Study shows students get more at SMU

By Becky Newby and Paul Shute
Arts and Entertainment Editor
and Guest Writer

Saint Mary’s University provides a better student-faculty interaction and a more supportive campus environment than regional peers, according to the 2007 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).
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Last year, NSSE collected data from more than 600 colleges and universities nationwide to measure how actively involved students are with their studies, professors and the campus community. Research shows that the more engaged students are, the more likely they are to learn.

The NSSE is a large-scaled survey given to first-year and senior students to assess “factors, qualities and experiences important to student learning,” according to Pat Barlow, director of college assessment.

Last year’s survey results show that Saint Mary’s provides a distinctive and superior college experience compared with similar institutions nationally and with small, liberal arts colleges throughout the Midwest.

“The NSSE is a more authentic indicator of college quality than traditional rankings,” said Barlow. There are 85 items on the online questionnaire that are combined to form scores in the areas of level of academic challenge, student-faculty interaction, supportive campus environment, enriching educational experiences, and active/collaborative learning.

The responses identified several strengths for SMU first-year and senior students when compared to the national sample. For first-year students, the average score on four out of the five categories was significantly higher than the average national. The senior students scored higher than the national sample on all five benchmarks.

Although NSSE indicates many areas of strength at SMU, the survey also indicated some areas of growth, particularly in the areas of appreciation and experience with diversity. The faculty and admissions staff is seeking ways to address this issue to further improve students’ learning experiences.

NSSE goes beyond popular college guides to offer prospective students and parents an alternative way to identify quality institutions. According to Barlow, the goal of NSSE is not just to collect data, but to improve student learning.

This year, for the first time, USA Today has partnered with NSSE to publish a guide to the survey in print and online to show how NSSE can enhance the college search. Further NSSE survey information and college data can be fount at www.usatoday.com.

SMU’s results and the NSSE college guide can be found at www.smumn.edu/nsse.