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SACL Graduate Assistant Orientation

August 29, 2017

WHO ARE OUR STUDENTS?

Marcy Clark, Ph.D.

Interim Director

Assessment & Student Transitions

2 Student Affairs and Campus Life

Introduction & Overview

3 places to find answers about students

Some facts about UMass students

So what? I.e., what story is the data telling?

During this session:

• As you listen to the presentation, keep the theme

connection in your mind – think about the ways that

the information links to that theme

• Look for insights about students that might be useful

to you, both professionally & personally


To begin: 3 places to find answers about students

1. UMass Website



1. UMass Website



1. UMass Website

2. External Resources



1. UMass Website

2. External Resources

3. Students


Let’s Listen…

Many Voices, One Community

players.brightcove.net/1050888035001/default_default/

index.html?videoId=5251202738001

Many Voices, One Community 2016


What are some of the unique voices that are memorable

to you?

Why do these particular voices resonate with you?

Many Voices, One Community

Many Voices, One Community 2016


So…who are UMass undergraduate students?

21,734 enrolled in Fall 2016

3,758 from states outside of Massachusetts

1,088 from countries outside of the U.S.

24% first-generation college students

23% received need-based federal grants (e.g., Pell)

OIR: UMass At a Glance 2016-2017 SACL: Summer NSO Survey 2015-2017

American Indian/Alaska Native 27 0.1%

Asian 2,277 11%

Black/African American 896 4%

Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 10 0%

Hispanic/Latino 1,343 7%

Two or more races 623 3%

Underrepresented Minorities (URM) 2,604 13%

SOC Total 5,176 25%

White, non-Hispanic 15,220 75%

Total reporting (U.S. citizens only; incl CPE) 20,396 100%

Increasingly identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or queer

2015 2016 2017

8% 10% 13%


They bring their prior experiences with them to college.

3% 8%

10%

53%

26% Grew up in a completely White neighborhood

mostly White

roughly half non-White

mostly non-White

completely non-White

OAPA: UMass CIRP 2015

1% 9%

18%

60%

12% Attended a high school that was completelyWhite

mostly White

roughly half non-White

mostly non-White

completely non-White


lo: 35.2%

hi: 46.6%

hi: 54.8%

lo: 41.5%

lo: 9.2%

hi: 14.6%

11.9%

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

Self-described political views: All FY Students Left (Liberal + Far left) Middle of the road Right (Conservative + Far right)

Incoming students have become more left-leaning politically.

OAPA: UMass CIRP 1996-2016


There are some gender differences too.


lo: 37.4% lo: 37.4%

hi: 54.1% hi: 55.9%

lo: 37.9%

lo: 6.6%

hi: 11.6%

8.1%

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

Self-described political views: FY Women

Left (Liberal + Far left)

Middle of the road

Right (Conservative + Far right)

lo: 31.4%

hi: 40.8%

39.1%

hi: 53.5%

lo: 44.4%

45.1%

lo: 11.9%

hi: 19.0%

15.8%

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

Self-described political views: FY Men

Left (Liberal + Far left)

Middle of the road

Right (Conservative + Far right)


Since 2010, our new classes of students have become increasingly

engaged politically & socially

48%

44%

41%

33%

33%

24%

0

10

20

30

40

50

Objectives students consider to be "essential or very important" to them personally

Keeping up to date with political affairs

Influencing social values

Becoming a community leader

Becoming involved in programs to clean up the environment

Participating in a community action program

Influencing the political structure


2015

10% expected to participate in

student protests or demonstrations

2016

71% expected to vote in a local,

state or national election

14 Student Affairs and Campus Life OAPA: UMass CIRP 2010-2016

What are some key takeaways from this student data

so far?

• What information is interesting to you?

• Is anything surprising?

• Which information could be important and/or useful

to you, as a GA?


Our new students will be in close contact with their families.

SACL: Summer NSO Survey 2017

24%

66%

8%

1% 1%

One or more times a day

One or more times a week

One or more times a month

One or more times during the semester

No communication


They plan to text and call, mostly.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2015 2016 2017

Methods FY Students Expect to Use to Communicate with Parents in Fall Semester

Text messages

Telephone calls

Video chats

Face-to-face

Email

Facebook

Instagram

SACL: Summer NSO Survey 2015-2017


They also are very active online. Here’s how.

85%

78%

64% 61%

51%

24%

11%

2% 0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

2015 2016 2017

FY Students' Internet Activity, 2015-2017

Social media

Listening to music

E-mail

Watching streaming videos

Research

Gaming

Listening to podcasts

Other


18 Student Affairs and Campus Life SACL: Summer NSO Survey 2017

Here’s when they’re most active on social media.

Immediately after waking up 8%

Morning 4%

Afternoon 16%

Evening 35%

Late at night 38%

Time of day when students spend biggest percentage of their time

on social media:


And here’s where.

90% 84%

74%

62%

49% 44% 41%

31%

21%

13%

5% 0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

2015 2016 2017

% of Incoming FY Students with Various Social Media Accounts, 2015-2017

Facebook

Snapchat

Instagram

YouTube

Twitter

Skype

Google +

Pinterest

GroupMe

Tumblr

WhatsApp

Vine

LinkedIn

Blog site



Students meet us (and others) for the first time during Summer NSO.

What impressions are they getting about UMass?

This year, our newest students

left Summer NSO 2017 feeling

the greatest emphasis on

strategies for success (86%)

connecting with the

community (81%)

far less emphasis on feeling

connected to UMass faculty &

staff 58%)

Nearly all of them have

begun to see ways that they

can be involved at UMass (72% strongly agree, 26%

somewhat agree)

see themselves as a part of

the UMass campus

community (60% strongly agree, 32%

somewhat agree)

SACL: Summer NSO Survey 2017


Overall, new students still feel connected to UMass community after

their first 6 weeks, but not as strongly as they felt after Summer NSO.

Fall 2016

After Summer NSO: 57% strongly agreed that they had begun to

see themselves as part of the UMass campus community, 34%

somewhat agreed, 9% somewhat/strongly disagreed

After 6 weeks: 28% felt very connected, 61% felt somewhat

connected; 1 in 10 felt not connected

Fall 2015

After Summer NSO: 53% strongly agreed that they had begun to

see themselves as part of the UMass campus community, 36%

somewhat agreed, 10% somewhat/strongly disagreed

After 6 weeks: 21% felt very connected, 62% felt somewhat

connected; 17% felt not connected.

SACL: Fall Survey 2015-2016


After their first 6 weeks on campus, last year’s new students felt most

connected to other students within their residence hall.

45% very connected to the other students on

their residence hall floor

39% very connected to their RA

Both of these have trended down since 2013

SACL: Fall Survey 2013, 2016


They were least connected to their RD or to community members

specifically focused on their academic success.

58% not connected to their RD

41% not connected to their academic advisor or

advising office

32% not connected to their Peer Mentor

30% not connected to a faculty, instructor, TA

SACL: Fall Survey 2013, 2016


As students persist at UMass, their connections shift.

By the end of their 2nd & 3rd years, students feel less connected to the

other students on their residence hall floor (among those who remain in

res halls), and most connected to students in their co-curricular

activities, to other UMA students, and to students in their academic

major – in that order.

• Students shift from 45% very connected to other students on

residence hall floor in FY year, to 21% and 25% very connected

to other students on residence hall floor by spring of SO & JR

years, respectively; 41% are not connected (SOs & JRs)

• 42-43% very connected to co-curricular students (SOs & JRs)

• 37% very connected to other UMass students (SOs & JRs)

• 27% of SOs, 34% of JRs are very connected to students in their

academic major

SACL: 2nd Year Student & 3rd Year Student Surveys 2017


With each passing year, students feel more connected to faculty,

instructors, TAs and least connected to University staff members.

Faculty, Instructors, TAs

FY: 1 in 6 feel very connected;

nearly 1 in 3 are not connected

SO: Nearly in 1 in 4 feel very connected;

1 in 4 are not connected

JR: 1 in 3 feel very connected;


That said, it is worth noting that roughly

half of all FY, SO and JR students feel

only somewhat connected to one or more

of their faculty, instructors, TAs

University staff members

SO: 1 in 5 feel very connected;


JR: 1 in 4 feel very connected;


[FY: didn’t ask that question]

SACL: Fall Survey 2016 SACL: 2nd Year Student & 3rd Year Student Surveys 2017


One way we can connect with students is through their campus jobs.

(More about that later.)*

SACL Student Employee Poll 2016


Connections can influence students’ progress in college, and even

their decisions to stay at UMass.

91% return for their Sophomore year, but only 67% graduate in 4

years. Some take longer. By the end of 6 years, 76.5% have

graduated.

• When they decide to leave,

• Sophomores have told us that academic & personal reasons

are most prominent

• For Juniors, it is financial.

• When they are thinking about leaving,

• Sophomores have indicated that personal reasons are far

stronger factors than academic & financial – especially feeling

isolated at UMass.

OIR: UMass At a Glance 2016-2017 SACL: 2nd Year Student & 3rd Year Student Surveys 2017


In 2016, 5,849 undergraduates earned their UMass bachelors’ degree.

60% of them graduated from 3 schools/colleges

• 1,455 College of Natural Sciences (25%)

• 1,057 School of Social & Behavioral Sciences (18%)

• 1,013 Isenberg School of Management (17%)

By the time they graduate, many have participated in “high impact”

experiences

• 66% practicum, internship, field/coop experience, clinical assignment

• 57% community service or volunteer work

• 29% research with faculty outside of course/program requirements

• 23% study abroad

Graduating Seniors are

satisfied with their overall experience at UMass Amherst,

but far less satisfied with their career preparation & guidance.

OIR: UMass At a Glance 2016-2017 SACL: 2nd Year Student & 3rd Year Student Surveys 2017


With that said, 35% of our 2016 graduates had a full-time job in hand

at graduation.

7%

4%

2% 2%

7%

19%

3% 6%

13%

6%

2%

3%

9%

14%

2%

6%

4%

1% 2%

6%

24%

4% 7%

9%

4%

1%

4%

11%

16%

2%

5%

4%

2%

5%

8%

19%

3%

9%

12%

8%

1%

3%

6%

13%

3%

Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources/ Environment

Architecture & Construction

Arts, A/V Technology & Communications

Business Management & Administration

Education & Training

Finance

Government & Public Administration

Health Sciences

Hospitality & Tourism

Human Services

Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security

Manufacturing

Marketing/Sales/Retail

Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematice +Information TechnologyTransportation, Distribution & Logistics

OAPA: Graduating Senior Survey 2014-2016


Now a word about employers.

Top 6 qualities employers look

for on new graduates’ resumes

1. Leadership

2. Ability to work in a team

3. Written communication

4. Problem solving

5. Work ethic

6. Verbal communication

Top 6 skills most important to new

graduates’ success in their first job

@ employer’s organization

Ability to:

1. Work in a team structure

2. Verbally communicate with

persons inside & outside the

organization

3. Make decisions & solve problems

4. Plan, organize & prioritize work

5. Obtain & process information

6. Analyze quantitative data

NACE 2016


* p.s. Students who work with us as SACL student employees tell us

that they gain valuable skills from their campus jobs.

SACL Student Employee Poll 2016


To recap: Here are some things we know about our students.

General demographics of UMass undergraduates

What new students are bringing to college with them

• Their diversity experience

• Their political leanings & political engagement

• Their community engagement

• Their social media

Connections

• To parents

• To UMass after Summer NSO, & after first 6 weeks at UMass

• As Sophomores. As Juniors.

• To us

Successes

• Their graduation

• Their skills, their plans

• Some keys to success for life after UMass


Which of these things are important for you to know?

Which of these things will be useful in your GA work?

What would you like to learn more about?

Thank you!

For more information:

Marcy Clark, Ph.D.

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

sacl graduate assistant orientation › studentlife › sites › default › files › who are...

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