| In order to gain an edge on competitive organizations, the Directors of a large urban university felt they needed to learn more about students who had been previously enrolled in a course in one of three specific programs. Information of interest included: (a) student demographics, (b) rationale for furthering their education and (c) the level of student satisfaction. Better programs and improved campus facilities might result in attracting and retaining students.; The available literature indicates that several campuses and service organizations have utilized mail studies to collect data concerning adult student demographics and student opinions relative to specific topics of interest.; The results of a pilot study allowed the Directors to design further studies that were more efficient and user-friendly. Three mixed-methods, formative, descriptive surveys were mailed to former students who had attended three selected programs.; Findings indicate that the demographics of responding students are similar to those in other research relative to adult students. Some of the demographic data included: (a) average age of 39, (b) at least some college background, (c) working full time, and (d) having been enrolled previously. Student rationale for furthering their education was similar to other research and included: (a) learning something new or pursuing a specific project, (b) updating software knowledge, or (c) updating a professional license. Some of the data, relative to student satisfaction, revealed that: (a) in two of the three programs, most respondents were satisfied that they had reached their educational goals, (b) in the Continuing Education program, some felt that the instructors were not well prepared and the classroom was not adequate, and (c) most felt the student parking facilities needed to be expanded.; Utilizing the data from the three questionnaires, the university can remain competitive by: (a) producing brochures and catalogs focusing on its strengths, (b) making incremental changes in those areas where, according to a sample of former students, the campus needs improvement, and (c) continuing to evaluate its programs and facilities in the future through the use of further research. |
