STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH & INFORMATION (SARI)

Goals and Activities for 1999-2000

SARI organizes its activities to accomplish these primary goals:

Goal I—Research and Evaluation

SARI measures campus academic, social and developmental outcomes through its research and evaluation activities. These activities are conducted in accordance with accreditation standards set by the Western Association of Schools & Colleges; guidelines established by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education; and goals formulated by the UC Academic Council (Report of the Task Force on Outcomes Assessment, 1988) to assess the "quality of the educational experience of undergraduates” and “the contributions of that experience to intellectual and personal development."

SARI analyzes and reports on variables related to student academic performance (e.g., GPA, persistence, academic advancement, graduation, time to degree), campus progress in achieving a diverse student population, characteristics and expectations of prospective, admitted and enrolled students, and satisfaction among enrolled students and degree recipients with their education and preparation. Through these activities SARI expands knowledge about future, current and former students, and assesses the extent to which the campus meets its educational goals and the needs of students. These activities support the design, implementation and improvement of academic programs and student services. Also, SARI evaluates and reports on campus K-12 School/University Partnership programs.

Data to support this goal come from four primary sources:

  1.  SARI maintains a longitudinal database on undergraduates enrolled from 1966 to the present called the Composite Undergraduate File (CUF). This database supports retention, time-to-degree and graduation rate studies as well as many standard reports on student characteristics; CUF also provides an efficient and inexpensive means to respond to numerous data requests from academic departments, Student Affairs units, and off-campus agencies. Projects related to the maintenance of CUF appear under Goal II.

  2. Beginning in 1999-00, SARI will develop and maintain a longitudinal database of elementary students in select schools; SARI will draw data from the State, school districts and schools, and students and their families. This database will support research on and evaluation of School/University Partnership programs; SARI, faculty and other campus staff will conduct these studies.

  3. The unit draws information about currently enrolled students directly from the campus Student Records System to meet academic requests (administrative and departmental) and supplement it own data sources.

  4. The unit collects quantitative and qualitative data by means of mail, telephone and electronic surveys; and focus groups and personal interviews with prospective, current and former students and those in a position to speak about them (e.g., parents, school counselors).

Activities:

A.            Study the general and distinguishing characteristics (e.g., gender, ethnicity, native language, age, family income, academic major, admissions status, athletic participation) of School/University Partnership program participants, matriculating and non-matriculating admitted applicants, enrolled students, alumni and non-persisting students.

  1. Produce information describing general characteristics of students enrolled in Fall 1999:

    2.    Produce Undergraduate FACTBOOK of Fall 1999 student demographic data (annual) [te/wdh]

    3.     Compile and analyze Fall 1999 Student Ethnic Census data (annual) [te/wdh]

    4.     Report on 1998-99 degrees conferred; analyze trends by field, gender and ethnicity (annual) [te/wdh]

    5.     Compile and analyze Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) data for Fall 1999:

    6.     Continue study of college-choice process among matriculating & non-matriculating admitted Fall 1998 applicants:

    7.       Study college-choice process among high school juniors:

    8.    Study college-choice process among community college transfer students:

    9.     Report on the enrollment, persistence and graduation rates of undergraduates admitted as transfer students to UC Davis: 1984-99 (triennial) [cmh/ant]

 10.     Study the college preparation and selection process from elementary school through high school. [fp]

  B.      Analyze variables related to student academic performance.

    1.     Analyze and report undergraduate persistence and graduation data:

    2.     Analyze and report on student time-to-degree data (periodic) [te/aka]

    3.     Provide data and analysis for Finish-in-Four program. [aka/te]

C.      Assess enrolled students’ satisfaction with their educational experience.

  1. Establish a low-cost (e.g., electronic) means of surveying enrolled students (periodic)       [cmh/gb]

  2. Assist in planning for the campus self study required prior to the 2002 accreditation (periodic)       [cmh]

  3. Investigate participation in National Survey of Student Engagement.  [cmh]

D.      Assess postgraduate outcomes of baccalaureate degree recipients.

  1. Survey and report on the current career choices, postgraduate studies and satisfaction with their educational experience of June 1999 baccalaureate degree recipients (triennial) [cmh/ant]

  2. Develop cross-campus comparison of alumni data, e.g., computing experience, financial aid, career planning & placement (periodic) [cmh/ant]

  3. Develop survey format to determine career choices and postgraduate studies of baccalaureate degree recipients five years after graduation (periodic) [cmh/ant]

E.      Assess student needs and evaluate the effectiveness of student services and academic programs.

  1. Assist program reviews: ASUCD Business Office, Campus Recreation, Design Services, and MU Auxiliaries/UCD Bookstore, Women’s Resources & Research Center (annual) [cmh/gb/ant]

  2. Chair program review committee for Design Services (ad hoc) [wdh]

  3. Provide data to undergraduate colleges that supports and augments academic department and program evaluation (periodic) [cmh]

F.      Assess student needs and evaluate the effectiveness of School/University Partnership programs.

  1. [Specific details to be determined.] (annual) [fp]

  2. Consult with Outreach Services on program evaluation (periodic) [aka/fp]

G.   Disseminate regularly and widely results of research and evaluation studies.

  1. Maintain electronic home page for distribution of publications and data to campus and off-campus audiences (periodic) [aka/wdh]

  2. Distribute reports to campus administrators, program directors, Academic Senate and advisory committees, department chairs, student organizations and interested individuals (periodic) [wdh]

  3. Notify SARIalert subscribers when publications become available on SARI website (periodic) [wdh]

  4. Respond to requests for publications and presentations (periodic) [ALL]

Goal II—Research, Evaluation and Information Resource

Maintain databases and generate information in response to requests from campus decision-makers, workgroups and committees and to address information requirements of external requesters (e.g., college guide publishers, WASC, federal and state agencies, reporters, AAU institutions).

Maintain databases and generate reports in response to requests for information on students from the Composite Undergraduate File, a comprehensive, low-cost database on undergraduates that supports longitudinal studies. Develop data and respond to external requests for student data (e.g., college guide surveys, federal and state studies, American Association of Universities [AAU] institutions, reporters, and accreditation). Provide ongoing research and data support to campus committees and work groups in these areas. Provide technical research support (e.g., consultation on the methodology of survey research, focus groups, or secondary data analysis) to individuals or units conducting research in areas related to students or Student Affairs functions.

  Activities:

A.   Maintain the Composite Undergraduate File (CUF)

  1. Update twice each year (biannual) [te]

  2. Review library of maintenance and corrective code for CUF and rerun as appropriate against the Student Records System (annual) [te]

  3. Respond to requests for information from CUF (periodic) [te]

B.      Develop and maintain the School/University Partnership Database.

  1. [Specific details to be determined.] (annual) [to be hired/aka/te/fp]

C.   Maintain database subset to meet requirements of Federal Right to Know regulations

  1. Update once per year (annual) [te/aka]

D.      Respond to internal and external requests for data regarding students and the campus.

  1. College Guide Surveys

    2.   Respond to requests for information out of the Student Records System (periodic)  [te/aka]

    3.   Respond to AAUDE requests for information (periodic) [aka/te]

    4.   Provide data for IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey and NCAA report (annual)      [te/aka]

E.      Provide analytical and technical support to campus committees and work groups in areas related to the unit’s research and evaluation programs.

  1. Member: Student Affairs Program Review Advisory Committee [cmh]

  2. Member: Student Affairs Publications Committee [gb]

  3. Member: Academic Senate Committee on Educational Policy [aka]

  4. Member: EOP/SAA Work Group [gb]

  5. Alternate Campus Representative: AAU Data Exchange [aka]

  6. Campus Representative: UC IR & Student Affairs Research Directors group [wdh]    

F.      Advise faculty, staff, students and others regarding research and evaluation relevant to Student Affairs programs specifically and to knowledge about students and their development generally.

  1.  Respond to requests upon demand (subject to staff availability).

Goal III—Analytical Support

Provide analytical support to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and other campus entities (e.g., Undergraduate Advising Council, Undergraduate Associate Deans, Academic Senate Committees, Vice Provost--Undergraduate Studies, and Analytical Studies).

Assist campus policy and decision makers in assessing the perception and effects of academic and co-curricular programs and policies. Assume other responsibilities as assigned.

Activities:

A.   Analytical & Editorial Support

  1. Provide support as needed. [ALL]

(07/28/99)

Staff Legend:  aka—Art Amos; ant—Antoinette Davis; cmh—Celeste Hunziker;   gb—Gillian Butler;  te—Tom Estes; wdh—David Haggerty; fp—Faith Paul

[goal 9900.doc]