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Senior Survey, 1998

First 2 opens, codes & themes used to categorize the comments

Q:  What is the one BEST thing about your major program?
Q:  What is the one thing you would most like to see CHANGED about your major 
    program?

(Note: essentially the same codes and definitions used in 1995 and 1996, except 
fewer were used in 1998 because we dropped the two questions about the "best" 
and "worst" aspects of CU in general.)

	
A - ADVISING--Academic:  mention of the "academic" advising experience  or 
    facility-- includes mention  A&S core advising and major advising.

C - CAREER  Advising: mention of "career" advising experience or the 
    program/facility.  Includes comments like: "No one told me how to find a 
    job,"  and "No one told me what jobs relate to my major."  Includes 
    comments about Career Services.

*C - CAREER (employment possibilities) specifically talks about the job their 
     major or degree will enable them to get.

D - DIVERSITY:  ethnic, gender, or non-specified diversity; comment could 
    pertain to students, faculty, viewpoints, or ideas/knowledge taught, both 
    negative and positive comments (e.g., need more diversity, or CU is very 
    diverse).

*D - Non-DIVERISTY: opposite idea -- mentions need to eliminate Affirmative 
     Action or preferential treatment of minorities;  also includes statements 
     like CU is "too liberal", advocating respect for conservative, non-liberal 
     groups and viewpoints.

E - ACADEMICS/reputation (of college or major department): "academics" includes 
    any broad statements on the "academic experience" --the broad knowledge 
    base gained in a  CU program-- e.g. Honors, PLC, Farrand/Sewall.  (Code as 
    E when "courses" not mentioned/implied--e.g., the knowledge/skills learned 
    in a (major) program--not tied to any specific courses.) 

F - FACULTY:  includes mention of performance, student interaction, teaching, 
    research, tenure -- includes GPTIs, TAs;  also discussion of the 
    teaching/research dilemma;  or statements about needing more faculty in a 
    department/program.

H - HANDS-ON, REAL-LIFE, practical experiences in learning:  includes mention 
    of student's (not faculty!) research or internship experiences or practical 
    learning experiences in the classroom (vs. theoretical), request for more 
    courses in such things as computer applications/skills, writing and public 
    speaking skills, need for Study Abroad experiences, student teaching 
    experience.  Also includes mention of social skills learned in classroom 
    interactions with students and faculty.  (A comment  iscoded as "hands-on" 
    and not under courses, if it mentions practical or hands-on experience of a 
    course.)

I -  SIZE of  major department (or CU ) - e.g., too large (so felt like a 
     number because of size), OR  major department was small and friendly.

M - MAJOR PROGRAM:  comments about  program structure, emphasis, leadership, or 
    policies of student's  major program. 

N - ON-CAMPUS RESOURCES/facilities/activities:  includes mention of specific 
    NON-course-related programs or facilities  (e.g. Rec Center, computer labs, 
    equipment, student groups, UMC, Wardenburg, Norlin, and on-campus 
    housing/residence halls).

P - MAJOR PROGRAM -- Wish had picked a different major program: (few of these, 
    grouped under Major Program -- M above).

Q - COURSES -- Availability:  not  able to get into classes needed or wanted. 
    (Possibly the reverse statement as well:  could always get the classes 
    needed).

U - COURSES -- Curriculum Requirements:  includes any mention of the A&S Core 
    requirements (positive or negative comments about its effectiveness) or 
    major requirements.

V - COURSES -- Variety:  variety of courses offered or lack of it.

Z - COURSES -- Size:  classes were too large (too many students), OR were just 
    the right size--small enough for teacher-student interaction.

Y - COURSES -- Other:  any other comments about courses than the above 
    course-themes.  Includes comments about course content, "XXXX was a great 
    course," grading practices (e.g. "no easy A's,"  test-taking practices, 
    credit's earned in a course, impact on one's life--ONLY IF 
    practical/hands-on impact or skills NOT mentioned.)

S - COMMUNITY/Students/staff interaction:  Interaction with other students and 
    campus/Boulder community folks, other than faculty and other than staff 
    from CU Administration (e.g. Financial Aid, Bursar's).  Also includes 
    general mention of "liked the social life at CU," or negative comments such 
    as:  didn't mix with/like the type of people or student at CU: e.g. "too 
    many apathetic, non-serious students"; liked/didn't like the Greeks or 
    Greek system.

O - OTHER: Other comments that did not fall under any of the above themes. 

J - NO COMMENT: e.g. wrote "No Comment" - didn't have anything negative to say 
    about major program.

Last revision 07/30/03