A target population encompasses the clients or subjects intended to be identified and served by the program;
[1] a group of people with specific characteristics about whom information is desired;
[2] or the finite set of possible respondents to a survey.
[3]
Some target populations identified in higher education assessment include:
- Students
- Parents
- Faculty members
- Staff members
- Administrators
- Alumni
- Community members
EditStudents
For assessment programs in higher education, students make up the most sought after target population. They are the most direct recipients of the services provided by an institution of higher learning, thus their opinions regarding needs and levels of satisfaction are most often solicited when assessing programs, academic standards, services, campus climate, and the overall student experience.
EditParents
Parents are important stakeholders in their children’s education, and they should be contacted for information regarding satisfaction with an institution overall, a specific department or office, an event or orientation program, financial services, or student conduct hearings. While they do not receive the services directly, they often fund or in some manner support the student’s education, and their needs and general levels of satisfaction with the university are worth pursuing.
EditFaculty and Staff Members/Administrators
Those who work within an institution may provide opinions about important campus changes, human resources/hiring decisions, or satisfaction with specific programs and/or facilities on campus. While it is typically administrators who are directing assessment initiatives, they may also be considered as a target population when directly related to the initiative, program, or facility being assessed.
EditAlumni
Alumni are imperative to the health of an institution, as it is often the success of this population that is used as a measure of the university’s worth overall. While they are no longer directly receiving many of the services, they often remain active in the life of the campus—donating funds to build or maintain facilities, offering internships or jobs to current students, hosting lectures or presentations, supporting athletic programs, and extending the range of an institution’s brand recognition to other geographic areas. As such, they are very much stakeholder’s in a university and are targeted for assessment initiatives.
EditCommunity Members
The residents of the community in the immediate vicinity of a college or university also serve as a valuable target population, as they often attend university events, support athletic programs, and live and work alongside university faculty, staff, and students. The relationship between the community and the institution, sometimes referred to as the town-gown relationship, is one that can be accessed through the use of surveys, along with other initiatives such as focus groups and discussion panels.
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