National survey shows University tops in ’supportive environment’

First-year students who participated in the National Survey of Student Engagement ranked the University higher in student-faculty interaction than other UT system universities, UT selected peers and other select universities located across the nation, according to survey results.

Student scores placed the University’s level of student-faculty interaction three to five points higher than the other universities. Senior-level students also ranked student-faculty interaction at the University nearly two points higher than all other UT institutions.

The University has the lowest student to faculty ratio, 16 to one, within the UT system, according to the University’s Web site.

“All studies have shown the more a student is involved with their campus, the more likely they will persist and graduate,” said Dr. Howard Patterson, vice president for student affairs.

Thirty percent of senior-level students surveyed said they spend from one to 15 hours each week participating in co-curricular activities including sororities or fraternities, campus publications, student government or sports. Fifty-one percent of first-year students surveyed said they did as well.

The NSSE is conducted each spring by the Office of Institutional Research and is only open to freshmen and senior-level students. Thirty-one percent of eligible students participated in the online survey.

The survey is centered on five benchmarks: level of academic challenge, active and collaborative learning, student faculty interaction, supportive campus environment and enriching educational experiences.

Questions concerning interaction asked students to rate experiences with faculty members on campus. How often a student discussed grades or assignments with an instructor, whether they worked with faculty on activities other than coursework, how prompt written or oral feedback was received and whether the student assisted in research projects on campus, were among the questions asked.

Ten percent of senior-level students surveyed said they have worked on a research project with a faculty member outside the course or degree requirements. Another 18 percent were planning to do so in the near future.

More than half of all students surveyed ranked the quality of their relationships with faculty members within the top one-third of the ranking system.

The University also scored well in the Supportive Campus Environment, gaining nearly four points over last year’s score.

To determine the level of support provided through campus environment, students were questioned about quality of relationships with peers, faculty and administrative personnel as well as how the campus environment helps students deal with stresses in their life.

The campus’s high scores can be attributed to campus master planning and President Rodney Mabry’s leadership, philosophy and good stewardship, said Chip Clark, director of facilities planning, construction and operations.

“This campus supports strong energy management, conservation and recycling programs. Environmental concerns are always part of our continuous improvements and customer service programs,” Clark said.

He also said the campus ‘walks the walk’ as evidenced by staffing full-time grounds supervision, an energy manager and an energy management center within the Power Plant.

At the 2008 Convocation in August, president Mabry said one part necessary to achieve the University’s vision of becoming a nationally recognized destination university is to, “create an inspiring, park-like campus that encourages learning.”

Completion of the University Center addition, the construction of new art buildings and the expansion of baseball stands are all efforts to achieve that goal and ultimately increase the level of student engagement, Mabry said.

Patterson also believes the University plays an important role in promoting student cohesion.

“The more opportunities the University can provide for students to gather, hangout, and study together and basically develop friendships, the better,” Patterson said.

By Melissa Greene Associate Editor