Campus Environment Assessment

An Assessment of the Campus Environment
(Results from the Student Satisfaction Inventory)
Eastern Oregon University

Spring 1997

INTRODUCTION

As part of an on-going effort to assess institutional effectiveness, Eastern Oregon University asked a large sample (N=699) of its students to complete the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory. In the 1987 Fall Term a similar study was conducted utilizing the American College Testing's Student Opinion Survey.

The Student Satisfaction Inventory was used for the most recent study because it offers the added benefit of measuring students' sense of importance (expectations) of campus environmental factors as well as their satisfaction of experience with them. Comparing the students' ratings of the importance (expectations) and their satisfaction identifies "performance gaps" for each standardized item and eleven scales of the Inventory. Normative data from four-year public institutions about the importance, satisfaction, and performance gaps for the standardized items and eleven scales are also provided. In addition, student satisfaction about the University's and four-year public institutions' responsiveness to diverse populations (twelfth scale) is also reported.

The Student Satisfaction Inventory has standardized items about the following topics (see Appendix 1):

Topic Number of Items

Institutional Climate 73
Commitment to specific populations 6
Pre-enrollment factors 9
Overall Satisfaction 3
Student Demographics 13

The University added 10 items about institutional climate and two about student demographics (see Appendix 2).

Twelve scales have been developed by Noel-Levitz utilizing responses from the 73 standardized campus climate items. The scales are:

Academic Advising Recruitment and Financial Aid
Campus Climate Registration Effectiveness
Campus Life Responsiveness to Diverse Populations
Campus Support Services Safety and Security
Concern for the Individual Service Excellence
Instructional Effectiveness Student Centeredness

The Inventory was distributed to all spring term classes scheduled at 10:00 a.m. (see Appendix 3) by Eastern Ambassadors. Most were distributed to classes which met on Wednesdays (27) but a few were distributed to classes on Tuesdays (7) and Thursdays (3) to accommodate previously scheduled activities and instructor preferences. Spring term was selected for the study because, by that time, nearly all respondents had at least two terms of experience at Eastern. The classes were representative of class standing and the spectrum of students' curricular interests at the University. A standard script was developed for the Ambassadors to follow (see Appendix 4). Most respondents were able to complete the questionnaire in 20 minutes or less.

Faculty were all very cooperative and supportive of this project. Only one class of students (Nursing 489) voiced disinterest in responding to the Inventory and about half of the group chose not to participate. This reaction in itself deserves attention because the students' sentiment was expressed as "We are not Eastern students, we are OHSU Nursing students." This statement is certainly true but Eastern and OHSU have worked diligently to achieve a sense among nursing students that they are part of the Eastern community.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this study was to assess the level of satisfaction students at Eastern Oregon University have about a range of campus climate factors compared to the relative importance that they hold about each of these factors. The results of the study are to be used as:

1. A means by which areas for improvement can be identified.

2. A source to identify positive aspects of the campus environment.

3. A resource for the University's accreditation Self-Study which will be conducted during 1997-98.

Ultimately, the University recognizes that its continued success requires commitment to graduates-to-be (retention) in addition to recruitment of new students. Noel-Levitz defines graduates-to-be as: "Students who find your institution just the right place, your courses and professors stimulating, who [are] challenged and energized and happy and enthusiastic and who go back home and talk up your institution to their friends." Successful retention focuses on student expectations and the quality of the educational experience.

RESULTS

The results of the Inventory are reported by Noel-Levitz in its Campus Report. The Campus Report contains the following sections of data:

1. Demographic Summary

2. Scale Summary - bar graphs summarizing the students' ratings of importance and satisfaction on 12 composite scales and comparisons with the national averages for four-year public institutions.

3. Institutional Summary - students' importance and satisfaction scores, item by item, along with performance gap scores. All standardized item scores are compared to four-year public institution scores (see Appendix 5).

4. Summary Items - students' responses to the three questions about their overall satisfaction with the University and comparisons with national scores.

5. Comparative Summary Analysis - item results for all respondents compared to those from all four-year public institutions and three subgroups (women, residence hall students, and part-time, off campus students) selected by the University (see Appendix 6).

In addition, Noel-Levitz provided the raw data of the study in disc format. Subsequently, Provost Bruce Shepard formatted the raw data for additional analysis and review by interested persons. Dr. Shepard's work is available at <http://provost.eou.edu/data/majorsat.htm>.

Demographic Summary

Table 1 is a summary of demographic data of the respondents to the Inventory. This data compared to enrollment information in the 1996 OSSHE Fact Book indicates that the respondents are representative of the general student population with two variations. Almost twenty-one percent (20.9%) of Eastern's student body is 25 years and over but only 13% of the respondents were in the same age category. About one-quarter (25.1%) of Eastern's student body is enrolled part-time (less than 12 credits) but only 2% of the respondents reported themselves as part-time. In some instances, this latter disparity could be a result of students taking self-support classes (not reported by OSSHE) in addition to state funded courses and/or how students who take 9-12 credits classify themselves.

TABLE 1

An Important Demographic Finding The University added two items to the demographic information collected about the Inventory respondents. Item 115 collected codes for major fields of study. Item 116 asked about the students' plan for attendance at Eastern. The responses to Item 116 were as follows:

116. My plan for attendance at Eastern is:
N	%
11	2.0	to take courses but not pursue a degree
152	27.3	to attend some terms and then transfer to another institution
298	53.5	to graduate from Eastern
96	17.2	to graduate and complete teacher licensure requirements
142		no response

Eastern's six-year graduation rate is reported as 30-35%. This rate is based on the assumption that 100% of entering students plan to graduate from Eastern. The results of Item 116 indicate that this assumption should be revised to 70%. Using the revised (accurate) assumption, the graduation rate should be reported as 50-60% or about the national norm for public four-year colleges and universities.

Scale Summaries

Student Satisfaction The overall student satisfaction results about Eastern Oregon University on the twelve scales, particularly when compared to norms for four-year public institutions, are very positive. Eastern students' ratings were more positive than their four-year public institution counterparts on nine scales, the rating on one other was even, and two were slightly more negative. The results for student satisfaction on the twelve scales are graphically summarized by Figure 1.

FIGURE 1

What is Important to Eastern Students

Eastern's students also have higher expectations than their counterparts at four-year public universities. On all but one scale (Safety and Security), Eastern's students' rating about the importance of each scale was higher than the four-year public institutions norm. The results about the importance ascribed by students to the scales are graphically summarized by Figure 2.

Analysis of the items which comprise each scale are found in the next section of this report titled "Institutional Summary." The mean differences between Eastern's student satisfaction on each scale with their counterparts at other four-year public institutions and the levels of statistical significance, if any, are summarized in Table 2.

TABLE 2

FIGURE 2

Performance Gaps at Eastern A comparison of students' expectations and level of satisfaction about the factors on the Inventory yields performance gaps on eleven scales (see Figure 3)*. The performance gaps are an indication about the University's ability to meet student expectations. Figure 4 summarizes performance gaps for four-year public institutions. The performance gaps for Eastern were smaller than those for four-year public institutions on six of eleven scales (academic advisement, campus climate, campus support services, safety and security, service excellence, and student centeredness) and larger on five scales (campus life, concern for the individual, instructional effectiveness, recruitment and financial aid, and registration effectiveness).

Figure 5 summarizes the performance gap difference on the eleven scales for Eastern and four-year public institutions.

Noel-Levitz indicates that performance gaps of 1.5 or more are considered as large and less than .50 are considered as small. For discussion purposes, performance gaps greater that 1.2 will be mentioned in "Summary of Items."

On some specific campus climate items, Eastern students' satisfaction rating did not significantly differ from the four-year public institution norms but their higher rating of importance yielded performance gap differences of .10 or higher. Such performance gap differences are also so noted in "Summary of Items."

*Students were not asked to rate importance for items concerning Responsiveness to Diverse Populations.

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 5

Institutional Summary A review of the items upon which the scores for each scale were derived provides more detail about specific strengths and weaknesses in Eastern's environment. A summary of the ratings of satisfaction and importance of the items is presented in Figure 6. This scatter graph is divided into four quadrants. The upper right quadrant (I) contains items that were rated above the Eastern median in terms of satisfaction and importance. The items in the lower right quadrant (II) are high satisfaction, low importance. The items in the upper left quadrant (III) are the ones which warrant highest priority for institutional response--high importance, low satisfaction. The items in the lower left quadrant (IV) are low importance, low satisfaction. The final section of this report "Call for Actions" will outline specific recommendations for Eastern Oregon University to remedy areas which its students rate as less satisfactory, particularly those that appear in quadrant III. The remainder of this section will discuss each of the campus climate items in the context of the respective scales.

FIGURE 6

ACADEMIC ADVISEMENT

Scale/Item Eastern Mean
Score
Satisfaction National Group
Mean
Satisfaction Mean
Difference

Academic Advisement 5.24 4.95
.29***

6. My academic advisor is approachable 5.49 5.13
.36***

14. My academic advisor is concerned about my success as an individual 5.31 4.82
.49***

19. My academic advisor helps me set goals to work toward 4.82 4.46
.36***

33. My academic advisor is knowledgeable about requirements in my major 5.55 5.26
.29***

55. Major requirements are clear and reasonable 5.03 5.06
-.03

*Difference statistically significant at the .05 level
**Difference statistically significant at the .01 level
***Difference statistically significant at the .001 level

At the national level there has been considerable discussion about the inadequacy of academic advisement on many campuses. Increasingly campuses simply expect students to assume responsibility for planning their academic programs. This has not been the case at Eastern. The faculty should be proud of their effectiveness as academic advisors. More needs to be done to support the advisors because, despite their high level of satisfaction about advisement services, the students' expectations are not being achieved when comparisons are made concerning the importance of the items and the level of satisfaction. The most significant gaps (see Appendix 5 , Items 19 and 55) between the mean scores are on the items about clarity and reasonableness of major requirements (1.38) and the degree of help advisors provide for students with setting of goals (1.33).

There have been a number of changes in academic requirements at Eastern over the past four years. Perhaps the most noteworthy are related to the restructuring of the Education degree requirements. Other changes have been made to general education requirements and the transition of the general studies degree program to Liberal Studies. All of these changes have created confusion for students and faculty, particularly when a student elects to move from the requirements outlined in one catalog to a more recent version. As the requirement changes become more entrenched and advisement check lists are revised major requirements will be clarified and seem more reasonable.

Time, or lack of it, is the principle hindrance for faculty for consultation with students about goal setting. The intent of the University's change in registration procedures, which reduce the signature requirements for advisors, is to provide more time for "quality" counseling and consultation between faculty and students.

CAMPUS CLIMATE

Scale/Item Eastern Mean
Score
Satisfaction National Group
Mean
Satisfaction Mean
Difference

Campus Climate 4.93 4.74
.19***

1. Most students feel a sense of belonging here 5.13 4.73
.40***

2. The campus staff are caring and helpful 4.99 4.83
.16**

3. Faculty care about me as an individual 4.85 4.65
.20***

7. The campus is safe and secure for all students 5.74 5.06
.68***

10. Administrators are approachable to students 4.66 4.55
.11*

29. It is an enjoyable experience to be a student on this campus 5.29 4.93
.36***

37. I feel a sense of pride about my campus 4.87 4.78
.09

41. There is a commitment to academic excellence on this campus 5.10 5.00
.10

45. Students are made to feel welcome on this campus 5.24 4.92
.32***

51. This institution has a good reputation within the community 5.09 5.22
-.13*

57. I seldom get the "run around" when seeking information on this campus 4.40 4.00
.40***

59. This institution shows concern for students as individuals 4.82 4.57
.25***

60. I generally know what's happening on campus 4.84 4.52
.32***

62. There is a strong commitment to racial harmony on this campus 4.90 4.66
.24***

66. Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment 4.67 4.87
-.20**

67. Freedom of expression is protected on campus 4.76 4.94
-.18**

71. Channels for expressing student complaints are readily available 4.35 4.22
.13*

*Difference statistically significant at the .05 level
**Difference statistically significant at the .01 level
***Difference statistically significant at the .001 level

Eastern has always prided itself as a friendly campus where students can easily feel safe and find assistance. The students' expression of satisfaction with the items comparing campus climate scale strongly affirms this strong sense of community.

The students' rating of Item 51 indicates there is a sense that the University's reputation within the community needs improvement. From the University's leadership perspective there is a sense of strong community support in terms of political backing and recognition of the many ways the campus contributes to the quality of life in La Grande. Students, on the other hand, expressed that they do not feel welcome by the community. There is a sense by many that La Grande does not view itself as a "college town" and, therefore, its merchants do not cater to students' interests. The University leadership works closely with the La Grande Downtown Association, the Chamber of Commerce, and its own community support panel to improve its community relations. Student leaders need to be invited to participate with these groups to address this area.

The negative rating about tuition being a worthwhile investment is attributed to the 80% increase in tuition and fees since the passage of Ballot Measure 5 in 1990. The freeze on tuition increases approved by the 1997 Legislature is welcome relief to this trend.

The students' perception that freedom of expression is not as well protected at Eastern as by other public four-year colleges requires more research. This will be an important topic for focus groups involving faculty and students which need to be conducted during the 1997-98 academic year.

Large performance gaps (see Appendix 5, Items 2, 3, 10, 57, 59, 66, 67 and 71) are identified for many items in the Campus Climate Scale. The gaps for "Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment" (Item 66) and "I seldom get the 'run-around' when seeking information on this campus" (Item 57) are 1.82 and 1.81 respectively although Eastern students reported a higher level of satisfaction than the national norm on Item 57. This high level of expectation should not be ignored and efforts to reduce "run-arounds" by campus officials must be continued. Such efforts would likely close the performance gaps for "Campus staff are caring and helpful" (Item 2), "Administrators are approachable to students" (Item 10), "This institution shows concern for students as individuals" (Item 59), and "Channels for expressing student complaints are readily available" (Item 71) as well. The large performance gap (1.32) about "Freedom of expression is protected on campus" (Item 67) is not surprising because of the low level of satisfaction expressed about this item.

CAMPUS LIFE

Scale/Item Eastern Mean
Score
Satisfaction National Group
Mean
Satisfaction Mean
Difference

Campus Life 4.61 4.57
.04

9. A variety of intramural activities are offered 5.34 4.86
.48***

23. Living conditions in the residence halls are comfortable (adequate space, lighting, heat, air, etc.) 3.56 4.19
-.63***

24. The intercollegiate athletic programs contribute to a strong sense of school spirit 4.10 4.26
-.16*

30. Residence hall staff are concerned about me as an individual 4.42 4.40
.02

31. Males and females have equal opportunities to participate in intercollegiate athletics 5.41 4.87
.54***

38. There is an adequate selection of food available in the cafeteria 3.62 4.17
-.55***

40. Residence hall regulations are reasonable 4.40 4.43
-.03

42. There is a sufficient number of weekend activities for students 3.98 3.95
.03

46. I can easily get involved in campus organizations 5.16 4.85
.31***

52. The student center is a comfortable place for students to spend their leisure time 4.69 4.88
-.19**

56. The student handbook provides helpful information about campus life 4.88 4.93
-.05

63. Student disciplinary procedures are fair 4.88 4.80
.08

64. New Student Orientation services help students adjust to college 5.05 4.75
.30***

67. Freedom of expression is protected on campus 4.76 4.94
-.18**

73. Student activity fees are put to good use 4.13 4.08
.05

*Difference statistically significant at the .05 level
**Difference statistically significant at the .01 level
***Difference statistically significant at the .001 level

The University needs to give some added attention to its campus life although the results on this scale indicate that its students' views are in line with their four-year public institution counterparts. Some steps for improvement have already begun.

The Residence Life staff conducted several focus group discussions this past spring term. As a result of these discussions, several program and facility changes are underway. The furnishings in Dorion East Hall will be replaced with stackable/adjustable units which will permit students to configure their rooms more to individual preferences. Dorion West residents will be given this option the following year if the new furnishings are as well received as anticipated.

The new residence hall which will feature single bedrooms, semi-private baths and living room/kitchens will open for 96 residents fall 1997. This modern facility is comparable to any offered at any college or university in the country.

Food Service will introduce, in fall 1997, a new package of meal plan options for students. Students will be able to purchase blocks of meals at discounted rates. These meal plans will be honored at both Mac's Eastern Grill as well as the Hoke Resident Diningroom. More focus groups are planned regarding food services throughout the 1997/98 academic year.

While the University has been pleased with the progress of its intercollegiate athletic program, improvements need to be continued. Business students are now developing marketing plans for the teams and games. Somehow intercollegiate events must generate more student interest and attendance. Last year's winning season in football will hopefully be the beginning of a trend, thereby increasing attendance. To comply with NCAA Division III rules Eastern cannot offer athletic grants-in-aid, but both its men's and women's basketball teams compete at a disadvantage in a NAIA league in which all other teams offer such aid.

While students enjoy opportunities for involvement in campus organizations, intramurals, intercollegiate athletics, etc., the University needs to expand its weekend activities. Although comparable with those found at other public four-year institutions, Eastern is in a relatively isolated location and more leisure options must be available at the University. Focus groups led by the Student Activities staff and Eastern Student Entertainment, the lead student activities organization, need to be scheduled early in the 1997/98 academic year.

"There are a sufficient number of weekend activities for students" (Item 42) and "Student activities fees are put to good use" (Item 73), have performance gaps of 1.73 and 2.17 respectively, but the level of student satisfaction with both slightly exceeded the national norms. Two basic questions come to mind:

1. What types of weekend activities do students want?

2. How much do students know about the allocation of student fees?

A review of the yearly student activities calendar reveals a plentiful and wide variety of events. Student government has full control over the assessment and allocation of student activity (Incidental) fees. At minimum, there are communication problems with both of these topics. A comprehensive calendar of events needs to be published weekly. Student government, with the assistance of the Student Activities staff, needs to accurately and effectively tell the students about how the Incidental Fee Committee works and the results of its efforts.

Eastern Student Entertainment would likely benefit from a detailed assessment of student recreation preferences. Several of its main events (Homecoming, Casino Night, Spring Fling) have become "tradition" and may need modernization and a sense of spontaneity. Dances, once very popular, have been poorly attended over the last two or three years. Comedy Nights are currently attractive events but a saturation point could be near. A review of events at other northwest colleges and universities could perhaps identify "new" ideas for Eastern's weekend life.

Eastern student ratings of importance on four other items created performance gaps larger than national norms, even though their levels of satisfaction about the same items were nearly the same or higher than those of their counterparts. Some adjustments to campus disciplinary procedures (Item 63), the Student Handbook (Item 56), residence hall regulations (Item 40) and the way residence staff conduct business (Item 30) may need to be considered. Focus groups or questionnaires may be the best means of identifying means by which the students' expectations of these areas can be better fulfilled.

Four items which students rated as deficient also have large performance gaps. "Living conditions in the residence halls are comfortable" (Item 23), "The intercollegiate athletic programs contribute to a strong sense of school spirit" (Item 24), "There is an adequate selection of food available in the cafeteria" (Item 38), and "Freedom of expression is protected on campus" (Item 67) all have performance gaps of 1.20 or higher, Items 30 and 38 (residence halls and food service) are above 2.0. The actions the University is taking to address these issues is clearly warranted.

CAMPUS SUPPORT SERVICES

Scale/Item Eastern Mean
Score
Satisfaction National Group
Mean
Satisfaction Mean
Difference

Campus Support Services 5.08 4.88
.20***

13. Library staff are helpful and approachable 5.21 5.11
.10

18. Library resources and services are adequate 4.70 4.89
-.19**

26. Computer labs are adequate and accessible 5.18 4.72
.46***

32. Tutoring services are readily available 5.54 4.93
.61***

44. Academic support services adequately meet the needs of students 4.84 4.66
.18**

49. There are adequate services to help me decide upon a career 4.60 4.66
-.06

54. Bookstore staff are helpful 5.43 5.10
.33***

*Difference statistically significant at the .05 level
**Difference statistically significant at the .01 level
***Difference statistically significant at the .001 level

Eastern's students appreciate the support services extended to them by the staffs in the Library, computer labs, Learning Center (tutors), Counseling Center and Advisement Office (Academic Support Services) and the Bookstore. They are also very pleased with the accessibility, equipment and operations of the computer labs, which indicates that the recently implemented technology fee and related expenditures were very timely. There is an apparent interest by the students for expanded Career Services as evidenced by its lower satisfaction rating and the high performance gap (1.60). One of the areas hardest hit by budget cuts resulting from Measure 5 was the Career Center; two positions were eliminated. The two positions were responsible for coordination of student employment and cooperative education. Two of the institutional items added to the Inventory yielded additional guidance for future planning. The students gave a very positive rating (5.03) about usefulness of the Career Center's services and resources (Item 74) but a somewhat lower rating (4.76) about the adequacy of practicum opportunities (Item 79).

The Library, like nearly all other university operations, has suffered from budget cuts or at least inadequate support to maintain the pace of growing demand for resources and services. The negative student satisfaction rating on Item 18 is reinforced by a high performance gap (1.63). The Campus Assembly's Instructional Services Committee may wish to seek more detail about students' priorities for resource acquisitions and library services.

CONCERN FOR THE INDIVIDUAL

Scale/Item Eastern Mean
Score
Satisfaction National Group
Mean
Satisfaction Mean
Difference

Concern for the Individual 4.81 4.64
.17***

3. Faculty care about me as an individual 4.85 4.65
.20***

14. My academic advisor is concerned about my success as an individual 5.31 4.82
.49***

22. Counseling staff care about students as individuals 4.89 4.55
.34***

25. Faculty are fair and unbiased in their treatment of individual students 4.42 4.77
-.35***

30. Residence hall staff are concerned about me as an individual 4.42 4.40
.02

59. This institution shows concern for students as individuals 4.82 4.57
.25***

*Difference statistically significant at the .05 level
**Difference statistically significant at the .01 level
***Difference statistically significant at the .001 level

It is gratifying to know that the students appreciate the individual attention extended to them by the University's faculty and staff. The importance of individual attention for students at Eastern cannot be overstated, particularly when one considers that a high majority of the students come to campus from small community and school environments which also boast high standards of care and concern. The item revealing students' perception that Eastern's faculty are less unbiased and fair in their treatment of individual students is troubling and seems to contradict their ratings on the related items. Perhaps this negative rating has also contributed to the large performance gaps for this scale (1.37), Item 3 (1.27), and Item 59 (1.47) even though the students' level of satisfaction with these items were higher than the norm. One could speculate that the inordinate attention given to the issues of academic integrity and classroom decorum by some faculty may be perceived as hostile by some of the students. There also have been some reported incidents that students who express "conservative" political and religious beliefs have been ridiculed or sharply disputed by some faculty. Some staff have reported that a few faculty have been reluctant to extend extra effort to students who are struggling with classes. A detailed review of this area involving student and faculty leaders needs to be conducted.

INSTRUCTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

Scale/Item Eastern Mean
Score
Satisfaction National Group
Mean
Satisfaction Mean
Difference

Instructional Effectiveness 4.93 4.99
-.06

3. Faculty care about me as an individual 4.85 4.65
.20***

8. The content of the courses within my major is valuable 5.28 5.24
.04

16. The instruction in my major field is excellent 5.29 5.20
.09

25. Faculty are fair and unbiased in their treatment of individual students 4.42 4.77
-.35***

39. I am able to experience intellectual growth here 5.38 5.30
.08

41. There is a commitment to academic excellence on this campus 5.10 5.00
.10

47. Faculty provide timely feedback about student progress in a course 4.65 4.70
-.05

53. Faculty take into consideration student differences as they teach a course 4.42 4.49
-.07

58. The quality of instruction I receive in most of my classes is excellent 5.11 5.08
.03

61. Adjunct faculty are competent as classroom instructors 4.89 4.80
.09

65. Faculty are usually available after class and during office hours 5.12 5.32
-.20***

68. Nearly all of the faculty are knowledgeable in their field 5.46 5.49
-.03

69. There is a good variety of courses provided on this campus 4.30 5.15
-.85***

70. Graduate teaching assistants are competent as classroom instructors 4.70 4.64
.06

*Difference statistically significant at the .05 level
**Difference statistically significant at the .01 level
***Difference statistically significant at the .001 level

Overall, instructional effectiveness is rated by Eastern students as comparable to other four-year public institutions but they also indicated that there is need for considerable improvements. Their levels of satisfaction on all items except Item 30 ("Faculty care about me as an individual") are about the same or significantly lower than the national norms. The University is also not meeting the level of importance which ascribe to most of the items on the instructional effectiveness scale. The performance gaps for all items except Items 39, 41, 61 and 68 as well as the one for the entire Instructional Effectiveness scale exceed 1.20.

A higher level of satisfaction by the students will be dependent on greater funding. Eastern's faculty carry the largest institutional load (12 credits per term) in the OSSHE system. In addition, many faculty add "overload" assignments for the Division of Extended Programs. The high institutional productivity of the faculty appears to be having some negative impacts on the quality of their teaching efforts. The ability to provide: individualized instruction and assessment (Items 25 and 53), timely feedback (Item 47), and adequate office hour coverage is directly related to the amount of time which faculty must devote to other duties.

The extraordinary low rating Eastern students assigned to availability of a good variety of courses is more explicit evidence of the need for increased funding for instruction. The faculty instructional productivity is already at the maximum level; the only way to add more course options is to add academic programs (majors and minors) and to have additional faculty.

RECRUITMENT AND FINANCIAL AID

Scale/Item Eastern Mean
Score
Satisfaction National Group
Mean
Satisfaction Mean
Difference

Recruitment and Financial Aid 4.46 4.48
-.02

4. Admissions staff are knowledgeable 4.88 4.73
.15**

5. Financial Aid counselors are helpful 3.93 4.41
-.48***

12. Financial Aid awards are announced to students in time to be helpful in college planning 4.14 4.29
-.15*

17. Adequate financial aid is available for most students 4.31 4.26
.05

43. Admissions counselors respond to prospective students' unique needs and requests 4.67 4.55
.12*

48. Admissions counselors accurately portray the campus in their recruiting practices 4.81 4.59
.22***

*Difference statistically significant at the .05 level
**Difference statistically significant at the .01 level
***Difference statistically significant at the .001 level

Eastern's comparative performance on this scale would be very high if students' satisfaction with financial aid services and staff was only on average for four-year public institutions. The Admissions staff's efforts are very appreciated, although the performance gaps of 1.37 for Item 4 and 1.28 for Item 43 indicate that Eastern students have higher expectations than their four-year public institution counterparts. The students' clear displeasure with the University's financial aid operation warrants considerable attention and action. In the next year a number of changes in the financial aid operation will be made with many additional ideas for improved service. The newly appointed Director has had three years experience in Eastern's office and has already made operational changes ranging from rearranging the office layout to standardization of scholarship applications to wholesale revision of publications. An experienced financial aid counselor has been hired from another university. A Web-based financial aid information system will be implemented within the next eight months and it will be utilized for 1998/99 awards. This system will permit students to directly track the progress of their financial aid applications. The former Director recently retired but will assume responsibilities on a part-time basis for developing efficient consortial agreements with other institutions and for implementing a community service component for the University's work-study program. He will be available to assist during high activity registration/fee payment periods. Frequent assessment about the progress of the Financial Aid operation is mandated.

REGISTRATION EFFECTIVENESS

Scale/Item Eastern Mean
Score
Satisfaction National Group
Mean
Satisfaction Mean
Difference

Registration Effectiveness 4.67 4.67
.00

11. Billing policies are reasonable 4.56 4.45
.11

20. The Business Office is open during hours which are convenient for most students 5.00 4.73
.27***

27. The personnel involved in registration are helpful 4.82 4.81
.01

34. I am able to register for classes I need with few conflicts 3.97 4.48
-.51***

50. Class change (drop/add) policies are reasonable 5.00 4.90
.10

*Difference statistically significant at the .05 level
**Difference statistically significant at the .01 level
***Difference statistically significant at the .001 level

The most important Item (6.66) on the entire Inventory according to Eastern students is "I am able to register for classes I need with few conflicts." Their level of satisfaction on this item was very low (3.97). The performance gap (2.69) between importance and satisfaction is among the most important findings of the entire study. Students at Eastern Oregon University need access to more courses and sections of courses. As discussed under "Instructional Effectiveness", this can only be remedied by increased funding so the University can hire more qualified faculty. The high performance gaps of 1.63 for Item 11 ("Billing policies are reasonable") and 1.43 for Item 27 ("The personnel involved in registration are helpful") indicate some review is warranted even though student satisfaction is slightly above the national norm for both areas.

RESPONSIVENESS TO DIVERSE POPULATIONS

Scale/Item Eastern Mean
Score
Satisfaction National Group
Mean
Satisfaction Mean
Difference

Responsiveness to Diverse Populations 4.92 4.86
.06

84. Institutions commitment to part-time students 4.92 4.87
.05

85. Institution's commitment to evening students 4.67 4.79
-.12

86. Institution's commitment to older, returning learners 5.23 5.01
.22***

87. Institution's commitment to underrepresented populations 5.04 4.87
.17**

88. Institution's commitment to commuters 4.78 4.68
.10

89. Institution's commitment to students with disabilities 4.87 5.00
-.13*

*Difference statistically significant at the .05 level
**Difference statistically significant at the .01 level
***Difference statistically significant at the .001 level

Eastern's commitments to underrepresented groups and older returning students are visible: Native American Program, Micronesian Program, student clubs (navigators, Students Older than Average (SOTA), Union Latina, Speel-ya), Pinnacle honorary, and a variety of campus wide activities such as the annual Pow-Wow, Island Magic, International Week, Cultural Diversity Week, etc. The University's commitment to students with disabilities is less visible and a higher profile needs to be developed to assure that all persons needing services are aware of their availability. A brochure has been developed and is now being distributed. An explicit statement of commitment appears in the latest edition of the Student Handbook. An advisory/user group will be established in 1997/98. The performance gaps on all items on the Responsiveness to Diverse Populations scale at Eastern are above 1.20. In all instances, however, the Eastern performance gaps are lower than the national norms. This result highlights the sensitivity and importance of this area to all students and the need for vigilant attention to it by the University.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Scale/Item Eastern Mean
Score
Satisfaction National Group
Mean
Satisfaction Mean
Difference

Safety and Security 4.53 4.28
.25***

7. The campus is safe and secure for all students 5.74 5.06
.68***

21. The amount of student parking space on campus is adequate 3.17 2.96
.21**

28. Parking lots are well lighted and secure 4.70 4.54
.16*

36. Security staff respond quickly in emergencies 4.40 4.61
-.21**

*Difference statistically significant at the .05 level
**Difference statistically significant at the .01 level
***Difference statistically significant at the .001 level

The incidence of crime at Eastern is relatively very low-- a major factor in the positive sense of community the faculty, students and staff enjoy. Campus Safety is in reality a "watch" function staffed by student workers. The Director of Security, the only full-time staff member, works closely with local law enforcement agencies to provide police coverage for the campus. More advanced communications systems are needed to improve staff response time to emergencies. The very high performance gap about availability of parking space seems to reflect the attitude by most Americans that there is a inalienable right to park adjacent to any facility at any time. Relative to nearly any campus in the world, Eastern does not have a parking space shortage.

The need for continuous attention to campus lighting is an important safety concern. The University recently conducted an evening campus tour to assess lighting needs and upgrades are presently being made.

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Scale/Item Eastern Mean
Score
Satisfaction National Group
Mean
Satisfaction Mean
Difference

Service Excellence 4.88 4.60
.28***

2. The campus staff are caring and helpful 4.99 4.86
.16**

13. Library staff are helpful and approachable 5.21 5.11