The plan to conduct an Alumni Survey was first conceived by the Office of Institutional Research (OIR) in conjunction with the WASC Steering Committee in fall 2002. This was in response to a variety of factors the most important of which was the need to secure feedback from CSUDH graduates regarding their campus experiences. OIR formed a Survey Development Committee during the summer of 2002 and the survey was administered from fall 2003 through January 2004. A mailing of over eighteen thousand surveys yielded 1,281 respondents. One issue that had yet to be resolved was the validity of mailing addresses provided to OIR for the purpose of survey administration.
The survey focused on a variety of areas. It requested information about the
reputation of CSUDH, the quality of education, the extent to which graduating
students were prepared for the work environment, the extent to which alumni
were prepared for advanced studies, how CSUDH contributed to the personal development
and career success of graduates, the use of off-campus instructional delivery
systems, the benefits of our diverse campus, and the extent to which alumni
currently feel connected to the university.
The most prominent results regarding satisfaction with their educational experience
show that CSUDH alumni:
These above positive perceptions are a possible explanation why nine out of every ten alumni respondents would recommend CSUDH to other prospective students.
A very large majority (85%-90%) of our alumni respondents indicated that they were satisfied with a variety of instructional related items. These pertained to their overall satisfaction with their degree programs that offered very relevant courses in appropriate class sizes. Alumni also felt that they received high quality instruction from enthusiastic faculty that effectively communicated the subject matter and graded fairly.
The most important educational experience associated with the personal development of alumni was academics and their studies. Instructional activities such as the courses taken in their major, academic advising, interactions with faculty, fellow students, and staff were all deemed to be important and most relevant to their development. Fewer respondents, reported internships, student teaching, and fieldwork but were often rated more highly than most of the commonly experienced items.
The vast majority (85%) of our alumni had a combined load of work and education
while they were students. In fact, a substantial proportion worked full-time.
Just over half of the undergraduate alumni who worked while attending college
had full-time jobs, while eight out of ten graduate alumni who worked while
attending college worked full-time.
Depending on the degree level, approximately six out of every ten respondents
indicated that the time it took for them to earn their degree was about the
same as or faster than they originally planned. However, about a third of the
undergraduate alumni reported graduating in a time frame that was slower than
originally planned and just over a fifth of the graduate degree respondents
felt similarly. The primary reasons given for graduation delays were the need
to combine work with education, personal reasons, scheduling classes, and administrative
processes like graduation checks. Academic difficulties or changes in major
played only a small role in delaying their progress towards graduation.
Most graduate students complete their educational programs at the main campus. Some, though, choose less traditional modes of education that are delivered by distance learning programs at CSUDH. Alternative instruction modalities include correspondence by mail, web based on-line approaches, TV, video, instruction at off-campus sites, or some combination of the preceding. Some of the primary reasons people chose distance learning were;
Although distance learning students were employed at about the same rate as other graduate students, a larger proportion worked full-time. For many, distance learning offered a practical solution to issues of time and access. In fact, two thirds of the distance learning respondents indicated that they would not have been able to meet their educational goals without the availability of a distance learning program.
Eight out of every ten respondents had positive impression of their interactions with faculty; half had positive impressions of their interactions with staff; and a third had positive impressions of their interactions with administrators.
Learning to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds is a very important skill in light of today’s increasingly diverse workforce. Two thirds of the Alumni Survey respondents reported that CSUDH provided them with such skills. The same proportion indicated that their experiences at CSUDH has made them more aware of issues from the perspectives of people from diverse backgrounds and have enabled them to be more accepting of other. Survey findings affirm the notion that all students, regardless of their ethnic group affiliation, evolve an appreciation and respect for issues surrounding diversity.
The respondents also reported that their education at CSUDH helped them to become better citizens. Six out of every ten respondents felt that CSUDH helped them to become more aware of social and political issues and a third indicated that their experiences at CSUDH encouraged them to become more involved in community volunteer work.
Half of our alumni respondents indicated that their personal or professional aspirations have changed as a consequence of their educational experiences at CSUDH and nine out of every ten respondents felt that CSUDH did a good job in preparing them for professional careers.
Many respondents went on to earn advanced degrees or are currently pursuing one. This can be said for a third of the undergraduate degree respondents and one out of every seven graduate degree respondents. Respondents felt that CSUDH significantly contributed to their development of essential skills needed for the pursuit of advanced degrees. As a result, three quarters of the respondents felt that CSUDH did a good job in preparing them for graduate or professional school.
Alumni currently feel a moderate sense of connectivity to the campus and the length of time that has elapsed since graduating has had a minimal affect on this sense. The average level of connectivity reported by White respondents was a little lower than for people of color. This may be an area of concern from a diversity point of view and is an issue that will be explored further by a survey which more specifically addresses dimensions of diversity at CSUDH.
The Alumni Survey provided confirmation regarding many positive aspects of
the university, but it also pointed to areas that suggest concerns and the need
for further examination in order to fully explore less than conclusive evidence
generated from this study. For a complete analysis of the Alumni Survey results
and access to tabular information, please visit http://www.csudh.edu/oir/AlumniSurvey/AlumniSurvey.html