Wednesday, August 31, 2005
The University of Kansas recently fell several spots this year in the U.S. News and World Report’s magazine America’s Best Colleges, but a new book based on a 2004 study of universities and colleges nationwide praises the University for its academic atmosphere and success in undergraduate education.
The book, “Student Success in College: Creating Conditions That Matter,” is based on Project DEEP, or Documenting Effective Educational Practice. Twenty-five researchers worked with the Center for Postsecondary Research at Indiana University to compile the report praising 20 educational institutes across the country. The University and the University of Michigan were the only large public universities selected.
Criteria considered by the research team that visited the University of Kansas
A Collegial Environment
-Strong leadership
-Interaction with faculty
-Ease in adjusting to the college environment
An Emphasis on Undergraduate Teaching
-Improved training of graduate teaching assistants
-Keeping enrollment small in undergraduate courses
Data-driven Decision Making
-Use of data to make campus-organizational changes, solve problems and make decisions
Tradition and Culture
-Building school pride
-Connecting students to the campus community
-Creation of an environment of academic success
Source: NSSE Institute for Effective Educational Practices
Provost David Shulenburger said the University approached students and faculty as a team and did not believe in hierarchies. He said this attitude contributed to the University’s achievements.
“We’re not doing something to students. The educational process is something we do with students,” he said.
A team of six researchers visited the University twice, once in 2002 and again in 2003, to interview more than 110 students, faculty and administrators.
Michele Eodice, founder and director of the KU Writing Center, said the writing center assisted students in achieving success at the University and gave them an available outlet to improve their writing skills for future careers. She met with the researchers both times they visited.
“I remember them saying they really got a good feeling from the campus and the student lifestyle here,” Eodice said.
One factor that made the University stand out among other universities was its available resources aimed at helping students to succeed. One of these resources was the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center.
Koga Moffor, Overland Park freshman, recently used the FSAC and said she found it informative and helpful.
Mary Klayder, English lecturer, said the University had tried to focus on keeping class sizes to a minimum. She said even in classes that were larger, faculty attempted to implement smaller components, such as discussions.
Trenton Wilson, Hays junior, said he was studying East Asian Language and Culture and had good experiences with his professors, who welcomed him as a peer.
“I think a lot of faculty makes a strong effort,” Wilson said.
Lynn Bretz, director of University Relations, said she credits the diversity of the student body for enlivening the experience that students had at the University. The University also emphasized international experiences. Bretz said stricter admissions had improved the University’s success as a whole.
“I think in general the University has very high quality faculty, and we’ve gone from being open admissions to having qualified admissions,” Bretz said.
Bretz said the University had seen a steady improvement in retention rates, which is the return of students from one year to the next, and had its highest retention rate on record. She said the rate was around 83%.
“When you have eager students and eager faculty that’s just a great combination,” Bretz said.
— Edited by Alison Peterson
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