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University of Massachusetts Amherst
SARIS - Student Affairs Research, Information and Systems
Annual Opening Survey (F98-A)

Executive Summary: Annual Opening Survery (F98-A) On Tuesday, September 22, 1998, Project Pulse conducted a survey for the New Students Program. The survey was designed to investigate first-year students’  experiences with the New Students Program and the opening of school. Pulse interviewers attempted to contact 680 incoming first-year students who had been randomly selected by computer from the University’s student database. Interviewers successfully contacted 439 of these students, and 394 (89.7%) agreed to be interviewed. The response rate for the survey was 58%, and sampling error is plus or minus five percentage points. The final disposition of the sample is presented in Table 1. Demographics of the survey respondents are presented in Table 2.  

On Tuesday, September 22, 1998, Project Pulse conducted a survey for the New Students Program. The survey was designed to investigate first-year students’ experiences with the New Students Program and the opening of school. Pulse interviewers attempted to contact 680 incoming first-year students who had been randomly selected by computer from the University’s student database. Interviewers successfully contacted 439 of these students, and 394 (89.7%) agreed to be interviewed. The response rate for the survey was 58%, and sampling error is plus or minus five percentage points. The final disposition of the sample is presented in Table 1. Demographics of the survey respondents are presented in Table 2.

The 394 incoming freshmen were asked whether they had attended the Convocation that was held at the Mullins Center on Sunday, September 6, at 8:00 PM, that featured welcoming speeches, videos and performances by a student singing group and the marching band. Nearly half of the students (48.6%, n= 191) reported having attended all of the event, while 14.8% (n=58) said they attended part of the event and 36.6% (n=144) said they had not attended Convocation (see Figure 1). Those who had attended were asked how welcome to the University Convocation made them feel. The vast majority of these students (96.8%, n=239) reported that Convocation made them feel very or somewhat welcome. All student who had attended convocation were asked what they liked most about the event. Nearly all of the students who responded to this question mentioned one or more aspects of the evening’s entertainment: 69 students mentioned the marching band, 30 said the singing in general, 17 said music/performances/entertainment, 12 said the acapella group, 11 said the dancing, 9 said the cheerleaders, and 10 mentioned the Doo Wop shop (specifically). Only 18 students said they enjoyed the speeches the most.

Figure 1: Did you attend the Convocation that was held in the Mullins Center on September 6th?

The vast majority of first year students (88.3%, n=339) reported that the New Students Program (summer orientation) was either very or somewhat helpful in preparing them for starting school at UMass (see Figure 2). Students who attended the New Students Program were asked whether they had gained knowledge about several different topics through the program. Figure 3 illustrates students’ responses to these items.

Figure 2: How helpful was the New Students Program or summer orientation program in preparing you for starting school at UMass?

Figure 3: In the summer New Students Program orientation were you... (percent responding "yes")

The vast majority of students reported that the information they received in the mail from UMass over the summer pertaining to the opening of school was very or somewhat helpful to them. Eleven percent (n=44) reported having looked at the Fall 1998 Revised Course Schedule on the Worldwide Web. Nearly three quarters (73.9%, n=289) said they had used the telephone add/drop system to make changes to their Fall course schedule. One-third (33.1%, n=95) of these students reported that changing their course schedule was either very or somewhat difficult. All students were asked about their level of satisfaction with their current course schedule, and the vast majority (93.9%, n=369) said they are very or somewhat satisfied.

Slightly more than two-fifths (41.9%, n=163) of the students surveyed reported having called the University’s centralized toll-free 800 number over the summer with questions pertaining to their housing, bill or financial aid award. When asked “How difficult was the procedure for paying your bill at UMass?” nearly one-half of the students said they did not know about the degree of difficulty because a parent had paid their bill. Of those who had paid their bill themselves, slightly more than one-third (36.9%, n=73) reported the procedure to be either very or somewhat difficult (see Figure 4). Approximately one-quarter (24.7%, n=51) of the students who received a financial aid award said that it was very or somewhat difficult for them and/or their parents to understand the award. As illustrated in Figure 5, one-quarter (25.7%, n=98) of the first-year students who reside on campus reported dissatisfaction with the amount of time the University took to notify them of their housing assignment. However, ninety percent (n=353) reported satisfaction with their current housing.

Figure 4: How difficult was the procedure for paying your bill at UMass?

Figure 5: How satisfied were you with the amount of time the University took to notify you of your housing assignment?

Only fifteen percent (n=60) of the incoming freshmen reported that it has been difficult for them to find their way around the University. When asked how knowledgeable they feel about campus safety and security issues, only eighteen percent (n=71) of the incoming freshmen said they are very or somewhat unknowledgeable.

One-quarter (25.8%, n=101) of the students reported having attended the “Funfest” that was held on the library lawn on Day One and featured a DJ, free food, and bouncy boxing. As illustrated in Figure 6, two-fifths (42.3%, n=166) of the students surveyed attended at least one of the First Week Programs (First Night Dance, movies, open stage, hot-air balloon rides, information sessions, Blues show).

Figure 6: During the first week of the semester, there were a variety of First Week Programs, including a First Night Dance, movies, an open stage, information sessions, hot-air balloon rides, and blues show. How many of these activities did you attend?

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