EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:Nine-tenths of entering students felt that the New Students Program was very or somewhat helpful in preparing them for their University experience. Three-fifths of entering students attended at least part of the Convocation ceremony. Two fifths of new students attended at least one of the Day One activities. Two-thirds reported that they are very satisfied with their current course schedule. One-quarter of the new students who received financial aid said it was difficult for them and /or their parents to understand their financial aid award. Nine out of ten students felt that the information they received in the mail was either somewhat or very helpful in preparing them to start school. Two-thirds of the students who live on-campus expressed satisfaction with the time it took the Housing Assignment Office to notify them of their assignment. Almost nine-tenths of the incoming students are satisfied with their current housing.
On Tuesday September 17, 1996, Project Pulse conducted its "Annual Opening" telephone survey for the New Students Program. The survey investigated students' reactions to the opening of school, as well as their satisfaction with the New Students Program, Convocation, and "Day One" activities. Interviews were conducted with a sample of first-year students as well as a sample of returning students. Final dispositions for the first-year sample are presented in Table 1. The response rate for the sample of first-year students was 46%. The average age of first-year students was 18, with 50% (n=147) female and 50% (n=146) male. Survey results for the sample of returning students are available, upon request, from SARIS. This report refers only to the sample of first-year students.
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Table 1: Final Disposition
of Sample
|
|||
|
|
N
|
% of Total
|
% of Contacted
|
| In & coooperated |
342
|
44.9
|
91.4
|
| Contacted, but refused |
32
|
4.2
|
8.6
|
| Not contacted |
364
|
47.8
|
|
| Unobtainable phone number |
22
|
2.9
|
|
| Ineligible |
1
|
0.1
|
|
| Totals |
761
|
100.0
|
100.0
|
Next, respondents were asked if they attended the Convocation ceremony held in the Mullins Center. Nearly three-fifths (57.1%, n=168) of the respondents attended at least part of the ceremony (see Figure 2). Almost ninety-five percent (n=152) of these students said the ceremony made them feel very or somewhat welcome to the University. Respondents were then asked if they attended any Day One programs or activities. Sixty-percent (60.8%, n=178) of the respondents did not attend any of these events (see Figure 3).
Students answered questions regarding course registration and their correspondence with the University prior to the start of the semester. Over ninety percent (90.7%, n=253) felt that the information they received in the mail from UMass was either somewhat or very helpful in preparing them to start school (see Figure 4). Upon receiving their registration packet, 45.7% (n=133) of the new students were very satisfied with their initial course schedule; an additional 38.1% (n=111) were somewhat satisfied.
Almost three-quarters (72.8%, n=214) of the respondents used the telephone add/drop system to change their schedule. A little over one-quarter (27.7%, n=59) encountered at least some difficulty when trying to change their schedule. Students also were asked how satisfied they are with their current course schedule. Almost all (96.3%, n=282) respondents are somewhat or very satisfied with their course schedule (see Figure 5).
Two-thirds (65.9%, n=191) of the new students are very or somewhat satisfied with the amount of time the Housing Assignment Office took to notify them of their housing assignment. Eighty-seven percent (n=256) of the respondents are at least somewhat satisfied with their housing situation (see Figure 6).
Next, students were asked, "How did you solve any problems you may have had at the start of the semester?" Almost half (46.1%, n=136) reported that they did not have any problems at the start of the semester. Of those who reported having problems, more than half (51.6%, n=79) said they "visited an office," while forty-percent (n=61) said they solved their problems over the phone.
One-quarter (n=52) of the students who received a financial aid award said it was either very or somewhat difficult for them and/or their parents to understand the award. One-quarter (n=70) of all respondents found the procedure for paying their bill either very or somewhat difficult. Less than twelve percent (11.2%, n=33) of the first year students had difficulty finding their way around the University.
During the summer more than two-fifths (44.5%, n=126) of the respondents called the University's toll-free 800 number with questions pertaining to housing, their bill, or financial aid. Over three-quarters (78.3%, n=94) of those who used the 800 number found it very or somewhat helpful.
Students were read a list of offices they might have visited during the first few weeks of school and were asked to report how friendly or unfriendly they found the staff in each office (see Figure 7).
Students were asked how knowledgeable they feel they are about campus safety and security issues. Eighty-five percent (n=247) siad they feel very or somewhat knowledgeable. When asked how safe they feel walking around campus at night, ninety percent (n=252) said they feel either very or somewhat safe.
Students also were asked whether or not they had participated in First Week activities. First Week programs were sponsored by the Student Activities Office and included dances, three movies, and the "Taste of UMass." Over one-third (37.5%, n=110) reported that they attended one or two events, while over fifty percent (53.6%, n=157) said they did not attend any of these events.
Students also were asked how influential the success of the men's basketball team was in their decision to attend UMass (Figure 8).