Highlights
from the Graduating Senior Survey
December 2001- August 2002
Sixty-six percent of the graduating undergraduate class of 2001 - 2002 completed the WCU Graduating Senior Survey during commencement rehearsals. Find out what our recent graduates say about the following areas by clicking each of the links:
Over 90% of graduating seniors reported that faculty were good or excellent in setting high expectations for them to learn, encouraging them to be actively involved learners and to devote sufficient time and energy to their coursework, and developing opportunities for them to learn cooperatively with fellow students.
Almost 90% of graduating seniors reported that faculty were good or excellent in respecting the diverse talents and ways of learning of them and their classmates, encouraging student-faculty interaction, in and out of the classroom, caring about students' academic success and welfare, and giving them frequent and prompt feedback.
Overall graduating seniors rated faculty as good or excellent on all measures (94%).
Over 75% of graduating seniors reported advising was good or excellent concerning sufficient time with their advisors, access to their advisor, and advisor knowledge of campus policies. Slightly less (74%) reported good or excellent accurate information about degree requirements and course sequencing from their advisors.
Over 90% of graduates reported library hours of operation and access to databases and collections as excellent or good. Almost 90% reported staff responsiveness (89%) as being excellent or good.
At least 90% reported good or excellent access to the Internet, hours of operations for labs, etc., access to up-to-date facilities, and overall services. Over 80% of graduates reported good or excellent training classes (81%) and access to trained staff for help (85%).
Of those graduates that used Career Services, 72% reported that their opportunity for career assistance was good or excellent (a 9% decrease from the previous year). Approximately 70% of graduates reported the resources for career options and information available to them on internships, etc. was good or excellent. Eighty-one percent reported that information available through computers was good or excellent. Sixty-seven percent of graduates reported access to employment opportunities as good or excellent (a 9% decrease from the previous year) and resume preparation (69%) as good or excellent (a 7% decrease from the previous year). Seventy-six percent reported career-related services overall as good or excellent (a 7% decrease from the previous year)..
Western's Contribution to Basic Skill Areas:
Over 90% of graduates reported that Western contributed very much or somewhat to their writing, listening, speaking, comprehension, analytic skills, computer skills, the ability to function as part of a team, the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds, recognizing and acting on ethical principles, and personal growth.
At least 80% reported that Western contributed very much or somewhat to applying scientific methods or inquiry, appreciating racial equity, and appreciating gender equity.
Three-fourths of graduates reported Western contributed very much or somewhat to using math skills.
Student Services/Opportunities/Offices:
Reporting Good/Excellent |
||
Process |
Staff |
|
| 1. Registration | 83% |
84% |
| 2. Financial aid application/award | 80 |
85 |
| 3. Financial aid disbursement | 78 |
84 |
| 3. Campus food | 46 |
61 |
| 4. Campus health | 71 |
76 |
| 5. Campus counseling (not career) services | 77 |
81 |
| 6. Business services/cashier/student accounts | 78 |
79 |
| 7. Campus residence life programs for students living in university-owned housing | 66 |
73 |
| 8. Opportunities to participate in campus recreational and other extra-curricular or co-curricular activities | 78 |
|
| 9. Opportunities to participate in community service projects | 73 |
|
| 10. Opportunities to develop leadership skills | 79 |
The 2001 - 2002 graduates expressed slightly higher percentages of satisfaction for the above services than the previous graduating class of 2000-2001.
Twenty-nine percent of graduates reported that at graduation they were still seeking a job, while 26% reported that they had accepted a job and 6% reported continuing in their current job. Eighteen percent reported continuing their education in graduate school either full-time or part-time (an increase of 5% from the previous year).
Ninety-four percent of graduates reported that the overall quality of instruction in their major was excellent or good while ninety-four percent reported that the overall education they received at Western was excellent or good.