Illinois CEE Student Survey Results

Dr. Julia Melkers, Associate ProfessorSchool of Public PolicyGeorgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

Summary of Key Survey Results Spring 2010

Survey Process and Population

Online survey of Illinois CEE faculty, staff and students.

Lists obtained from CEE staff: Faculty (tenure track and non) & postdocs Staff Students (graduate and undergraduate)

Response Rates: 57 completed faculty responses (80%) 34 completed staff responses (73%) 590 completed student responses (50%)

Student Respondents (n=590)

B.S. in Civil En-gineering

52%

M.S. one year non-thesis degree5%

M.S. in Civil En-gineering

14%

PhD in Civil Engineering18%

M.S. in Environmen-tal Engineering in Civil Engineering

4%

PhD in Environmental Engineering in Civil Engineering

5%

M.S. in Environmental Science in Civil Engineering

1%

PhD in Environmental Science in Civil Engineering

1%Other (please specify)

0%

68% US Citizens70% Male

Results and Output

Townhall: Highlight of some key findings

Interests and experiences (classes and research) Advising and interactions in CEE

Written Report All presentation slides Additional descriptive results not presented in

Townhall format Cleaned qualitative responses Other close ended responses

Engineering students acquire a number of skills used in a practical work environment.

How much has your CEE coursework helped you to developthe following skills?

design/conduct experiments.

analyze or interpret data.

design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs.

work on a multi-disciplinary team.

identify and solve engineering problems.

understand the impact of engineering solutions in a societal contex

use the techniques and tools necessary for engineering practice.

manage a project or a diverse team.

understand global issues related to engineering.

communicate engineering concepts and designs to others.

write professionally.

.00 .50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00

PhD MS BS

Mean Responses, By Student Rank:1= CEE coursework helps little or none, 2= CEE coursework helps some, 3= CEE coursework helps substantially

Interest in Other Disciplines?

architecture

economics

public policy

urban planning

international affairs

law

business administration

green technologies and sustainability

environmental management

.00 .50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00

PhDMSBS

Mean Responses, By Student Rank(1=No interest, 2= Moderate interest, 3= High level of interest)

Interest in Other Skills Sets

professional writing

professional presentation and communication skills

human resource management

accounting

.00 .50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00

PhDMSBS

Mean Responses, By Student Rank(1=No interest, 2= Moderate interest, 3= High level of interest)

Curriculum: CEE and Other Departments

Students vary in extent to which they have interest in non CEE courses

There should be more civil engineering courses available.

There are too many non-CEE engineering courses in the curriculum.

.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

PhDMasters BS

Mean Responses:(1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, 4=strongly agree)

Pre-requisites

Little rank-based difference, although undergraduates may have slightly more issues with this than graduate students.

I have had no problem identifying the prerequisites for CEE courses.

I have had no problem completing the prerequisites for CEE courses.

.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00

PhDMasters BS

Mean Responses:(1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, 4=strongly agree)

INTERACTIONS

Would you like to have more of the following?

CEE Interaction

interact with CEE faculty.

interact with other CEE students.

interact with my CEE academic advisor.

attend CEE research presentations.

participate in CEE social events.

.00 .50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00

PhDMSBS

Mean Responses:1=Would like less, 2= About right, 3= Would like more

Would you like to have more of the following?

Research and Learning

present my own research in CEE.

work on applied projects as part of class requirements.

interact with stakeholders in the community.

conduct research.

make presentations to external stakeholders.

participate in engineering related summer internships.

study abroad.

.00 .50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00

PhDMSBS

Mean Responses:1=Would like less, 2= About right, 3= Would like more

Would you like to have more of the following?

Broadening Experiences

take classes in other departments across campus.

work with students at other institutions.

work with faculty at other institutions.

work with students in other CEE sub-disciplines.

work with faculty in other CEE sub-disciplines.

work with students from other disciplines.

work with faculty from other disciplines.

.00 .50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00

PhD MS BSMean Responses:1=Would like less, 2= About right, 3= Would like more

Information from CEE!!% of Students that Want Info on:

Job posting 86%

CEE events 79%

Scholarships 77%

Guest speakers 68%

Technical seminars 61%

CEE courses 60%

CEE Social events 57%

Degree requirement information 54%

Non-CEE courses that may be useful 52%

Special project presentations 52%

Other professional events 51%

Course schedule 37%

University student-related policies 27%

Mode of Communications from CEE?

I prefer to receive weekly emails about CEE new and events.

I would like to receive information about seminars and other events from all all areas

of CEE

I would like to be able to locate CEE events on a google calendar.

CEE town meetings for information would be a useful way to communicate with students.

I would prefer to receive no emails from CEE and just look on the CEE blog myself.

.00 .50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00

Mean Responses:(1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, 4=strongly agree)

ADVISORS AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Have you met with your advisor in the last year?

58% Undergraduates 95% Masters 98% PhD

• International students report NOT meeting with their advisor at a higher rate than US citizens

• Female students report meeting with their advisors at a higher rate.

Critical Issue: Lack of Advisor Interaction High Among Undergraduates

B.S.

M.S.

Ph.D.

.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

Yes, did meet with CEE fac-ulty advisor in the past year No, did not meet with CEE faculty advisor in the past year

% of students that indicated whether they had met with their CEE advisor in the last year. (n=533)

Critical Issue: Lack of Advisor Interaction High Among Undergraduates: Is this limited to freshman?

% of undergraduate students that indicated whether they had met with their CEE advisor in the last year, by expected year of graduation . (n=262)• % who have not met with their advisor is fairly well distributed across years

2010 (n=72)

2011 (n=80)

2012 (n=52)

2013 (n=58)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Yes, did meet with CEE faculty advisor in the past year No, did not meet with CEE faculty advisor in the past year

Critical Issue: Lack of Advisor Interaction High Among Undergraduates: Is this limited to poor performers?

% of undergraduate students that indicated whether they had met with their CEE advisor in the last year, by GPA. (n=260)• % who have not met with their advisor fairly well distributed across reported GPA

3.5 – 4.0 (n=90)

3.0 – 3.49 (n=97)

2.5 – 2.99 (n=62)

less than 2.5 (n=11)

.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

Yes, did meet with CEE fac-ulty advisor in the past year No, did not meet with CEE faculty advisor in the past year

Undergraduate Insights:

For each of the statements below, please indicate the extent that it describes your interactions with your CEE faculty advisor.

is available to me when I need advice.

doesn’t seem interested in meeting with me.

makes a real effort to understand difficulties I face.

gives me good guidance on thesis/dissertation topic and refinement.

teaches me the details of good research practice.

provides me with information about ongoing research relevant to my work.

helps me with course planning.

gives me constructive feedback on my progress toward degree completion.

provides information about career paths open to me.

is someone I think I can ask for career advice after graduation.

makes me feel comfortable to contact him/her for recommendation letters.

is someone I can trust.

.00 .50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50Mean Responses:(1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, 4=strongly agree)

Undergraduate Insights

Split on availability & interest of advisors Graduate student feedback has less variance

is available to me when I need advice.

doesn’t seem interested in meeting with me.

makes a real effort to understand difficulties I face.

gives me good guidance on thesis/dissertation topic and refinement.

teaches me the details of good research practice.

provides me with information about ongoing research relevant to my work.

helps me with course planning.

gives me constructive feedback on my progress toward degree completion.

provides information about career paths open to me.

is someone I think I can ask for career advice after graduation.

makes me feel comfortable to contact him/her for recommendation letters.

is someone I can trust.

.00 .50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50

Mean Responses:(1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, 4=strongly agree)

Detailed Feedback

Students highlighted : Lack of faculty awareness of advisees. Faculty-student match Availability Curriculum and requirements awareness Possible ideas for improving interactions High level of interest in interacting with

advisors

Overall Conclusions

Students have valuable insights that will provide detailed feedback to faculty and CEE leadership.

Students want more interactions and opportunities.

Some groups of students are not having access to opportunities and faculty as much as they want.

Other Suggestions: Many ideas!

Students offered a range of specific suggestions to: Enhance interaction with faculty Social interaction Curricular interests

Detailed in open ended responses.