North Carolina State University
2010 Sophomore Student Survey:
Gender and Racial/Ethnic Comparisons of
Academic Environment and Faculty Contributions
This document reports survey data on gender and racial/ethnic differences in respondents' overall assessment of the academic environment at NC State. Specifically, results include assessment of the academic and classroom environment, satisfaction with instruction, academic advising, and faculty-student mentoring experiences. Survey results for all respondents are provided in "2010 Sophomore Student Survey: All Respondents." For information about the survey and analysis methods see "2010 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.
Academic Enviroment | Classroom Environment | Satisfaction with Instruction | Faculty-Student Mentoring | Academic Advising
Q Intellectual Environment| Intellectual environment on campus | NCSU | Men | Women | Asian Amer |
Black / Afr Amer |
Hispanic |
White |
Other / Unknown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Rating | 3.21 | 3.17 | 3.26 | 3.09 | 3.23 | 3.61 | 3.21 | 3.17 |
| 4: Very strong | 27.4% | 23.8% | 30.6% | 16.7% | 26.7% | 60.9% | 27.2% | 26.9% |
| 3: Strong | 66.8% | 69.3% | 64.5% | 75.9% | 69.8% | 39.1% | 66.9% | 63.5% |
| 2: Weak | 5.6% | 6.7% | 4.6% | 7.4% | 3.5% | . | 5.6% | 9.6% |
| 1: Very weak | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | . | . | . | 0.3% | . |
| Total (N) | 994 | 475 | 519 | 54 | 86 | 23 | 779 | 52 |
Q Academic Environment
| NCSU |
Men |
Women |
Asian Amer |
Black / Afr Amer |
Hispanic |
White |
Other / Unknown |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I consider what I have been learning in my classes valuable | 4.13 | 4.11 | 4.16 | 4.11 | 4.00 | 4.32 | 4.14 | 4.17 |
| My experiences at NC State have stimulated interest in an intended field of study | 4.19 | 4.17 | 4.21 | 4.21 | 3.94 | 4.32 | 4.21 | 4.27 |
| I am able to freely explore academic interests at NC State | 3.98 | 3.93 | 4.03 | 3.98 | 3.94 | 4.09 | 3.99 | 3.85 |
| Students at NC State are encouraged to ask questions | 4.11 | 4.08 | 4.13 | 4.09 | 4.02 | 4.32 | 4.11 | 4.15 |
| Students at NC State are given meaningful answers to the questions they ask | 3.97 | 3.95 | 4.00 | 4.02 | 3.87 | 4.14 | 3.98 | 3.96 |
| At NC State, students are invited to share their ideas and knowledge | 4.10 | 4.05 | 4.14 | 4.06 | 4.01 | 4.45 | 4.10 | 4.06 |
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Q Classroom Environment
| Number of classes at NC State that have been too large to learn effectively | NCSU | Men | Women | Asian Amer |
Black / Afr Amer |
Hispanic |
White |
Other / Unknown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | 19.8% | 21.8% | 17.9% | 18.5% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 20.4% | 17.3% |
| One | 16.9% | 16.8% | 16.9% | 14.8% | 26.7% | 8.7% | 16.1% | 17.3% |
| Two | 27.5% | 27.7% | 27.4% | 16.7% | 27.9% | 43.5% | 28.2% | 21.2% |
| Three | 19.3% | 17.6% | 20.8% | 29.6% | 16.3% | 13.0% | 18.9% | 21.2% |
| Four or more | 16.5% | 16.1% | 16.9% | 20.4% | 11.6% | 17.4% | 16.4% | 23.1% |
| Total (N) | 991 | 477 | 514 | 54 | 86 | 23 | 776 | 52 |
| Number of classes at NC State in which had difficulty understanding spoken English of instructor | NCSU | Men | Women | Asian Amer |
Black / Afr Amer |
Hispanic |
White |
Other / Unknown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | 20.6% | 17.0% | 23.9% | 31.5% | 32.6% | 26.1% | 18.2% | 23.1% |
| One | 33.2% | 32.8% | 33.5% | 29.6% | 40.7% | 39.1% | 32.7% | 28.8% |
| Two | 26.2% | 27.5% | 25.0% | 27.8% | 17.4% | 26.1% | 27.3% | 23.1% |
| Three | 12.9% | 14.1% | 11.8% | 7.4% | 5.8% | 8.7% | 13.5% | 23.1% |
| Four or more | 7.1% | 8.6% | 5.8% | 3.7% | 3.5% | . | 8.3% | 1.9% |
| Total (N) | 995 | 476 | 519 | 54 | 86 | 23 | 780 | 52 |
| NCSU |
Men |
Women |
Asian Amer |
Black / Afr Amer |
Hispanic |
White |
Other / Unknown |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satisfaction with instructors: Ability to motivate me to do my best | 3.78 | 3.75 | 3.80 | 3.83 | 3.74 | 3.74 | 3.78 | 3.75 |
| Satisfaction with instructors: How carefully they explain the expectations of student performance | 3.96 | 3.93 | 3.99 | 3.94 | 3.95 | 3.74 | 3.97 | 4.04 |
| Satisfaction with instructors: How well they explain course material | 3.88 | 3.88 | 3.88 | 3.89 | 3.80 | 3.91 | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Satisfaction with instructors: The extent to which they encourage class discussion | 3.76 | 3.68 | 3.84 | 3.85 | 3.72 | 3.68 | 3.77 | 3.67 |
| Satisfaction with instructors: How effectively they use instructional technology | 4.05 | 4.05 | 4.05 | 4.11 | 3.88 | 4.00 | 4.07 | 4.04 |
| Satisfaction with instructors: How quickly they provide feedback on my work | 3.82 | 3.81 | 3.82 | 4.04 | 3.87 | 3.87 | 3.79 | 3.83 |
| Satisfaction with instructors: The helpfulness of their feedback on my work | 3.78 | 3.77 | 3.80 | 3.89 | 3.85 | 3.78 | 3.76 | 3.83 |
| Satisfaction with instructors: Respecting the diverse talents and ways of learning | 3.85 | 3.82 | 3.87 | 3.91 | 3.82 | 3.78 | 3.85 | 3.85 |
| Overall quality of instruction | 3.99 | 3.96 | 4.01 | 4.04 | 3.88 | 3.87 | 4.00 | 3.94 |
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| Had experience | NCSU | Men | Women | Asian Amer |
Black / Afr Amer |
Hispanic |
White |
Other / Unknown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worked on an independent study project with a faculty member | 5.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% | 7.4% | 5.1% | 0.0% | 5.9% | 7.8% |
| Worked on research project with faculty member outside of course/program requirements | 6.9% | 7.5% | 6.4% | 9.3% | 9.0% | 0.0% | 6.1% | 16.0% |
| Worked on extension/public service project with faculty member outside of course/program | 7.1% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 3.7% | 7.7% | 0.0% | 6.9% | 15.7% |
| Assisted in teaching a class or lab under the guidance of a faculty member | 4.4% | 5.1% | 3.8% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 8.7% | 4.7% | 3.9% |
| Regularly met with a faculty member who provided academic guidance | 37.9% | 37.7% | 38.1% | 32.1% | 53.9% | 47.8% | 35.8% | 47.1% |
| Regularly met with a faculty member who provided professional guidance and/or support | 24.2% | 22.0% | 26.2% | 24.5% | 41.6% | 17.4% | 22.4% | 26.5% |
| Regularly met with a faculty member who provided guidance on non-academic issues | 11.9% | 11.0% | 12.7% | 7.5% | 23.4% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 21.6% |
| Worked with faculty member on campus activities (e.g., committees, student life activities, etc.) | 18.9% | 14.6% | 22.8% | 11.1% | 26.0% | 8.7% | 18.3% | 29.4% |
| Total (N) | 956 | 456 | 500 | 54 | 78 | 23 | 750 | 51 |
Faculty-Student Mentoring: Contribution to Growth
| NCSU |
Men |
Women |
Asian Amer |
Black / Afr Amer |
Hispanic |
White |
Other / Unknown |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worked on an independent study project with a faculty member | 3.24 | 3.25 | 3.22 | 2.67 | 4.00 | . | 3.17 | 4.00 |
| Worked on research project with faculty member outside of course/program requirements | 3.33 | 3.43 | 3.23 | 3.25 | 3.00 | . | 3.32 | 3.71 |
| Worked on extension/public service project with faculty member outside of course/program | 3.28 | 3.19 | 3.34 | . | 2.60 | . | 3.33 | 3.43 |
| Assisted in teaching a class or lab under the guidance of a faculty member | 3.42 | 3.35 | 3.47 | . | 4.00 | 4.00 | 3.34 | 4.00 |
| Regularly met with a faculty member who provided academic guidance | 3.41 | 3.35 | 3.45 | 3.56 | 3.50 | 3.73 | 3.37 | 3.39 |
| Regularly met with a faculty member who provided professional guidance and/or support | 3.44 | 3.44 | 3.44 | 3.58 | 3.40 | 3.25 | 3.43 | 3.50 |
| Regularly met with a faculty member who provided guidance on non-academic issues | 3.44 | 3.40 | 3.47 | 3.67 | 3.53 | 4.00 | 3.38 | 3.50 |
| Worked with faculty member on campus activities (e.g., committees, student life activities, etc.) | 3.38 | 3.36 | 3.40 | 3.25 | 3.40 | 2.50 | 3.36 | 3.71 |
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| Primary source for academic advising during sophomore year | NCSU | Men | Women | Asian Amer |
Black / Afr Amer |
Hispanic |
White |
Other / Unknown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty member in my department | 29.7% | 33.1% | 26.6% | 33.3% | 24.4% | 30.4% | 30.4% | 23.1% |
| Professional advisor in my department or college | 53.9% | 47.9% | 59.5% | 51.9% | 58.1% | 52.2% | 53.5% | 55.8% |
| Centralized or campus-wide advising service (with personal contact) | 3.8% | 4.6% | 3.1% | 3.7% | 5.8% | 4.3% | 3.6% | 3.8% |
| NC State provided web-based advising site (i.e., Virtual Advising Center) | 7.8% | 9.6% | 6.2% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 13.0% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Other | 4.7% | 4.8% | 4.7% | 1.9% | 2.3% | . | 5.1% | 7.7% |
| Total (N) | 994 | 478 | 516 | 54 | 86 | 23 | 779 | 52 |
| NCSU |
Men |
Women |
Asian Amer |
Black / Afr Amer |
Hispanic |
White |
Other / Unknown |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accessibility of my primary advisor | 3.97 | 3.95 | 4.00 | 3.78 | 4.10 | 4.09 | 3.98 | 3.83 |
| Amount of time I am given during advising sessions | 3.97 | 3.95 | 3.99 | 3.96 | 3.95 | 3.91 | 3.99 | 3.79 |
| Advisor???s concern with my academic success | 3.87 | 3.87 | 3.87 | 3.85 | 3.88 | 3.91 | 3.88 | 3.65 |
| Advisor keeping me informed about my academic progress | 3.63 | 3.63 | 3.64 | 3.61 | 3.57 | 3.78 | 3.64 | 3.52 |
| Advisor???s knowledge about university rules and procedures | 3.98 | 4.01 | 3.96 | 3.94 | 3.89 | 4.13 | 4.00 | 3.85 |
| Advisor providing me with the information about academic courses and program | 3.94 | 3.95 | 3.93 | 3.93 | 3.92 | 4.22 | 3.94 | 3.85 |
| Advisor???s knowledge about the requirements for current major or major of interest | 4.12 | 4.13 | 4.11 | 4.19 | 4.03 | 4.26 | 4.13 | 3.94 |
| Advisor???s knowledge about general education and other degree requirements | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.06 | 3.96 | 4.09 | 4.01 | 3.88 |
| Advisor knowing whom to contact to help with non-academic problems | 3.77 | 3.73 | 3.82 | 3.87 | 3.60 | 3.96 | 3.79 | 3.60 |
| Advisor???s encouragement of participation in educational enrichment opportunities | 3.67 | 3.66 | 3.68 | 3.67 | 3.66 | 3.91 | 3.68 | 3.46 |
| Advisor???s knowledge about post-graduation educational options | 3.68 | 3.68 | 3.68 | 3.81 | 3.65 | 3.65 | 3.69 | 3.46 |
| Advisor???s knowledge about post-graduation employment options | 3.64 | 3.64 | 3.64 | 3.79 | 3.56 | 3.65 | 3.65 | 3.42 |
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Q Virtual Advising Center
| Overall rating of NC State's Virtual Advising Center Web site | NCSU | Men | Women | Asian Amer |
Black / Afr Amer |
Hispanic |
White |
Other / Unknown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Rating | 1.02 | 0.99 | 1.04 | 1.19 | 1.16 | 0.87 | 1.00 | 0.84 |
| 4: Excellent | 3.7% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 2.3% | 4.3% | 3.9% | 2.0% |
| 3: Good | 22.9% | 22.2% | 23.6% | 25.9% | 29.1% | 17.4% | 22.4% | 19.6% |
| 2: Fair | 8.3% | 8.1% | 8.4% | 11.1% | 9.3% | 8.7% | 8.0% | 7.8% |
| 1: Poor | 1.6% | 1.3% | 2.0% | 3.7% | 1.2% | . | 1.6% | 2.0% |
| Don't know/Did not use | 63.5% | 64.8% | 62.3% | 55.6% | 58.1% | 69.6% | 64.1% | 68.6% |
| Total (N) | 981 | 469 | 512 | 54 | 86 | 23 | 767 | 51 |
| Overall rating of NC State's Virtual Advising Center Web site (among those who have used) | NCSU | Men | Women | Asian Amer |
Black / Afr Amer |
Hispanic |
White |
Other / Unknown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Rating | 2.78 | 2.80 | 2.77 | 2.67 | 2.78 | 2.86 | 2.80 | 2.69 |
| 4: Excellent | 10.1% | 10.3% | 9.8% | 8.3% | 5.6% | 14.3% | 10.9% | 6.3% |
| 3: Good | 62.8% | 63.0% | 62.7% | 58.3% | 69.4% | 57.1% | 62.5% | 62.5% |
| 2: Fair | 22.6% | 23.0% | 22.3% | 25.0% | 22.2% | 28.6% | 22.2% | 25.0% |
| 1: Poor | 4.5% | 3.6% | 5.2% | 8.3% | 2.8% | . | 4.4% | 6.3% |
| Total (N) | 358 | 165 | 193 | 24 | 36 | 7 | 275 | 16 |
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: July, 2010