First Year Program Annual Report 2004

Section 1: Summary of Student Evaluations

  1. End-of-semester Survey
    1. In general, the students' assessment of their First Year course experience was positive and demonstrated the First Year program's strengthening of UNK's Mission Statement, Strategic Planning Goals (1995-2005), and Priority programming. Three important goals of the First Year Program have been:
      1. "[To prepare students] to function in both the world of ideas and the world of action" (Strategic Plan)
      2. "To instill [in students] an appreciation for the dynamics of a pluralistic, democratic society" (Strategic Plan)
      3. "To educate students to be lifelong, independent learners" (Mission Statement).
    2. The small class environment and personal attention from a faculty member and a student peer leader have introduced students to these goals and helped students become aware of their responsibility for their education at UNK. The following figures demonstrate:
      • Taking the top half of student responses ("Very Much" and "Somewhat"), students believed they:
        • Improved their written and oral communication skills (64%) (2002 - 79%)
        • Became aware of library services (79%) (2002 - 73%)
        • Engaged in critical thinking (77%) (2002 - 89%)
        • Learned to analyze information via information technology systems (88.4%) (2002 - 86%)
      • The lower numbers regarding written and oral communication skills is due to the wider range of classes offered, classes for which developing communication skills was not a major focus outside of the FY objectives. For example, several students from Chemistry and Economics courses commented that their classes didn't focus as much on these objectives.
    3. In addition to meeting these academic goals, students indicated they:
      • Had the opportunity to explore diverstiy at UNK (67%) (2002 - 84%)
      • Became familiar with campus resources (78%) (2002 - 87%)
    4. Significant to the First Year Program's institutional missions:
      • 79% (2002 - 81%) of students were satisfied with their First Year experience,
      • 93% (2002 - 96%) indicated they were satisfied with their experience at UNK.
  2. Mid-semester survey conducted in Roger Davis's History 251 course (18 students responded
    • 77% of students rated the value of the First Year aspects of the course above average or better
    • 78% rated the value and effectiveness of having a SPL above average or better
    • 78% rated the value of the First Year information learned in the course as above average or better
    • 83% of students surveyed felt UNK should keep the First Year approach for freshman level classes.
  3. Comparison of Fall 2003 First Year Program Students with all 2003 Fall Freshmen
    1. Students who completed the Fall 2003 First Year Program had a
      • 92% persistence rate; that is 92% of student enrolled in FY courses enrolled in 2004 spring semester.
      • Average GPA was 2.822 compared with the total freshman average GPA of 2.602 for fall 2003.
      • Only 5% FY students had a first probation flag compared to all freshman (including part-time and non-first time freshman) that have 7% probation.
    2. Students who completed the Fall 2002 semester of the First Year Pilot Program had a .244 higher GPA at the end of their first semester compared to the entire freshman class. At the end of the spring semester, students who had been in a First Year class maintained a .134 higher GPA. Students in the First Year Program had a 9.4% lower percentage of Academic Probation than the entire class. The 2002 data was collected on an annual reporting basis and can't be compared with the fall 2003 semester analysis. As the annual reporting for academic year 2003-2004 becomes available, annual comparisons will be forwarded.