Career and Professional Aspirations Benchmarking Study

Career and Professional Aspirations is one of the content areas covered in the 2009-2010 NASPA Assessment and Knowledge Consortium. This study assesses various aspects of students’ career aspirations as well as their perceptions of the Career Services Office. This project will provide comprehensive data, from students, on:

• Outcomes of utilizing Career Services and other career-related information/advice
• Information about which Career Services’ offerings students utilize
• Information on sources of career advice and mentoring and the perceived helpfulness of that information

This study will provide data not only from Career Services users, but also from non-users. Thus, a related aim of the study is that it will provide insight into why students do not utilize Career Services and what may be changed or enhanced to encourage increased participation. The assessment also provides a detailed demographic section that will allow campuses to filter and view the data for certain sub-populations of students.

The Career and Professional Aspirations Study provides comparison data for benchmarking with national averages and with peer campuses. While the study has some components of satisfaction analysis and student perception, study participation allows institutions to document the outcomes of Career Services programs and services. The study also provides peer and national aggregate data to help understand how institutional results compare to similarly situated campuses.

View the student survey questions.

Sign-up for the Career and Professional Aspirations Study.

Population

The population for this study is a random sample of enrolled students. Campuses have the option to survey the entire population of students or a stratified random sample of students. The sample should be stratified by class standing to ensure representation from each class year.

Timeline

Ongoing:
Enrollment in the NASPA Consortium Career and Professional Aspirations Study. Upon sign-up, additional information and next steps are provided to ensure a successful administration of the project on your campus.

January-May:
Data collection. Institution-specific data is available in real-time.

June:
Benchmarking data is available.

Participation Fees

The Consortium Career and Professional Aspirations Study is part of the 2009-2010 NASPA Assessment and Knowledge Consortium. Campuses may subscribe to the Consortium by clicking here: http://www.naspaconsortium.org/register/. StudentVoice Member Campuses on an annual license may participate in the Consortium Career and Professional Aspirations Study as part of their StudentVoice license. For information about becoming a StudentVoice Member Campus, contact info@studentvoice.com.

If your campus is not a subscribing Consortium campus or a StudentVoice Member Campus, you may opt to participate in just this student assessment at a reduced fee. The fee for campuses with less than 5000 undergraduate students is $1500. The fee for campuses with more than 5000 undergraduate students is $2000. The fee includes the administration of the survey to an unlimited number of students, data reporting tools, and access to dynamic benchmarking reports. For questions about fees, please contact info@studentvoice.com.

FAQ

Why benchmark?
Benchmarking provides peer and national comparison data, adding another layer of information about the impact and outcomes of programs and services. Peer and national comparison data enables institutions to identify strengths and areas of opportunity.

When is the deadline to register for the NASPA Consortium Career and Professional Aspirations Study?
Registration is ongoing. Sign-up for the Career and Professional Aspirations Study.

Who designed this study?
Led by Russ Coughenour (Director of Career Services at the University of Tennessee), a group of Career Center Directors gathered for two days to discuss assessment possibilities and the value of benchmarking student data.

The SEACnet working group included:

• Russ Coughenour, University of Tennessee
• Nancy Bernard, Auburn University
• Mary Feduccia, Louisiana State University
• Marie Geary, Boston College
• Donna Ratcliffe, Virginia Tech
• Flora Riley, Clemson University
• Carol Schroeder, North Carolina State University
• Scott Williams, University of Georgia

What institutions have participated in the study?

• Boston College
• Clemson University
• Colorado State University
• East Carolina University
• Fordham University
• Idaho State University
• Long Island University
• Louisiana State University
• Metro State College of Denver
• Northeastern University
• San Diego State University
• SUNY Fredonia
• Towson University
• University at Buffalo
• University of Florida
• University of Kansas
• University of Maine
• University of North Carolina - Pembroke
• University of North Carolina - Wilmington
• University of Oklahoma
• University of Tennessee
• University of Wyoming
• Virginia Tech
• Washington University in St. Louis

Can I view the student survey questions?
Click here to view the student survey questions.

Do I have to ask all the questions?
You may delete benchmarking questions that are not appropriate for your institutional context.

Can I add institution-specific questions?
Yes, you have the option to add up to 10 institution-specific questions to the instrument.

How is the data collected?
The assessment is administered online. Potential respondents are sent a link via e-mail.

Who is the target population?
The population for this study is a random sample of enrolled students. Campuses have the option to survey the entire population of students or a stratified random sample of students. The sample should be stratified by class standing to ensure representation from each class year.

When is this study administered?
While the timing of the study will be determined by the institution, the recommended timing is early spring.

Can StudentVoice pull the sample of student e-mails?
StudentVoice is available to assist with sampling issues. You may want to consult with an institutional representative on your campus from the Registrar’s Office, the Institutional Research Office, or Information Technology to find out the proper protocol for accessing student e-mail addresses.

What kind of response rate can my campus expect?
The typical response rate for most online assessments is between 15%-25%. Response rates can be increased in some instances by offering incentives, by sending out pre-survey e-mails letting students know when to expect the online survey, and by sending several targeted reminders to non-respondents.

What size sample do I need?
Sample size is based on the size of your student population and should also take into consideration the typical online survey response rates on your campus. View additional information about sampling.

How do I view my data?
All institution-specific data is available through the StudentVoice online reporting site.

Will I get to see data from other colleges and universities?
Benchmarking data will be shared at the conclusion of the study. No individual institution’s data will be shared, rather data will be identified as being from College 1, College 2, College 3, etc… Institutions will have the opportunity to select their preferred comparison colleges and universities.

Is data collected through StudentVoice secure?
StudentVoice is committed to maintaining the highest standards in data security. To protect information used in internet transactions (i.e., online surveys, data reports) StudentVoice uses the following security techniques and procedures: Secure login access (username and password) is required to access all data reports; information is exchanged via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) that uses 128-bit encryption; information requests must pass through multiple hardware and software security firewalls; StudentVoice’s data center is monitored 24/7 and access is restricted to authorized parties with validated key cards; data is backed up every hour internally; and data is backed up every night to a centralized backup system, with offsite backups in the event of catastrophe.

Do I have to get approval from IRB / Human Subjects?
If you are using the data for internal program review, IRB approval may not be necessary. Due to the fact that your institutional data will become part of the aggregate results for benchmarking purposes, it is highly recommended that IRB approval be obtained. For additional information, contact your IRB office on campus. See an example IRB protocol for this study.