Perceptions of Administrative and Academic Support Essay Example

objectives were met.

Our team believes that conducting a survey among current students enrolled in the MSA program course could provide valuable information for assessing the efficiency and quality of the college's services. We are of the opinion that a person's initial experience with an organization significantly influences their long-term impressions and overall sense of connection. Therefore, our survey focuses on investigating the experiences of graduate students during their initial interactions with Saint Michael's College, specifically regarding logistics such as enrollment, scheduling, tuition payment, and the acquisition of parking permits and student ID cards. In addition, we aim to evaluate the accessibility, relevance, and usefulness of services like the library, information technology, and academic advising that students are likely to encounter throughout their time in the MSA program.

Method

Participants

Participants consisted of 95 students who were enrolled in 10 out of the 18 GSA (Graduate Studies in Administration) courses held during the last week of March and first week of April 2002.

Materials

We utilized a three-page survey comprising of 7 sections and containing 25 questions (see Appendix C).

The text introduces various sections with categorical headings such as "Demographic Information", "Course/Program Choice Information", "Enrollment Services", "Financial Issues", "Library Services", "Advisory Issues", and "Feedback".

Design and Procedure

To design the survey, we first needed to determine the type of information we were seeking, who would provide it, how to collect it, and how to analyze it easily. Our team interviewed graduate students, recent alumni, and faculty/advisors either in person or via email to identify the program's services that most students taking at least one MSA course are likely to encounter. We created a survey that includes open-ended questions, close-ended questions, and a five-point

scale.

A review was done on the class schedules for the current semester (Spring 2002) and our team shared the responsibility of conducting surveys with students in these classes. Each team member communicated the same request and objective to each class where the survey was conducted.

Results

The participants of the survey were given 5 options to indicate their reasons for choosing the Saint Michaels College MSA program over other programs. They also had an "other" section where they could provide written responses. The participants were instructed to select all applicable reasons.

A total of 176 reasons were selected. Table 2 presents these responses, while Table 3 provides further details on the written-in responses from students who chose the "other" category. In the subsequent section of the survey, students were given the chance to indicate their use of different services and rate their experiences.

The text discusses the use of a five-point scale to evaluate different factors. The scale ranges from 1 (poor) to 5 (outstanding) and was utilized consistently throughout the sections. The results were analyzed for the entire sample as well as specific subgroups such as MSA Program students, men, women, students above and below the median age of 32, and students below 32 who are not international students. The final section included two questions that provided opportunities for written responses. The first question asked students if they desired any additional services.

23.91% of students in the sample provided written responses, which can be categorized into three main areas: Academic, Support services, and Communication. Please refer to table 5 in Appendix A for these responses. Furthermore, the second question enquired if students had any additional comments.

This section

was completed by 30.43% of the respondents. The comments were categorized into three types: compliments, complaints, and recommendations. The comments can be found in table 6 provided in Appendix B. Additionally, there were three comments about the survey itself and two ambiguous comments about the program which are not included in the table.

Discussion

The survey results show that 84.78% of St. students participated.

The MSA Program courses at Michael's are designed for full-time employed adults who have been out of school for an average of 10.62 years since earning their Bachelor's degree. The program appeals to this audience mainly because of convenience, as chosen by 50% of respondents, and the quality of the programs, selected by 45.65%.

Participants rated their experience with 14 out of 15 student services on a five-point scale ranging from average (3) to excellent (4). The only exception was obtaining a computer account, which received a rating of 2.95 indicating it fell between poor and average. The two services that received the lowest ratings overall were obtaining a student ID and receiving advice on career planning.

Further analysis showed that regardless of respondent category, obtaining a computer account consistently received the lowest score. Additionally, all groups except women ranked career-planning assistance as second lowest. Women, however, ranked their experience in obtaining a student ID as second lowest.

In general, only the group of students aged 32 and younger consistently rated services higher or lower than other groups. We compared different groups to determine which group gave the highest score to a particular service, but the age 32 and younger group did not have a single service with the highest score. Since 9 out of the 10

international students were in the age 32 and younger group, we then examined the subset of students aged 32 and younger without international students. It is reasonable to assume that international students have different experiences and needs in the MSA Program, as none of them identified themselves as employed full time. Therefore, we wanted to assess how this affected the scores. After removing the international students from the group, satisfaction with career planning services among the age group increased, while the scores for obtaining a computer account and a student ID decreased.

It is noteworthy that a significant proportion of students are not utilizing the available services. Specifically, among the entire sample, 20.65% of students have not made use of the library, and 43.48% have not had meetings with advisors. Among students enrolled in the MSA program, 19.4% have not used the library, and 26.86% have not met with advisors. In the section dedicated to expressing desired services, 33% of comments requested more opportunities for communication between students and faculty, between students and MSA program staff, and among MSA students themselves. Within the comments section, 35.71% of comments expressed compliments towards some aspect of the program or the MSA program as a whole, while 10.71% of remarks could be seen as complaints.

Given these findings, we recommend some simple steps for MSA program administrators to enhance students' experience with the program. Firstly, the processes of obtaining an ID card and a computer account should be reviewed and more widely promoted to graduate students. This can be done through mailings, in-class announcements, and by offering outreach and technical assistance during occasional evening hours in St. Edmunds and Jeanne

Marie Hall.

When it comes to advising and career development information, it may be beneficial to seek input from MSA students regarding the services and assistance they require. Giving particular consideration to international students, conducting a survey specifically aimed at identifying their needs seems pertinent.

In order to address the desire expressed by several survey respondents for increased interaction with other students, administrators, faculty, and program services, it is advisable to promote existing communication tools. This includes the MSA student listserv, the student advisory group, and the current advising services available.

The program could also conduct an additional survey in this area to more clearly define what, if any, additional communication tools are desired. Saint Michael's College MSA program is a graduate business school, with a wealth of expertise from both students and faculty. It could be said that enhancing student perceptions of the programs from above average to excellent would be an exciting challenge for the program's faculty and administrators. Further exploration of student perceptions and desires, and creating programs that address student desires could be done as a MSA program-wide "learning lab" which would give students an opportunity for research and problem-solving, while enhancing students' academic and emotional investment in the program.

One way for the MSA program to enhance satisfaction and loyalty is by incorporating a curriculum that focuses on learning about and improving the students' experience.