National survey exposes senioritis
By Kyle Weidleman
Writer
About 20 percent of college and university seniors nationwide say they frequently attend class unprepared, according to an annual survey of undergraduates.
The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) is a survey of first-year and senior students at colleges and universities across the nation asking questions regarding students’ level of participation in all aspects of university life. The University was one of the 750 participating schools.
“One out of five first-year students and seniors reported that they frequently came to class without completing readings or assignments,” the NSSE report said.
Some University seniors were shocked by their peers’ answers.
“I’m surprised … because I hate feeling unprepared for class,” Lauren Gram ’09 said. “I try to avoid it.”
Other seniors were less surprised.
“Honestly, I thought it would be more,” Morgan Berg ’09 said. “The [upper-level] science class students are prepared.”
Some students, like Brian Walker ’09, are comfortable in their last semester knowing employment is guaranteed.
“You can quote me on this: I have a job,” Walker said.
For seniors with less certain futures, maintaining study habits is still very important. Not keeping up on assignments “always bites you in the long run,” Stephanie Karcher ’09 said.
While faculty members are disappointed by the statistic, it is not surprising to many.
“That sounds about right,” Associate Professor of Political Science, Andrea Stevenson Sanjian said. “[Lack of preparedness] is a constant source of frustration for me. But I don’t think it’s just seniors.”
Many faculty members were quick to point out the difference between seniors in introductory-level courses to finish graduation requirements and those taking upper-level courses in their major area of study.
“That’s sort of understandable,” Jack Gallimore, associate professor of physics and astronomy, said.
In “[a course] taken by seniors intending to go to grad school or go into industry … the students are pretty well-prepared.”
Some faculty members resort to “high school tactics,” such as reading quizzes or strict attendance policies to compel students to be prepared for class.
“For science faculty, it is a bit different because we often use more lectures than discussions in our classes,” Associate Professor of biology Marie Pizzorno said. “Attendance is more of a concern—I used ‘clickers’ in my 8 a.m. class to encourage students to come to class.”
Assistant Professor of Russian Ludmila Lavine uses a different method.
“Unfortunately I have to do reading quizzes, so it keeps everybody on their toes,” she said.
In 2008, the University participated in the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE).
“[The University] has been involved in NSSE since its beginning,” Provost Mick Smyer said in an e-mail.
“Typically, we participate every three years or so, surveying both our [first-year students] and seniors in a given year.”
The results of the 2008 NSSE were released last November. Results for individual institutions are not released to the public.
Smyer has asked Dr. Jerry Rackoff, director of Institutional Research, “to direct a working group of faculty members, staff members and administrators to analyze the … data,” he said.
The report should be finished by the end of the semester.
Surveys for the 2008 NSSE were available as both paper and online versions.
