Comparable results were observed with our current students. As was also the case with current students, alumni made little use of support services other than the library and rated the library very favorably.

Item	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent	Never Used
Advising-GE	15%	22%	23%	8%	32%
Advising-major	9%	19%	31%	32%	10%
Application process	14%	28%	45%	12%	1%
Career center services	8%	16%	29%	12%	35%
Counseling center services	5%	14%	17%	6%	57%
Cross-cultural programming (e.g. MOSAIC)	2%	7%	11%	4%	76%
Financial aid services	5%	13%	22%	10%	50%
Housing center services	3%	7%	10%	2%	78%
Library	2%	12%	40%	43%	3%
Online registration	9%	14%	34%	27%	17%
Student health center services	1%	7%	23%	20%	48%

In response to the question 'What was your perception of the quality of our academic programs while you were a student at SJSU?", The majority of alumni rated the quality as good (53%) followed by excellent (20%), fair (23%), and poor (4%). This is a more favorable view than was observed from current students.

With respect to campus activities (e.g. student clubs, recreation, athletics, music, theater) most (60%) alumni indicated they had not been actively involved. Alumni perceptions of the quality of campus activities was good (48%) followed by fair (37%), and the categories poor and excellent both had 7%.

Qualitative Analysis of Open-Ended Survey Items From Alumni
(CFRs 1.2, 1.5, 1.6, 1.9, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.11, 3.1, 3.2)

What was your most valuable and most challenging experience while a student as SJSU? 537 individuals provided a response to this item.

We welcome here your insights related to the effectiveness of SJSU’s academic program overall and specifically in your major. 396 individuals provided a response to this item.

The responses given were summarized first by item then holistically from two perspectives:

18/55 students stated that they were pleased with the availability of their instructors
4/55 students stated that they were pleased with their instructors teaching style
21/55 students stated that their instructors were knowledgeable

2/55 students stated that instructors were not available
7/55 students stated that instructors did not use effective teaching methods
3/55 students stated that instructors were not knowledgeable

4/106 students stated that class availability was good, specifically summer and night classes
67/106 students stated that classes were valuable; all responses were related to major classes
and programs like study abroad, humanities honors and the Spartan Daily
11/106 students stated that graduation was the most valuable academic experience
4 students stated that online classes were very useful

9/106 students stated that class availability was poor
8/106 students stated that classes were not valuable
3/106 stated that the technology used in classes was poor

26/105 students stated that they valued the diversity of people found at SJSU
7/105 students stated that they valued the relationships they created while at SJSU
59/105 students stated that they gained valuable leadership experience at SJSU
6/105 students stated that they valued learning to balance school and other responsibilities

1/105 student stated that they did not feel a sense of community
4/105 students stated that the people at SJSU were not valuable
1/105 student stated the there was a lack of support in the Greek community
1/105 student stated that SJSU was not perceived well by outside agencies

4/78 students stated that the career center was valuable
1/78 student stated that park and ride was valuable
4/78 students stated that departmental advising was valuable

1/78 student stated that the career center was not valuable for finding internships
33/78 students stated that the admissions and records department was not effective
15/78 students stated that parking and housing on and around SJSU was not accessible or affordable
15/78 students stated that advising was poor
3/78students stated that the cost of attending SJSU was too high
1/78 student stated that the financial aid program was poor
1/78 student stated that the buildings at SJSU were in poor condition

CODING ALUMNI DATA FROM 2ND OPEN-ENDED ITEM INTO CATEGORIES
(Insights Related to the Effectiveness of SJSU Academic Programs)

Thirty-two individuals responded on positive and negative influences of the universities instructors. Out of those 32 responses, 15 were positive and 17 were negative.

5/32 stated that the instructors did an overall good job.
3/32 stated that the instructors developed effective programs.
3/32 stated that the instructors were dedicated to their work.
2/32 stated that instructors were encouraging to their students and created a positive environment.
1/32 stated that instructors at the university were demanding and had high expectations of their students.
1/32 liked the diversity of instructors at the university.

4/32 stated that the instructors did not have enough expectations of students.
4/32 stated that instructors are unavailable to students.
4/32 stated that the instructors have a lack of organization and knowledge for the courses they teach.
3/32 stated that instructors lack in student interaction.
1/32 has received prejudice comments from instructors.
1/32 stated that instructors should create credibility through more publishing.

Fifty-six individuals responded on the positive and negative aspects in courses in general at the university. Out of those responses 22 were positive and 32 were negative.

12/56 stated that the courses were very effective through providing useful information.
5/56 stated that the courses taken prepared students for future careers.
4/56 stated that they liked the availability of a variety of general education courses.
1/56 stated that the courses were solid.

11/56 stated that the courses were not effective or challenging.
10/56 there is a lack of available classes. Courses should be provided on Saturdays and Sundays.
4/56 stated that courses need to provide more hands on experiences.
2/56 stated that students who struggle with English as a language should not be able to “coast” through courses.
2/56 stated that the budget cuts have affected the availability of courses.
2/56 stated that the classes are too large for effective learning.
1/56 would like to see more diverse classes.

Eleven individuals responded on the positive and negative aspects of the universities facilities. Out of those responses, two were positive and nine were negative.

7/11 stated that the facilities were overall poor
2/11 stated that there was a lack of computer labs and parking at the university.

Eighteen individuals had general comments regarding the positive and negative aspects of the university. Out of those responses four were positive and 14 were negative.

4/18 thought that overall the university was effective and provided a great experience.

5/18 state that the communication and networking within the university need improvement.
4/18 stated that San José State should uphold to the same standards as other universities (e.g. Stanford and Cal).
3/18 stated that there was a lack of contact with the community.
1/18 thought there was an overcrowding in the university
1/18 thought the materials in classrooms and courses were not “cutting edge.”

Twenty-five individuals commented on the positive and negative aspects of the university’s administration. One of those responses was positive and other 24 were negative.

13/25 stated that there is a lack of effective advising overall, specifically advising in the graduate department and on taking specific classes within individual majors.
5/25 stated that the career center was difficult to use.
2/25 stated that the administration has a lack of communication.
2/25 stated that administration had bad procedures.
1/25 stated that there wasn’t any consistency in requirements.
1/25 the administration does not promote resources.

Dominant Themes That Emerged After Coding Alumni Data From Both Open-Ended Items Into Categories

A. Leadership and Service

1. Ethics bowl, Greek life, honors programs, Mcnair program, GLBTA
2. Tutorial center, career center (internships), dept. advising, park and ride, night classes

1. Admissions and records- lack of organization, poor customer service, transfer credit, poor GE advising, poor procedures
2. Career center difficult to use
3. SJSU should uphold the same standards as other universities
4. Lack of contact with the community
5. Lack of parking
6. Cost of living
7. Poor course availability
8. Instructors unavailable
9. Instructors were lacking in student interaction
10. Networking and communicating within the university needs improvement.
11. Advisors were poor in the graduate departments.
12. Students felt that they were not advised adequately in taking the right specific classes for their majors.

1. Lab experience and report writing were seen as good tools, study abroad, humanities honors, Spartan Daily, real world experience gained in class
2. Instructors -- dedicated, developed good programs, encouraging, created a positive environment, demanding, had high expectations, diversity among instructors
3. Courses-effective, prepared students for career, variety of GE

1. Course content--group projects allowed weak students to bring down strong students, not enough real world experience gained in class, not challenging, need more hands on experience, classes too large
2. Many students felt that the courses were not effective and challenging.
3. Students would have liked to have classes offered on Saturdays and Sundays.
4. For effective learning the classes need to be reduced.
5. Instructors--bias, blind to cheating, not challenging, unorganized, lack of knowledge, prejudice toward students with disabilities, used prejudice language, not published.

III. EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY AND CONVENIENCE/LACK OF INNOVATION

A. Evolving technology

1. Distance learning, computer labs,
2. King library—access to computers, labs, study rooms, accessibility, environment

1. Technology- too little, too old, people soft not dependable, uncomfortable buildings.
2. Materials are not cutting edge, poor communication network within the university
3. Many alumni felt that the facilities were overall poor during their time at SJSU.
4. The students would have liked to see more computer labs

1. Diversity on campus, (balancing-family, work, school, sports, leadership roles, commute)
2. Support from role models related to ethnicity, exchanging ideas and interacting with diverse students
3. Diversity of campus is most valuable experience, global experience

The polarity between diversity and lack of diversity as experienced by alumni was unbalanced. Respondents expressed predominately positive comments about their multidimensional experiences with diversity as SJSU.

Positive comments related to diversity
Several alumni expressed very positive comments about the different forms of diversity at San José State University. They expressed appreciation regarding ethnic diversity, as well as diversity related to gender, age, and disability. Some respondents expressed that the diversity on campus was one of the most valuable experiences they encountered within and beyond the classroom; they felt that exchanging ideas and interacting with diverse students represented a valuable educational experience. Other respondents expressed appreciation for the support they received from diverse ethnic role models. A couple respondents expressed that the most valuable experience related to the university was the multicultural campus and global educational setting; they felt that the campus represented a rich global experience.

Negative comments related to diversity
One respondent expressed that he/she experienced prejudice toward students with disabilities, another expressed that he/she experienced prejudicial language, and lastly another respondent felt that there should be more diverse interaction within the educational setting. A couple of respondents expressed that they felt disconnected from peers.

Positive Leadership and Service Experiences
Several respondents expressed that their educational experience was enhanced because of the leadership opportunities that were available within the university setting. Their experiences at San José State University were enhanced through their involvement in the following activities and/or programs: ethics bowl, Greek life, McNair program, GLBTA (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans gendered association), tutorial center, and career center (internship opportunities and resume development). Their educational experiences were also enhanced and facilitated through services such as department advising, park and ride, and the availability of night classes and distance learning.

Inadequate Service and Accessibility
Several alumni expressed that they encountered negative experiences with Admissions and Records. This university office was described as lacking organization, providing poor customer service, and following poor procedures related to students’ needs and requests. Respondents also indicated that this office did not provide sufficient criteria related to the acceptance or denial of credits from other colleges/universities; the acceptance of transfer units from other institutions was slow and inadequate. Other respondents expressed that they received poor general education advising, that the career center was difficult to use, and that SJSU should uphold the same standards as other universities in terms of being accessible and meeting students’ needs. Respondents also expressed that the university should provide more services related to the community and that the university would be enhanced with additional parking, as well as course and instructor availability.

Positive use of Technology
Alumni respondents expressed appreciation for the technology that is integrated throughout the Martin Luther King Library which provided them with access to computers, data bases, and electronic (smart) study and conference rooms. They also expressed appreciation for the interface between the King Library and their home computers which provided them access to resources and relevant information. They also expressed appreciation for the technology that allowed SJSU to offer distance learning courses and supply various computer laboratories throughout the campus.

Lack of Technology and Innovation
Some alumni respondents expressed that the technology at SJSU was too little and too old. Others expressed that People Soft was not dependable and that the communication network within the university was poor and inadequate. Other respondents pointed that there were old and uncomfortable buildings on campus and that the learning environments did not provide “cutting edge” materials.

Positive Scholarship and the Acquisition of Knowledge
Alumni described instructors as being dedicated, encouraging, demanding, and having high expectations of their students. They expressed that instructors provided a positive learning environment involving meaningful and relevant programs. Respondents felt that the curriculum involved effective courses that adequately prepared them for their careers and that represented real world experiences. They appreciated the variety of general education courses that were available in meeting their general education requirements. They also appreciated the diversity among their instructors. Laboratory experiences and report writing were seen as valuable learning tools. Different respondents expressed that their education was enhanced through the following experiences: studying abroad, participating in humanities honors program, and working for the Spartan Daily.

Lack of Stimulation and Acquisition of Knowledge
Some respondents expressed that course work was not challenging and did not provide enough “real world” and/or “hands on” experiences. Others expressed that classes were too large for effective learning. Another respondent expressed that group projects allowed weak students to “bring down” (diminish) stronger students. Instructors were described as being bias, blind to cheating, not challenging, unorganized, lacking sufficient knowledge, and prejudicial. One respondent expressed that SJSU did not have enough school spirit.

Qualitative Analysis of Open Ended Item From 1999 Exit Survey (Undergraduates)
CFRs 2.1, 2.2, 2.13, 2.14,

“Please write any comments below that you feel would be helpful to the University or your major department in improving SJSU.”

Roughly 302 responses. The categories are listed in the order of the frequency of the responses. For ease of discussion, they have been separated into positive, negative, and “for the good of the university” sections. The tables show categories on the left and quotes on the right.

Good college	“My life as a student here was very comfortable and I was able to make many invaluable networking connections through the many professionals on campus here.”
Overall positive experience	“Overall, good experience once I figured out “the system”, was a difficult transition though.” "In total, my experience has been quite enjoyable at SJSU. I will treasure my time here always.” “Your good points were cost and accessibility.” “The campus is beautiful to walk through.” “I have a MGT job with a salary of $100K thanks to my degree.” “The faculty within my major were key in creating a challenging and rewarding experience at SJSU.
Great professors	“I feel that my professors were equal to any University or college in the nation, however the facilities and support services (computer lab, libraries) are in great need of repair and upgrade. I would like to thank you for an overwhelmingly positive experience.”
General Education	“The GE courses provided a nice break from my XXXX major.” “My experience in GE classes were all positive; the instructors were very enthusiastic and helpful, the upper division classes were very challenging.”
Re-entry	“My experience as a re-entry student was generally positive.” “As a returning older student I found the students and faculty very accepting. It has been a pleasure returning to school to achieve my personal goal of obtaining my degree. Thank you.”

Negative

Parking	“The first thing is not to sell so many parking permits.”“Help with the parking situation. That’s all I ever dreaded about college.” “The lack of parking is intolerable, maddening, and inexcusable. I waste 20-30 minutes a day waiting for a space. I have had to get out of my car five times to argue with other students who have given up being ethical and took spaces I was waiting for first. This creates intense frustration and outrage among all the students waiting in their cars. Inevitable, periodic yelling, lengthy arguing, and near demolitions derby altercations occur almost every morning.”
Admissions and Records	“Because these rude and uneducated staffs at the admissions and records office have been working so long without improving their quality of services, I think it reflects how much SJSU cares about its students.” “Several times I had to go into the office to get problems corrected (most of which were their fault to begin with) and the people at the desk were always less than friendly.” “My transcripts got lost 3 times which I handed them twice. Maybe the efficiency of Admissions & Rec needs to be improved so things don’t get lost.”
Better computers and lab equipment	“I expected much more from a university in the center of Silicon Valley.” “I hope we can get more support from local businesses to have a “cutting edge” computer lab.” “The equipment and software applications are outdated and useless to me in preparing for work.” “We need more computer labs and extended hours; sometimes I have to wait too long.”
Advising	“The advising needs to improve 100%. We need to have advisors that motivate and encourage students…all I got was the negative. I received no help from my advisors.” “Your ineptitude is this area is well deserved and earned, would have gladly paid for the services of a professional to tell her what was her plan for 4 years.” (Parent comment) “There were numerous times when conflicting information was given out. “Very little advisement on classes.”
GE Advising	“Make GE advising mandatory, at least (sic) once a year.
Advising for transfer students	“Transferring from a local community college was not an easy task. The GE counselors were not helpful at all.” “I attended the orientation for transfer students and there was no representative, so I had trouble getting an advisor and it set me back a lot.”
Financial Aid	“Lines are too long in financial aid.”“Something needs to be done about financial aid.” “The financial aid process is a nightmare.” “Repeatedly my financial aid was misprocessed (sic) due to staff errors.”
Easier steps to graduation	“If you are good enough to take my money a year before I graduate then you should be good enough to send some information on graduation before the next year. I paid for graduation 3/98. I just now received info on it 3/99. How does that make sense?” “I was not well advised on the requirements for graduation and neither were my friends.”
Better Library Collections	“The library needs to have better journals for research.” “More journals and computers in the library.” “I was forced to use other university libraries for research projects.”
More preparation for workforce	“I would expose students to more real world experiences.”
Internships	“Internships should be mandatory” “…need to offer more internships.”
Career options for majors	“I didn’t get any advice about what jobs are available for people in my major.” “More advising in job placement and career planning.”
Quality of instruction	“Above all, please stop hiring part-time professors in the XXXX dept. because they 1)usually aren’t prepared to teach at this or any level 2) complained about their salaries which leads them to teaching only to the level that they’re paid.” “It was interesting to have so many professors of XXXX and XXXX who were many times unprepared and who did not have a grasp on the subject being taught.” “Professors were outdated and teach information with is not applicable." “Hire quality faculty.” “Faculty need to reach out to high achieving students.”
Need for more classes	“I could never get the classes I needed...” “Offer more classes.”“More summer and winter session courses are needed.” “Overcrowding in my classes is the number one problem at San José State.”
Unfriendly library staff	“The library staff is not helpful for students who need help with research or who don’t know about computers.” “The staff is not friendly to students.”
More integration between departments	“The hoops one is made to go through to get assistance (person A sends you to person B who tells you to call person C) are unbearable.” “I received two pieces of different information between my department advisor and my graduation evaluator. In my case the admissions office was mistaken. This is a problem I have heard several students complain about, so maybe the evaluators need to have some sort of update training so this type of mistake doesn’t occur as often."
Construction	“Constant construction for the 4 years I have been here.” “I’m fed up with the everlasting construction around here.”
More support for students taking night classes.	“I don’t think SJSU is focused on the needs of the 40 hour-a-week student. It does not offer enough services and classes for evening students. It does not provide enough opportunities for the evening student to feel a part of SJSU.”
Better facilities - Old buildings	“The appearance of the buildings needs dramatic upgrading.” “Update the student union.” “The appearance of the buildings needs dramatic upgrading.” “Update the student union.”“Clean the bathrooms.” “The elevators are always broken.”
Safety	“I would try to improve campus lighting and safety.” “There is no safe feeling walking through Parking Garages (sic) even during the day.”
Concern about the joint library project	“The joint library is a bad idea.” The joint library is a mistake; the library is already too crowded.”
Concerns about cheating	“Someone has to put an end to the limitless cheating in the XXX program.”
Need more diverse faculty	“Need to hire more Chicano professors.” “Most of my professors were White, especially in XXXX and XXX. SJSU needs to hire more diverse faculty.”
More access to faculty	“Need more office hours.” “You should be able to make appointments with faculty for 30 minutes and not be interrupted.” “Part-time faculty need to be available and not rush off to other jobs.”
Clean up surrounding neighborhood	“…if possible, …the halfway houses need to re removed from downtown at least to a 5 blocks (sic)” “The campus outer lying areas are not kept clean.”
Lack of “the college experience”	“Because I was commuting…, I feel I did not get the college experience I was looking for. …However the support services and activities I did get involved in were not beneficial in helping me develop social connections with other individuals.” “I’m sad to say that SJSU has a rather bad reputation as the Jr. College State University.”
Better tutoring	“There needs to be better tutoring for students.”
Campus pride	“I heard on the radio last week that SJSU was celebrating 100 years, “one student at a time” yet heard nothing about it on campus. Isn’t that something we should be proud of and celebrate?”

For the Good of the University

More campus life	“Associated Student organizations, committees, elections, and events should be more publicized.”
Transit pass	“I think the university should include the 17 Express bus in the transportation package.” “The train is too expensive; include CAL Train in the transit pass.”
General Comments	“…I cannot work full time, drive to SJSU for my classes, and either not be able to get the classes I need nor find a place to park. These areas need to be fixed somehow or you will lose prospective students. SJSU is not a bad school, but the negatives outweigh the positives.” “In its desire to be competitive with other Universities in the areas of the sciences, business, and technology, SJSU has neglected many of its students in the areas of the humanities, social sciences, and arts." ”The Health Center is amazingly organized and helpful.

Summary/Highlights of Analyses

Beginning with the analysis of responses from current undergraduate and graduate students to the survey items, for both undergrad and graduate students their experiences in the area of instruction are rated highest followed by the application process for graduate students and student services for undergraduate students. Lowest rated for undergraduate students were general education advising/orientation and the application process. Among graduate students, the category lowest rated was general advising (not advising in the major).

With respect to the qualitative analysis of responses to open-ended interview items from current undergraduate and graduate students, location and cost continue to be important considerations for students (and remain so according to the 2006 Student Needs and Priorities Survey [SNAPS]). When describing factors that contributed to their success, while faculty frequently are noted, personal drive and a proactive approach - particularly when faced with hurdles - are often sited. The hurdles students experience continue to be related to services (e.g. admissions) and infrastructure (e.g. parking). Among the things students report they would do differently, being more engaged in campus life was often mentioned and tied to a belief that their overall experience would have been richer.

With respect to current perceptions among SJSU alumni, the area rated highest was academic programs followed by student resources (e.g. career center, health center, counseling) and SJSU's reputation. For 92% of the respondents, their experiences as a student shaped their current perceptions. Regarding advising, the difference in responses to advising in the Major compared to GE is striking. Perceptions of the quality of advising in the major are considerably higher than those related to GE.

Turning to the qualitative analysis of the two open-ended survey items from alumni, most frequently sited valuable experiences were interaction with diverse population, quality of courses, and leadership experiences. Most frequently noted as challenging experiences were interactions with offices responsible for admissions and records, and finding parking and/or housing near SJSU.

Group	Summary Stat	Transition to Career	Advising/orientation	Instruction CFR 2.4, 2.5	Student Services	Application Process
Undergraduate Students	Mean Median St. Dev N	3.32 3.25 .95 438	3.02 3.00 .87 497	3.71 3.80 .69 512	3.41 3.50 .93 450	3.24 3.00 1.03 509
Graduate Students	Mean Median St. Dev N	3.41 3.50 .95 258	3.25 3.00 .97 261	3.67 3.75 .75 293	3.37 3.50 1.05 224	3.55 3.50 .94 291
Combined	Mean Median St. Dev N	3.35 3.40 .95 696	3.09 3.00 .91 758	3.70 3.50 .72 805	3.40 3.50 .97 674	3.35 3.50 1.00 800

location - close to home/work	easy commute
did not know about other schools	not expensive
cost effective	wonderful teachers during undergrad experience
very good reputation	easy to get in
evening classes	good engineering program
cisco sends their people here	wanted to pursue MBA while working full time
strategically located in silicon valley, and caters to working professionals; provides a variety of classes that are up to date	high quality education
athletic scholarship - undergrad; price & convenience - grad	easy to communicate
good business school	can work full time
great MBA program	friends gave good report
Volleyball. Staff in Human Performance great so I continued on	Better in comparison to Sac state and Hayward
only school (out of 3) I was admitted to

flexible schedule	no kids
smart	drive and work ethic
support of employer	support of family
self, parents, God	patience
my discipline	motivation
weekend classes	good undergrad and grad experiences at other schools
desire to improve self	professors accessible, evening classes
cost effectiveness, my efforts, good professors	flexible program/schedule
cost	no transcripts required - accepted international certificate
changed from engineering major to business - business school awesome	being goal driven
desire/drive to learn new things	I’m intelligent. Would have made it anywhere
insights from professors	my determination
teachers are flexible - understand that you work	staff in MBA office
my own will power to complete what I started	just went for it
persistence, dedication, work ethic	my proactiveness
networking with students; visiting with teachers	hard work, not having a job

adding classes overcame with persistence	not offering classes needed
parking (need good walking shoes)	anxiety tied to going back to school
juggling work, school, family	increase in fee structure several times
academic standards too low, need to be higher	too easy to get in, not stringent enough requirements
traffic	not getting classes I wanted. I overcame by giving up and letting go.
Long hours, sacrificed weekends. Overcame by being tough (mentally)	time management
paying for parking	subjects I did not understand. Over came by finding classmates to work with
I-880 traffic	keeping up with studies
money - supported by employer	parking
not enough classes offered every semester	finding motivation to carry on - on part-time basis; overcame by looking at positive side of education
forced to take non-interesting classes	professors too often teach political ideology
some teacher don’t go by university ethics	Office of admissions and records
Overcame hurdles with persistence	not enough networking
There are quite a few people who don’t belong at this university (or ANY university for that matter). Dumb, dumb!!!	GMAT - low math scores. Overcame by talking to Dean of Business
need to offer more summer classes	working long hours - not able to study
finding time to spend on projects and study	not wide enough selection of finance class
managing school, work, family	missing work to go to class
expense of living in San Jose	overcame commute troubles by carpooling
too much work, not enough time	not enough classes on certain days of week
Overcame small obstacles by just learning to adjust

valuable connections with other students	friends
knowledge	income
power	degree
good on campus jobs for students: work study and student assistants	awareness; breadth of knowledge; hustle. I’d be on my way to a boring career without this
made wonderful friends; lasting friendships	we will see...
a way to achieve goal of MBA	An MBA. I have a stronger business mind
Gave me everything I have today. My entire career was possible due to my SJSU education	better team/group member, valuable connections, friendships, earning power, MBA, great study abroad experience in Thailand
good basic business education	degree & self improvement; expand my horizons and work opportunities, open my eyes to other areas, work ethic, understanding
made me a better person personally, intellectually; more responsible, disciplines. Made me aware of scarcity of time	I’m smarter
wouldn’t have a master’s degree, last degree would be from India which might not be valued here	work and study ethics
through undergrad athletics, gave feelings of local ties (loyalty) to institution and community	all-around improvement in personality
helped me believe in myself and better understand what I am fitted for.	Gave me opportunity to work and study an affordable place to learn; knowledge; a degree
students are mediocre, but professors are excellent - fantastic people - they add so much to my life by their sheer presence	Knowledge of marketing. I have become more analytical
More respect from colleagues at work; networking, friends	provided time for reflection
opened my mind to business world	interpersonal skills
a fee hike every semester; made me save more to go to school	I’m more resourceful
valuable connections	income
exposure to different perspectives	became a better person with a higher level of consciousness and understanding
waste of time; might get a job; paper to hang on the wall	my undergrad and grad education
I’ve become more knowledgeable, confident, adept at communication and people skills.	New contacts

get to know students in department	Choose a different undergrad degree program join student associations, clubs assoc. with degree get to know students outside of the current circle of friends - athletes
take fewer classes at a time	participate in more social events/student activities nothing
would have taken courses at a CC and waived some basic course requirements	take classes that relate to interests not just for the credits
live closer to campus	would involve myself more
nothing is under my control which I can change for SJSU	study more and learn more
take more classes at a time	get to know some professors better
be more involved in campus student life, take less units each semester to be able to focus better	practice leadership
network more, get to know more students	live closer and really experience campus life - rather than commuter life
Take hard classes at beginning of program	maybe do undergrad in business not MBA
select the classes I want earlier	take at least 2 classes per semester to finish quicker
quit my job and go straight through MBA one program	work harder
take more classes to make more cost effective	join clubs
meet with more professors

location, location, location	great professors/ experienced faculty
library	accreditation
silicon valley culture	job opportunities: full time and part time
more hands on than UC system: practical application	urban campus; proximity to downtown, other activities
diversity - multi-cultural (staff and students)	part-time program
faculty availability/approachable	evening graduate program
flexible scheduling	close to great CA locations
low crime rate	great business faculty
silicon valley location	good programs geared toward working professionals
unity in diversity	entrepreneurship
price - affordable	flexible grad class scheduling
campus is beautiful	evening classes
diverse environment; excellent staff; urban, exciting campus; lots of Asians and Indians	very hands on
can learn just as much as you do at more expensive universities

bring back the pub	schedule classes in the business buildings
modernize classroom buildings/facilities	introduce fee waivers and stipends for graduate students in research, teaching, job training
change the face of the university: improve marketing, change profile, add more recognition	make spartan bookstore a student bookstore; subsidize costs
improve admission and records: lost records	improve security so backpacks not stolen
strengthen football program to improve visibility	more stringent entrance criteria
offer more classes, offer more off-campus classes; offer more useful classes - marketing, product management	better use of off-campus facilities
better marketing of university	need higher academic awareness and higher social awareness
better MBA financial specialty	rising fees; keep stable prices
parking - need inexpensive parking	offer more classes; offer better classes
increase academic standards	modernize classrooms
social events	student interaction with each other
curbside bookstore	RAISE THE STANDARDS; raise standards for acceptance and graduation
move south campus athletics to north campus	build support, bring notoriety
make sure graduate studies office does not loose documents	more industry connection for the students
bring more outstanding speakers for students	better position SJSU
better entrance	organize meaningful events and activities
be open about fee structure and rising costs	build sense of belonging; more activities to unite students
make more prestigious; more well known internationally	work on better international student program
strengthen alumni association	publicize SJSU more
improve overall standards	not increase fees so often
accommodate part time students better	increase support for athletics among faculty and staff
more stringent entrance requirements	program policies
more concerts, dances, fun activites so students bond and have school spirit

it takes time	get involved and appreciate education
network with senior students	utilize existing resources: library, public transportation, faculty
be aware of documentation deadlines	don’t waste time if not serious
make sure to keep track of documentation; be persistent follow up...documents get lost	visit campus and takes its pulse before applying
be sure you know what you need to do, as some people will not help	make the most of your time in school
take EE here; MBA finance is good	have patience and don’t expect too much
don’t take this experience lightly. It’s the most valuable time spent in your life.	Study abroad for a semester if you can
set time aside to complete coursework	learn from faculty
you get only one chance, learn as much as you can	study business or engineering
live on campus (as undergrad) or near	be involved
check out the campus before applying - make sure you like it	come for an education not fun. Fun will come down the road
be proactive	meet friends, connect, have coffee with them; this is the time of your life; it’s not only about studying, it’s about living!!
Realize that school takes a lot of time	it’s a big commitment if you have work and family to balance
try to take challenging and interesting courses	participate in events - e.g. MBA association
get to know more of the campus	enjoy
be on your own	appreciate education
network with older students in your area	don’t be afraid to ask questions
take more financial courses	study and don’t party all the time
you’ve got to be willing to do the work and put in the time in order to get the most out of classes	get involved and enjoy what you do. Your experience will be better
Keep following your dreams.

Report Related to Data Collected for the Student Experience Study

Summary/Highlights of Analyses