Office of Institutional Planning and Assessment

University of South Carolina Salkehatchie
Act 629 - Summary Reports on Institutional Effectiveness
Fiscal Year 1998-1999

Introduction

This report assesses USC Salkehatchie Procedures for Student Development, per Act 629 Summary Reports of Institutional Effectiveness Reporting Schedule.

Procedures of Student Development

Indicators:

At this point, regularly administered surveys of students are analyzed to determine student satisfaction with student-related services, and to identify the students’ perception of their personal development as a result to their experience at USC Salkehatchie.

Assessment Methods:

Once each academic year, during the fall or spring terms, USC Salkehatchie surveys its student body. The survey is designed to address student satisfaction with a wide range of campus characteristics, services, and perceptions of personal growth. In addition, the TRIO-grant funded Opportunity Scholars Program at USC Salkehatchie surveys its participants relative annually, assessing their growth in non-academic areas.

Assessment Results:

The assessment results reflect data gathered from both campuses. " A" refers to the main or Allendale Campus, and " W" refers to the Walterboro Campus.

SUMMARY OF STUDENT SERVICES SATISFACTION SURVEYS

			Fall	Spring	Spring	Spring	Spring	Spring	Fall	Fall	Fall
			1989	1990	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
Percent of Student Responses Expressing Strong Satisfaction & Satisfaction with Performance of the Following:

Admissions Process	A**		91	91	91	96	85	84	90	82	86
		W**					86	91	86	86	76

Registration Process	A		89	86	97	89	80	84	85	83	82
		W					92	86	78	71	63

Business Office	A		80	86	87	96	85	74	67	77	78
		W					89	86	67	87	80

Financial Aid Office	A		72	59	56	84	78	74	69	70	69
		W					70	76	62	76	64

Library	A		77	81	73	86	83	74	69	70	83
		W					73	71	71	77	71

Academic Success Center	A		76	77	59	73	67	63	58	70	67
		W					57	76	46	50	50

Bookstore	A		74	72	81	95	83	84	75	72	84
		W					86	77	75	76	82

Career Counseling Services	A		76	68	52	68	47	50	32	43	48
		W					51	48	35	35	39

Personal Counseling Services	A		75	68	52	68	47	50	34	47	51
		W					48	50	27	35	45

Instructional Equipment	A		79	83	69	91	86	76	84	82	77
(Computers, Lab Equipment, Etc.)		W					84	88	68	58	68

Quality of Academic Advising	A		84	75	56	75	77	63	63	64	58
		W					74	62	52	59	53

Security	A						67	58	52	53	57
		W					79	64	65	60	72

STUDENT GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT
Percent of Student Responses Expressing Strong Satisfaction & Satisfaction with Performance of the Following:

Satisfaction with the extent of intellectual development since enrolling at Salkehatchie	A								85	78	84
		W							78	86	89


Academic experience at Salkehatchie has had a positive influence on my intellectual growth & interest in ideas	A								91	77	89
		W							79	84	88



More likely to attend a cultural event now than I was before coming to Salkehatchie	A								50	50	50
		W							48	56	44


Since coming to Salkehatchie, I have developed close personal relationships with other students	A								69	69	71
		W							86	67	62


The student relationships I have developed at Salkehatchie have been personally satisfying	A								72	66	75
		W							83	69	70


			** NOTE:	A = Allendale Campus
				W = Walterboro Campus

No attempt was made to combine these data since they reflect student impressions of service and personal growth as related to the campus they attend. Less than one percent of the students responding to the surveys indicated attending classes on both campuses.

Use of Assessment Findings:

The findings of assessments such as this result in the re-examination of procedures, seeking ways to better serve our clientele. In terms of the Admissions and Registration process, USC Salkehatchie has made the processes as transparent as possible from one campus to the other. All admissions and registration processes are handled through the Allendale Campus offices with all staff personnel, records, and equipment being in place for designated registration days on the Walterboro Campus. Our major concern now is communication between campuses in terms of transferring student information. This will soon improve with the computer networking of our campuses. The primary student complaint is the length to time required to for registration/enrollment verification through the online computer system and the perceived delays in class registration. Staff has been added to the Financial Aid Office to expedite Life Scholarship processing and record keeping.

The Academic Success Centers and Personal and Career Counseling services are essentially relatively little known and utilized student services on our campuses. USC Salkehatchie has been working through advisors and faculty to make these services better known to the student body. Indications of the success of these efforts are illustrated by comparing Fall 1997 and Fall 1998 survey results.

The main student comments related to the Quality of Academic Advising include the unavailability of their advisor, and the advisor not honoring an appointment time. This has been addressed, and hopefully the 1999 results will document that change.

Security on our campuses is becoming more of a concern as publicity of, and second-hand knowledge of, shootings, muggings, thefts, etc. become more a part of our society. Initial steps to address student concerns here include: greater visibility of USC Salkehatchie faculty/staff on the campuses, a notification chain including law enforcement and emergency services contact numbers, and plans to add security personnel to staff.

The last five questions in the appended summary table relate to the growth and development of the individual that results from association with USC Salkehatchie. Since we are a commuting campus, we continue to stress joint learning activities, hold campus activities at specified times during the day when most students are on our campuses, schedule cultural activities such as Sundays at Salk, Salk II, and Town and Gown. The Opportunity Scholars Program (TRIO-grant funded) sponsors several cultural activities each academic year. The Student Government Association works hard at developing a feeling of community among our student body, including holding evening activities for the evening students.