St. Norbert College alumni survey for the classes of 2003 and 2007

Background of the alumni survey
St. Norbert College has administered an alumni survey since 1991. Over an initial five-year period, the survey center asked alumni from every graduating class through 1993 to respond to a series of questions about the quality of the college’s academic programs and services, its success in achieving general education objectives, and the graduate’s career path. In late 1999, the graduating classes of 1994-1999 were asked to complete the same survey, with 2000-03 alumni solicited in 2004. These data were summarized in a series of reports which were distributed to senior leadership, discipline coordinators, and program directors. Most importantly, alumni data were cited repeatedly in the 2001 accreditation self-study.

In cooperation with the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations, the alumni survey was redesigned by the assessment committee during the 2004-05 academic year. It was shortened and brought into alignment with the St. Norbert Current Student Survey (which all students are asked to complete each fall). While retaining most of the original areas of focus, the redesigned survey added specific questions about the quality of the graduate’s major, fine-tuned the general education questions to reflect the program’s intended learning outcomes, and included questions about the college’s mission goals. These data are annually updated and used by every academic major and minor for program review, as well as in ongoing review of all areas of the General Education program.

In addition to tightening the instrument, the assessment committee recommended that the survey be administered more systematically. Specifically, alumni would be asked to complete the survey at two important points in their lives, two years after graduation (as graduates are becoming immersed in the their first job or graduate school) and six years after graduation (when alumni have completed graduate school and/or their initial job search and are becoming well established in their career field). Together, the alumni survey and current student survey now allow the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) to track student cohorts over a 10-year period, i.e.: from entry into college, through each of their undergraduate years, into initial employment or graduate school, and finally at a point when most graduates are becoming well established in to their careers.

An example of how these data are being analyzed and communicated to the St. Norbert community can be found in Assessing Mission Effectiveness at St. Norbert College - 2006.

Why should you complete the survey?
With demands on colleges and universities for public accountability increasing, direct and indirect evidence of institutional effectiveness are more important than ever before. St. Norbert College’s assessment efforts are substantial and diversified. Every program in academic affairs, student affairs, and mission and heritage has an assessment plan which incorporates measures producing direct and indirect evidence of student learning.

These data are analyzed and used for continuous program improvement. In addition, annual surveys, periodic focus groups, and other data analyses allow the OIE to generate topical institutional-level reports about the college’s effectiveness in achieving its mission. These reports can be reviewed by St. Norbert alumni on the OIE web site.

The alumni survey is one element of a comprehensive effort to measure the college’s effectiveness, improve its programs, and inform the public. If you are a member of the class of 2003 or 2007 (and have not already done so), please take the time fill out the alumni survey. It’s important to the college’s future!