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In 1992, the Community College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CCSEQ) was administered in class to a randomly selected group of 1,062 students at the two-year regional campuses of Kent State University (KSU). Specifically, the study sought to provide information about the characteristics, experiences, involvement, gains, and satisfaction of students enrolled in KSU's regional campuses. Comparisons were made between transfer and technology students, and between all KSU students and a nationwide group of students at 24 community colleges for which CCSEQ results were available. Highlighted findings included the following: (1) 75% of the respondents were employed, and 25% were employed more than 30 hours per week; (2) 50% of the respondents indicated that job and family responsibilities took some or much time away from their schoolwork; (3) KSU respondents spent more hours per week studying or preparing for classes than students in the national comparison sample; (4) the majority of respondents were enrolled to prepare to transfer to a four-year college or university, while most of the remainder enrolled to enhance job skills; (5) involvement in in-class and out-of-class activities was generally low for regional campus students, but not unlike that of the national comparison group; (6) student self-reported progress in a number of areas of academic, career, social, and personal development was somewhat below that of the national comparison group, and was significantly lower in the areas of acquiring knowledge and skills appropriate to a specific job or type of work and of understanding and speaking a foreign language; and (7) satisfaction with the college environment, as with the comparison group, was fairly high for students at the regional campuses and was similar across campuses. Thirty tables are presented, including 18 that detail percentages of responses to questionnaire items. (JMC)

In 1992, a study was conducted to ascertain the characteristics, performance, and persistence of high school students who enrolled at the two-year regional campuses of Kent State University. Specific data collected for the study included the number of semesters and credit hours completed, and the cumulative grade point averages (GPA's) of the students by campus and by initial semester enrolled. The study population consisted of 118 high school students who were admitted to the regional campuses and enrolled in courses from summer 1990 to fall 1991. The average American College Testing Program score, for students for whom it was available, was 26. Students averaged six hours of enrollment per semester (the equivalent of two courses) with a range from 2 to 30 hours completed. The students' mean GPA was 3.30, and GPA's ranged from a low of 0.23 to a high of 4.00, which was achieved by 36 students. There was considerable variability among the courses in which the students enrolled, with College English I, General Psychology, and American National Government being among the more popular courses. Two of the students who graduated from high school in 1991 subsequently enrolled as full-time students, a third was admitted for the fall, and a fourth was admitted, but did not enroll. Five of the students who will graduate from high school in 1992 were admitted for the fall at the time of the study. (JMC)

In 1991, a study was conducted at the regional campuses of Kent State University to determine the characteristics of students who were admitted but did not enroll; their reasons for not enrolling; and their opinions of the academic and student services provided. Demographic and admissions data were available for all 952 students who were admitted but did not enroll for fall 1991. Half of these students were randomly selected for a survey. Study findings, based on a 15% response rate, included the following: (1) 65% of the respondents were employed, and most who were not employed were so by choice or due to family responsibilities; (2) 49% said they wished to obtain an associate degree, and 40% said a bachelor's degree was their goal; (3) obtaining an associate degree was the most frequently cited academic goal, preparing for a new career the most important career goal, meeting people the most important social participation goal, and learning skills to enrich their lives the most important personal goal; (4) 46% of the students said they did not enroll because they could not afford to attend; (5) unspecified personal reasons, slow financial aid processing, and distance from the campus were also commonly cited reasons for not enrolling; and (6) 25% to 57% of the respondents rated as high or very high their satisfaction with the availability and quality of academic advising (29-30%), admissions (57%), and financial aid (25%). The survey instrument is attached. (JMC)

A study was conducted examining the characteristics and experiences of spring 1991 Kent State University (KSU) baccalaureate degree recipients who were originally enrolled in one of the seven regional two-year college campuses (RC's). Data were available for 177 degree recipients, representing 92% of all graduates who had originated at the RC's, and comprising 13.5% of the total 1991 graduating population. For comparative purposes, data were gathered for 1991 graduates who had begun their educational career at KSU and for graduates who had transferred to KSU from another four-year college. Study findings included the following: (1) 91% of former two-year college students were white and 61% were female; (2) final cumulative grade point averages were higher for former RC students (3.13 on a four-point scale) than for either KSU entrants (3.04) or other transfer students (3.04); (3) the average cumulative credit hours for RC entrants was 145.7, as compared to 142.1 for KSU entrants, and 148.5 for other transfer students; (4) the average age at graduation was 29 years for RC entrants, 23 for KSU entrants, and 26 for other transfer students; (5) RC entrants averaged 84 credit hours at KSU, and fewer than 25% stopped out during their enrollment at KSU; (6) there were no significant differences in RC entrant semesters or credit hours completed at KSU by gender or ethnicity, nor were there differences in total semesters at KSU by RC attended; and (7) RC entrants completed an average of 11 semesters from RC enrollment to KSU graduation, compared with 10 semesters for KSU entrants. Data tables are included. (PAA)

In spring 1991, a study was conducted of non-returning students from the seven 2-year Regional Campuses (RC's) of Kent State University to identify demographic characteristics of such students, determine the reasons they did not continue their enrollment, and obtain their opinions regarding the academic and student services at the RC's. Of the 2,392 students who had enrolled in fall 1990 but who did not return in spring 1991, a random sample of 1,022 were surveyed. Study findings, based on a 20% response rate, included the following: (1) non-returning students shared many of the same demographic characteristics as past and current RC students; (2) 52% of the respondents reported cumulative grade point averages between 3.0 and 4.0, and 83% were employed; (3) 69% of the non-returning students had been enrolled part time, compared with 54% of all RC students; (4) from a list of 19 potential reasons, the ones cited most frequently for not returning were, in rank order, desired courses were not available, personal reasons, did not have enough money to continue, family responsibilities were too great, classes were scheduled at the wrong times, could not work and attend college simultaneously, and achieved academic goals; (5) most academic and student services were rated as moderate, high, or very high; (6) Veterans' Services, and Minority Student Services were rated least favorably; (7) 75% of the respondents said they had enrolled for only a limited number of courses for transfer or increased knowledge, or were unsure of their academic goals; and (8) 47% of the respondents planned to return to the RC's. Detailed data tables and the survey instrument are included. (PAA)

In fall 1990, a study was conducted of new freshmen at the regional campuses (RC's) of Kent State University to gather information on the characteristics and goals of the new students and to determine their reasons for enrolling and their perceptions of the academic and student services provided. Surveys were mailed to all 2,390 new freshmen attending the seven RC's. Study findings, based on a 31.2% response rate, included the following: (1) 71% of the respondents were female, 90% were White, 5% were Native American, and 3% were African American; (2) 63% were between the ages of 18 and 22 years; (3) 62% were enrolled for 12 to 18 semester credit hours; (4) 40% said their most important academic goal was completing courses for transfer to a four-year college, while 35% cited completion of an associate degree as their most important academic goal; (5) preparing for a new career and improving knowledge and technical skills were most frequently given as important career preparation goals; (6) in terms of personal goals, 47% of the respondents cited developing the ability to be independent, self-reliant, and adaptable as important, while 29% were interested in learning skills that would enrich their lives; (7) asked about their reasons for enrolling at the RC's, 53% cited the close proximity to home or work, 16.5% cited program offerings, and 13.5% cited the low cost; and (8) the most frequent reasons cited for choosing a particular major were interest in the subject and relation to a given career. Data tables, the survey instrument and cover letter, and sample open-ended responses are included. (GFW)

In order to determine the length of time taken by graduates of Kent State University's Regional Campuses (RC) to obtain an Associate Degree, master records were analyzed for 91% (N=527) of the students who graduated in May 1990. The study considered the relationship between time to associate degree and such factors as campus attended, major, semester hours accumulated, gender, ethnicity, age, and grade point average (GPA). Complete information was not available for 67% of the graduates concerning the number of semesters they "stopped out," though available information suggested that one half of the graduates stop out at some point and that the average stop out period was two semesters. Other study findings included the following: (1) the May 1990 graduates were 96% Caucasian, 68% female, and an average of 31 years old; (2) the graduates had accumulated an average of 82 semester credit hours and earned an average GPA of 3.01; (3) the largest percentage of graduates received their degrees in 3 years, while the graduates averaged 6 years from admission to graduation; (4) the number of semesters to degree ranged from 5 semesters for Physical Therapy Assisting Technology graduates to 22 semesters for Systems/Industrial Engineering Technology graduates and 30 semesters for Banking and Finance Technology graduates; and (5) there was little difference in semesters to degree by gender, but older students and students with low GPA's tended to take longer to obtain their degrees. (GFW)

In 1990, a survey was conducted of alumni of the regional campuses (RC's) of Kent State University who received an associate degree in 1987, 1988, or 1989. Surveys were mailed to all 1,189 alumni, requesting information on their demographic characteristics, goals, education and employment experience, and satisfaction with the programs and services at the RC's. Study findings, based on a 30.5% response rate, included the following: (1) 66% of the respondents were female, 94% were white, 31% were between 31 and 40 years of age, 51% had been enrolled part time, and 89% were currently employed; (2) 24% of the respondents had enrolled at another college after completing their RC programs, though 48% indicated that their ultimate educational goal was to receive a bachelor's degree; (3) of the 189 respondents who evaluated the job preparation they received at the RC's, 32% gave the colleges an "excellent" rating, 39% said they had received "good" preparation, 24% felt they had gotten "adequate" preparation, and 5% felt their preparation was "inadequate"; (4) 92% of the respondents indicated that the ability to think critically was important in their current situation and, of these, 59% felt that the RC's had been effective in developing such skills; (5) engineering/technology, nursing, and business employed the largest percentages of alumni; (6) 76% of the alumni reported that their overall satisfaction with the RC's was "high" or "very high," although several respondents cited inadequacies in the career planning and career placement services; and (7) 20% of the respondents earned their associate degree in 2 years, while 33% took 3 years to complete their degree. Data tables, selected open-ended comments, and the survey instrument and cover letter are included. (JMC)