North Carolina State University
2008 Sophomore Student Survey:
Gender and Racial/Ethnic Comparisons
of Evaluations of Student Services



This document reports survey data on gender and racial/ethnic differences in respondents' ratings of student services. Specifically, results are presented for perceptions of campus safety, assessments of academic services outside the classroom, and assessments of non-academic services and the associated staff. Survey results for all respondents are provided in "2008 Sophomore Student Survey: All Respondents." For information about the survey and analysis methods see "2008 Sophomore Student Survey: Introduction, Methods, and Student Demographic Profile." For exact question wording, see the survey instrument, or click on the "Q" in the table headers below.

Campus Safety | Services Outside the Classroom | Non-Academic Service Areas | Financial Aid Services

Q Campus Safety
Campus taken sufficient steps to ensure safety NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
Yes % 80.9 79.9 82.0 72.6 83.2 70.3
No % 7.4 8.9 5.7 14.7 6.3 10.1
Not sure % 11.7 11.2 12.3 12.6 10.5 19.6
Total N 1342 708 634 95 1089 158
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Q Rating of Services Outside the Classroom
New Student Orientation Mean Rating
(Based on a scale where 4='excellent' 3='good' 2='fair' and 1='poor')
NCSU Women Men White AfAm Othe
Length of orientation session 2.70 2.66 2.74 2.67 2.89 2.74
Quality of orientation programs 2.72 2.72 2.72 2.73 2.74 2.64
Helpfulness of orientation staff 3.08 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.09 2.94
Orientations accomodations 2.80 2.79 2.80 2.80 2.85 2.74
Overall effectiveness of orientation 2.82 2.83 2.80 2.81 2.98 2.74

 

Academic Advising Mean Rating
(Based on a scale where 4='excellent' 3='good' 2='fair' and 1='poor')
NCSU Women Men White AfAm Othe
Access to advisor 3.00 2.99 3.01 3.02 2.95 2.90
Sufficient time with advisor 2.91 2.88 2.93 2.91 2.88 2.86
Accurate info on degree reqs/course sequencing 2.99 2.92 3.07 2.99 3.03 2.94
Advisor knowledge of policies/procedures 2.99 2.92 3.07 3.00 3.01 2.89
Academic advising services overall 2.94 2.90 2.97 2.94 2.91 2.90


Academic Assistance/Tutoring Mean Rating
(Based on a scale where 4='excellent' 3='good' 2='fair' and 1='poor')
NCSU Women Men White AfAm Othe
Academic assistance in writing 3.03 3.02 3.04 3.03 3.10 2.97
Academic assistance in reading 2.92 2.90 2.93 2.93 3.00 2.80
Academic assistance in mathematics 3.10 3.09 3.11 3.07 3.21 3.16
Academic assistance in study skills 2.93 2.87 2.98 2.91 3.09 2.88
Academic assistance in foreign language 2.90 2.93 2.87 2.91 3.00 2.79
Academic assistance in computer science 2.92 2.97 2.89 2.93 2.89 2.86
Academic assistance in science 3.09 3.06 3.12 3.07 3.18 3.11
Academic help services overall 2.99 2.99 2.99 2.98 3.02 3.00


Library Services Mean Rating
(Based on a scale where 4='excellent' 3='good' 2='fair' and 1='poor')
NCSU Women Men White AfAm Othe
Library hours of operation 3.67 3.67 3.67 3.66 3.68 3.71
Staff responsiveness 3.30 3.31 3.29 3.29 3.34 3.38
Access to databases and collections 3.43 3.43 3.42 3.42 3.48 3.46
Training to use library 2.95 2.95 2.95 2.91 3.06 3.15
Library services overall 3.41 3.39 3.43 3.39 3.43 3.49


Technology Services Mean Rating
(Based on a scale where 4='excellent' 3='good' 2='fair' and 1='poor')
NCSU Women Men White AfAm Othe
Access to the Internet 3.57 3.51 3.62 3.56 3.58 3.63
Hrs of op for comp center labs and help 3.43 3.41 3.46 3.41 3.51 3.57
Access to up-to-date facilities 3.41 3.40 3.42 3.40 3.47 3.50
Access to trained staff for help 3.13 3.15 3.11 3.10 3.21 3.27
Technology training classes 3.14 3.16 3.12 3.11 3.21 3.25
Technology services overall 3.34 3.30 3.38 3.33 3.32 3.41


Career-Related Services Mean Rating
(Based on a scale where 4='excellent' 3='good' 2='fair' and 1='poor')
NCSU Women Men White AfAm Othe
Opportunity for career assistance 3.08 3.09 3.08 3.08 3.07 3.11
Info. on internships/co-op/other 3.06 3.03 3.09 3.04 3.23 3.07
Resources to explore career options 3.05 3.03 3.06 3.03 3.16 3.07
Info. avail through computers/Internet 3.10 3.12 3.08 3.08 3.18 3.16
Career-related services overall 3.04 3.04 3.04 3.03 3.12 3.07


Campus Bookstore/Virtual Advising Center Mean Rating
(Based on a scale where 4='excellent' 3='good' 2='fair' and 1='poor')
NCSU Women Men White AfAm Othe
Avail of books/supplies at bookstore 3.10 3.10 3.10 3.09 3.15 3.14
Virtual Advising Center Web site 3.03 3.05 3.00 3.01 3.09 3.06
Frequency Distributions: Gender/Ethnicity
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Q Evaluation of Non-Academic Service Areas
  NCSU Women Men White AfAm Othe
Service Area: Registration Process 3.06 3.02 3.10 3.04 3.14 3.13
Service Area: Financial Aid Application/Award 3.05 3.00 3.10 3.03 3.05 3.14
Service Area: Financial Aid Disbursement 3.05 3.00 3.10 3.05 2.92 3.15
Service Area: Food Services 2.66 2.62 2.71 2.68 2.60 2.60
Service Area: Health Services 3.17 3.15 3.19 3.18 3.18 3.09
Service Area: Counseling (personal) 3.16 3.19 3.13 3.16 3.14 3.12
Service Area: Business Services/Cashier 3.06 3.08 3.05 3.07 2.96 3.07
Service Area: Residence Life Programs 2.95 3.00 2.89 2.95 2.99 2.90
Service Area: Opps in ex-curr activities 3.17 3.19 3.14 3.18 3.17 3.09
Service Area: Opps. in Commun Serv Projs 3.02 3.10 2.92 3.00 3.17 3.13
Service Area: Opps to Dev Leadership Skills 3.05 3.10 2.99 3.03 3.23 3.11
Frequency Distributions: Gender/Ethnicity
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Q Evaluation of Non-Academic Services Staff Responsiveness
  NCSU Women Men White AfAm Othe
Service Area: Registration Process 3.06 3.02 3.10 3.04 3.14 3.13
Service Area: Financial Aid Application/Award 3.05 3.00 3.10 3.03 3.05 3.14
Service Area: Financial Aid Disbursement 3.05 3.00 3.10 3.05 2.92 3.15
Service Area: Food Services 2.66 2.62 2.71 2.68 2.60 2.60
Service Area: Health Services 3.17 3.15 3.19 3.18 3.18 3.09
Service Area: Counseling (personal) 3.16 3.19 3.13 3.16 3.14 3.12
Service Area: Business Services/Cashier 3.06 3.08 3.05 3.07 2.96 3.07
Service Area: Residence Life Programs 2.95 3.00 2.89 2.95 2.99 2.90
Service Area: Opps in ex-curr activities 3.17 3.19 3.14 3.18 3.17 3.09
Service Area: Opps. in Commun Serv Projs 3.02 3.10 2.92 3.00 3.17 3.13
Service Area: Opps to Dev Leadership Skills 3.05 3.10 2.99 3.03 3.23 3.11
Frequency Distributions: Gender/Ethnicity
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Q Received Financial Aid
Have you received financial aid at NC State? NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
Yes % 58.2 61.3 54.6 86.0 54.3 68.2
No % 41.8 38.7 45.4 14.0 45.7 31.8
Total N 1331 703 628 93 1081 157
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Q Satisfaction with Financial Aid Package
Satisfaction with financial aid package NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
Mean 3.20 3.21 3.17 3.20 3.20 3.18
4: Very satisfied % 36.8 37.3 36.3 38.8 35.4 43.0
2: Moderately dissatisfied % 10.0 10.3 9.6 8.8 9.1 15.9
3: Moderately satisfied % 49.5 49.7 49.4 47.5 52.2 36.4
1: Very dissatisfied % 3.6 2.8 4.7 5.0 3.3 4.7
Total N 771 429 342 80 584 107
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Q Customer Service Skills of Financial Aid Staff
Financial aid reception staff NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
Mean 3.19 3.20 3.18 3.20 3.19 3.22
4: Excellent % 35.7 37.0 34.1 33.3 35.7 38.0
3: Good % 49.9 48.4 51.6 54.7 49.6 46.8
2: Fair % 12.3 12.1 12.6 10.7 12.3 13.9
1: Poor % 2.1 2.4 1.6 1.3 2.4 1.3
Total N 535 289 246 75 381 79

Financial aid phone staff NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
Mean 3.10 3.09 3.11 3.09 3.08 3.20
4: Excellent % 31.9 32.6 31.0 30.4 31.5 35.2
3: Good % 49.4 48.9 50.0 52.2 48.5 50.7
2: Fair % 15.6 14.0 17.6 13.0 16.8 12.7
1: Poor % 3.1 4.5 1.4 4.3 3.2 1.4
Total N 480 264 216 69 340 71

Financial aid advisor staff NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
Mean 3.21 3.21 3.20 3.17 3.20 3.27
4: Excellent % 37.5 39.3 35.5 40.8 36.5 39.5
3: Good % 48.8 46.1 52.1 42.3 50.0 49.4
2: Fair % 10.5 11.4 9.4 9.9 10.8 9.9
1: Poor % 3.1 3.2 3.0 7.0 2.8 1.2
Total N 514 280 234 71 362 81
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For more information on the 2008 Sophomore Student Survey contact:
Dr. Nancy Whelchel, Associate Director for Survey Research
Office of Institutional Planning and Research
Box 7002
NCSU
Phone: (919) 515-4184
Email: Nancy_Whelchel@ncsu.edu

Posted: April, 2009

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