Updates in Academic Affairs: March 21, 2017

Updates in Academic Affairs - March 21, 2017

Students, faculty urged to take part in student engagement survey

The 2017 National Survey of Student Engagement—NSSE—is now open for student participation through the end of the spring semester.

The NSSE seeks feedback from all WMU freshmen and senior students regarding their experiences, learning and personal development while attending WMU. Survey results provide estimates regarding how students spend their time and what they gain from attending college.

All staff should encourage eligible students to participate in the NSSE survey, which gives

students another option to give voice to their experiences at WMU. Eligibility to participate is tied to the number of credits hours a student has earned. A freshman is considered to be a student who has earned between 0 to 25 credit hours. A senior is identified as a student who has earned 88 credit hours or more.

The average time to complete the survey is 15 minutes. Eligible students receive a link to the survey through their GoWMU portal access. Several email invitation messages will be sent to their W-Exchange accounts. Surveys can be completed on mobile devices, such as tablets or smart phones.

For the purpose of this survey, the term “student engagement” is defined as follows:

Student engagement represents two critical features of collegiate quality. The first is the amount of time and effort students put into their studies and other educationally purposeful activities. The second is how the institution deploys its resources and organizes the curriculum and other learning opportunities to get students to participate in activities that decades of research studies show are linked to student learning (Retrieved from http://nsse.indiana.edu/html/about.cfm).

New to the 2017 NSSE survey are two modules seeking feedback from students regarding their personal experiences in the following areas:

• “Inclusion and Engagement with Cultural Diversity” examines environments, processes and activities that reflect the engagement and validation of cultural diversity and promote greater understanding of societal differences.

Related questions explore students’ exposure to inclusive teaching practices and intercultural learning; perceptions of institutional values and commitment regarding diversity; and participation in diversity-related programming and coursework.

• “Global Learning” assesses student experiences and coursework that emphasize global affairs, world cultures, nationalities, religions and other international topics.

The module complements items on the core NSSE questionnaire about student experiences with people from different backgrounds, course emphasis on integrative and reflective learning and participation in study abroad. It is designed to complement the American Council on Education's 2016 edition of the Mapping Internationalization on U.S. Campuses survey.

In addition to the NSSE, instructors of record will be invited to participate in the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement, or FSSE, beginning March 28 through the end of the spring semester. The FSSE seeks feedback from instructors of record regarding their perceptions of student engagement.

Data from the NSSE and FSSE surveys will be compiled by Indiana University and reported back to institutions in The College Student Report during fall 2017. The report captures student and instructor feedback and provides comparisons with self-selected regional and national institutions.

Survey results reflect areas in which institutions are performing well inside and outside of the classroom, as well as areas in which the undergraduate experience may be improved. Institutions use data from The College Student Report to strategically develop and change policies, or adopt best practices in undergraduate education.

One of the Broncos FIRST professional learning communities developed best practice recommendations for WMU’s campus based on 2013 NSSE survey data and will incorporate data from the 2017 NSSE survey administration to further refine its recommendations.

For assistance with questions regarding the NSSE and FSSE surveys, please contact Karen Stokes Chapo, program manager for assessment, at karen.stockeschapo@wmich.edu or (269) 387-3867.

Disability Services for Students testing accommodations offered

With the approach of final exam week, Office of Disability Services for Students officials say it is time to begin planning for testing accommodation needs.

Students registered for extended testing time

accommodations with the Office of Disability Services for Students should use their department as the primary test location, using a test proctor or monitor. If this is not possible, DSS is offering Bernhard Center Rooms 105-107 as an overflow testing site during final exam week, which begins on Monday, April 24.

The overflow testing site provides space for up to 35 students who require extended testing time accommodation. The site will be available Monday through Thursday during exam week at 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The DSS office also provides testing accommodation services with a reader/scribe and adaptive technology by appointment during the following office hours:       

            Mondays through Thursdays:  8 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

            Fridays:  8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The DSS office and overflow testing locations are not able to accommodate walk-in testing services. Instructors should work with students to schedule a testing time in advance of exam week. Exam materials may be delivered to the DSS office on the main floor of Woodlawn Place 24 hours in advance of the scheduled exam date. Exams may also be faxed to the DSS office at (269) 387-0633 or sent by email to DSS-Exams@wmich.edu.

Instructors should specify the materials students are allowed to use in the testing room. Students are not permitted to take materials into the testing room that have not been documented by their instructor. Exams will be returned directly to the department unless instructors make prior arrangements with the DSS office.  

Instructors interested in volunteering as exam proctors at the overflow testing location in the Bernhard Center should contact Jayne Fraley-Burgett at  @email or (269) 387-2120.

Extra Start Smart salary-negotiation workshops scheduled

Due to strong interest, two additional Start Smart salary-negotiation training workshops for students will be offered at Career and Student Employment Services in Ellsworth Hall, Room 1401.

The Start Smart workshop, with content provided by the American Association for University Women, is designed to prepare college students to approach the job market with the confidence, knowledge and skills they need to negotiate salaries and benefits.

Upcoming training sessions are planned for the following dates and times:

• Monday, March 27, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, April 4, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

(This date coincides with  Equal Pay Day, a date symbolizing how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year.)

• Tuesday, April 11, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.        

Workshop attendees will learn:

• how the gender wage gap affects their lives,

• how to negotiate a starting salary to narrow the wage gap early in their careers,

• how to articulate their value and improve lifelong earning potential,

• how to benchmark salary and benefits, and

• how to develop a personal budget to determine salary needs.

Strong negotiation skills ensure students are putting a fair price on their work; this also helps establish a benchmark for future salary increases. Women earn 82 percent of what their male counterparts earn in the first year following graduation, and the wage gap continues to widen in ensuing years, according to the American Association for University Women.

Registration is limited to 20 students per workshop. To register, please visit the BroncoJOBS portal at https://app.joinhandshake.com/login or email Lynn Kelly-Albertson at lynn.kelly-albertson@wmich.edu.

Just two more Gold Gatherings left in spring semester

Faculty and staff are invited to connect with colleagues at the final Gold Gatherings mixers for the spring semester.

A buffet lunch will be offered from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Thursday, March 30, in the Bernhard Center, Rooms 157-158. The lunches, sponsored by the Redman Agency and the Office of Academic Affairs, are provided free of charge for WMU faculty and staff.

To assist with planning, please RSVP at wmich.edu/provost/goldgatherings.

The final evening mixer featuring complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar is set for 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 20, in the Fetzer Center lobby.

We hope the members of the University community will join us for the opportunity to meet and build connections with members of the faculty and staff from across campus.