Themes – Student/Alumni Survey Results

I. Studying and preparing for class: Institutional emphasis and time devoted to it by students

 When asked if Luther emphasizes spending significant amounts of time studying and on academic work, 34% of Luther seniors responded very much and 55% responded quite a bit. Seniors at Liberal Arts Midwest responded 56% very much and 36% quite a bit. (NSSE 2008)  28% of Luther seniors report spending ten hours or less per week preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, doing homework or lab work, analyzing data, rehearsing, and other academic activities). In contrast, 18% of seniors attending Liberal Arts Midwest Colleges respond similarly. (NSSE 2008)

II. Coursework: Synthesizing and organizing ideas, information, or experiences

 When asked if their coursework emphasizes memorization, Luther seniors and first-year students responded similarly (mean of 2.64 for seniors and 2.63 for first-years on a 4-point scale). Seniors at Liberal Arts Midwest Colleges are less likely (2.30) to report their coursework emphasizes memorization than first-year students (2.50) from those same schools. Both seniors and first-year students report less emphasis on memorization than Luther seniors. (NSSE 2008)  When asked whether coursework during the current year emphasizes synthesizing and organizing ideas, information, or experiences, the response of Luther seniors was 36% very much, 43% quite a bit, 20% some, and 1% very little. Liberal Arts Midwest Colleges seniors response was 49%, 39%, 11% and 1% respectively. (NSSE 2008)  When asked the extent to which their capacity to think analytically and logically was enhanced by their undergraduate experiences, Luther alums’ (Class of 2002) mean response, 3.5 on a 4-point scale, trailed that of alums from the four schools comprising the Alumni Comparison Group (means of 3.6, 3.7, 3.7, 3.8). For formulate creative/original ideas there was a similar disparity (Luther mean of 3.3 compared to means of 3.4, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6). (HEDS Alumni 2007)

III. Spiritual growth and development

 Luther students more frequently reported deepened spiritual development (means of 2.69 first-year and 2.54 senior on a 4-point scale) and participation in activities that enhance spirituality (means of 2.46 first- year and 2.21 senior on a 4-point scale) than students at Liberal Arts Midwest Colleges (means of 1.99 first-year and 1.90 senior for deepened development; means of 1.90 first-year and 1.89 senior for participation that enhanced spirituality). (NSSE 2008)

IV. Diversity: Demographics and intentionality

 29% of Luther seniors reported that they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the racial/ethnic diversity of the student body. (CSS 2008)  Over 80% of seniors reported that they were satisfied with their college in respect for the expression of diverse beliefs. (CSS 2008)  Senior students were more likely to have taken ethnic studies (64%) and women’s studies (37%) courses than seniors at other religious 4-year colleges (51% and 23% respectively). (CSS 2008)  First‐year students reported slightly more exposure to diverse perspectives (in class discussions and writing assignments) (mean of 3.16 on a 4-point scale) than first-year students at Liberal Arts Midwest Colleges (mean of 3.03). (NSSE 2008)

V. Relationship skills

 Relationship skills items showed the greatest collective negative disparity in the percent of alumni (Class of 2002) responding that the activities are greatly important in their current activities, as compared to the percentage of those same alumni responding the activities were greatly enhanced at Luther. The items included communicate well orally (85% greatly important in their current activities: 42% greatly enhanced at Luther); function effectively as a member of a team (78%:48%); understand others (77%:48%); lead,

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and supervise tasks and groups of people (61%:32%), and relate well to people of different races, nations, religions (70%:42%). (HEDS Alumni 2007)

VI. Advising

 84% of seniors and first-year students rate the quality of academic advising excellent or good. The corresponding figures for Liberal Arts Midwest Colleges are 82% (seniors) and 80% (first-years). (NSSE 2008)

VII. Undergraduate experience: Sense of belonging and satisfaction

 When asked their level of satisfaction with the sense of belonging they feel for their alma mater, 72% of Luther alums (Class of 2002) responded very satisfied. The percent responding similarly at the four Alumni Comparison Group schools was 69%, 68%, 64%, and 54%. (HEDS Alumni 2007)  When asked how they would evaluate their entire educational experience, 95% of Luther seniors responded excellent or good. When asked if they could start college again would they go to the same institution, 88% of Luther seniors responded definitely yes or probably yes. The percent of Liberal Arts Midwest Colleges seniors responding similarly to these two questions was 93% and 86% respectively. (NSSE 2008)  92% of seniors agree strongly or somewhat that they have a sense of belonging to the Luther campus. (CSS 2008)

VIII. Liberal education and career pursuits

 When asked whether their college experience has contributed to their knowledge, skills, and personal development in acquiring job or work‐related knowledge and skill, 75% of Luther seniors responded very much or quite a bit. 50% of seniors at Liberal Arts Midwest Colleges responded similarly. (NSSE 2008)

IX. Student-faculty interactions

 Since entering college, 64% of Luther senior students frequently or occasionally have been a guest in a professor’s home. This compares to 51% for seniors at all other religious 4-year colleges. (CSS 2008)  When asked since entering college whether they had felt intimidated by their professors, 62% of Luther seniors responded frequently or occasionally. 54% of seniors at other religious 4‐year colleges responded similarly. (CSS 2008)

X. Education beyond the baccalaureate

 Education beyond the bachelor’s degree is important to Luther graduates. 87% of the Class of 2002 have completed, are pursuing, or plan to pursue education beyond their Bachelor of Arts degree. (HEDS Alumni 2007)

Higher Education Data Sharing (HEDS) Alumni Survey (2007) Comparison Group (Class of 2002): , , , St. Olaf College

National Survey of Student Engagement (2008) Liberal Arts Midwest Colleges: , Denison , , , , St. Olaf College

College Senior Survey (2008) Other religious 4-year colleges: Abilene Christian, Agnes Scot, Albion, Alma Augsburg, Augustana (R.I.), Austin, Bethel, Calvin, Carthage, Cedarville, Covenant, DePauw, Dordt, Drew, Eckerd, Elizabethtown, Erskine, George Fox, Gustavus Adolphus, Hamline, Hanover, Houghton, Huntingdon, Lebanon Valley, Linfield, Lyon, Master’s, Messiah, Mississippi, Moravian, Muhlenberg, North Central, Northwestern, Ohio Northern, Oklahoma Baptist, Pepperdine, Presbyterian, Principia, St. Olaf, Samford, Seattle Pacific, Simpson, Susquehanna, Trinity, U. of Evansville, Union, Virginia Wesleyan, Wesleyan, Westminster, Whitworth, Lutheran, Wittenberg, Wofford

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