In this document:
After selecting priorities from the forced-choice question on Theme 3, respondents were invited to respond to two open-ended questions on this subject. The first question asked them to suggest additional high priority strategies to improve student success, and the second asked about how to evaluate progress in this area.
Comments were made by university employees on a very large number of issues that need priority attention, and these are detailed in Table 3-12. A few typical open-ended comments made by each group are included below to provide more detail on each of these additional strategies. Very few comments were made concerning how to evaluate progress in this area, and so none are included below.
Several of the open-ended comments concerned student readiness, motivation, and responsibility for their own success. Most comments on admission standards agreed that standards were too low, although they are mandated by state law. Typical comments are included here.
Another priority issue for campus employees is student motivation, or the perceived lack thereof. This may be an area where the difference in generations is most apparent, with baby boomers not understanding the younger generations’ attitudes, values, and motivations. Only the staff comments point to a need for change to engage students in learning. Typical employee comments are included below.
| Category | Number of Responses | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty | Lecturer | Staff | Administrator | |
| Admission Standards | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| Self Motivation | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Advising/Mentoring | 6 | 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Campus Engagement | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Writing/Communication Skills | 5 | 3 | 4 | |
| Community Goals | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Teaching Accountability | 3 | 4 | 4 | |
| Grading Standards | 4 | 1 | 2 | |
| Remedial Education | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Campus Housing | 3 | 2 | 6 | |
| Interships / Work Study / Assistanceships | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
| Financial Aid | 4 | 1 | ||
| Research Opportunities / Support / Conferences | 7 | 3 | 1 | |
| Technology Resources | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Class Size | 3 | 1 | ||
| Collaboration | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| General Education | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Graduate Program | 2 | 2 | ||
| Student Assessment | 4 | |||
| Alumni | 1 | 2 | ||
| Career Advising/Job Placement | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| Freshman Support | 2 | 1 | ||
| Graduation Rate (Years) | 1 | 2 | ||
| Library | 1 | 2 | ||
| Minority Support | 1 | 2 | ||
| Student Retention | 1 | 2 | ||
| Teaching Expertise | 2 | 1 | ||
| University 100 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Course Scheduling | 2 | |||
| Group Work | 1 | 1 | ||
| Language Requirement | 2 | |||
| Library Skills | 1 | 1 | ||
| Out Of Class Learning | 2 | |||
| Reputation Of CSULB | 2 | |||
One area where the open-ended comments of university employees were more consistent with that of students was advising. However, both tenure-track faculty and administrators tend to interpret problems with advising as a workload issue and/or an accountability issue, while lecturer faculty and staff see it as a need for professional training and for genuine interest in student welfare.
Student advising is a weakness in most programs and departments. Faculty are not rewarded for time advising and few systematic approaches to advising students exist
Students need more guidance in a program of studies. Students should feel they have someone who cares about their success and someone with whom they can discuss their progress
Counselors and advisors need education – really need to know pre-requisites
Improve academic advising through use of professional advisors on campus
Faculty need to advise students correctly of rules and regulations
Academic advising beyond the freshman year is sad. Faculty do not see it as their job, nor do academic administrators
Advising is the core of helping students, and must be improved. We do not evaluate it, train faculty for it, nor hold faculty accountable for the success of its advisees.
