THE UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN
OFFICE O F
BUDGET AND
V O L U M E 1 ,
Know Blue
I S S U E 4 J U N E 2 0 0 6
PLANNING
SPECIAL
POINTS OF
Student Life
INTEREST:
Introduction Parents’ Education
• More than half of Students’ activities inside and outside the classroom Seventy-eight percent (78%) of UM students’ fathers
UM students spent can influence their learning, persistence, and academic had earned at least a bachelor’s degree; 20% of them
at least 16 hours
achievements. In this issue of M Know Blue, we would had a doctorate degree. This figure was considerably
per week studying
or preparing for like to focus on students’ activities outside the class- higher than the averages of our peer research institu-
classes. room environment. Specifically, we explore the fol- tions (58%) and other universities that participated in
lowing questions: NSSE (46%). Similarly, 69% of UM students reported
• 38% of UM fresh-
• Who are UM students? that their mother earned at least a bachelor degree
men participated in
co-curricular activi- vs. 41% for students from other institutions.
• What types of activities do UM students partici-
ties for 6 hours a Living Arrangement
week or more. pate in outside the classroom?
• How do UM students manage their time? Almost all (96%) of UM freshmen lived in residence
• One-third of UM
halls on campus. The majority (89%) of seniors lived
seniors worked off- • Are there differences between UM freshmen and off-campus, but largely within walking distance. Al-
campus. seniors? most eight out of ten students reported that they
• Almost one of spent only 1 to 5 hours a week commuting (walking
• How similar are UM students to their peers at
every five UM stu-
other universities? or driving) to campus.
dents spent more
than 21 hours per To answer those questions, we examine data from Studying for Class
week socializing
the 2003 National Survey of Student Engagement The UM campus environment appears to encourage
and relaxing. (NSSE—pronounced “nessie”). Please see Issue 1 students to study. As discussed in Volume 1 Issue 1
• 10% of UM seniors Volume 1 of this publication for a discussion about in this publication, 90% of UM students stated that
read 7 or more NSSE.
books for fun dur-
ing the school year. 100%
6% 6%
10 %
6% 6%
7%
80%
ABOUT T HIS HS Grad
13 %
16 % 15 % 30 +
NEWSLETTER: 9% 36% HS + 60% 26 t o 30
24 %
10 % Associat e 21 t o 25
69%
This web-based publica- Bachelor 40% 16 t o 20
tion is intended to 11% 26% Mast er 6 3% 63 % 0 t o 15
highlight interesting Doct or al 20% 46 %
2% 6%
information that we
garner from various
0%
surveys or research UM Resear ch U Nat ional
projects. It is our hope
that this information will
be beneficial to all par- Mothers’ level of education Hours per week spent preparing for classes
ties, especially those
who work with students
directly or can make a the campus environment encouraged them to spend
profound impact on a Student Profile significant amount of time studying “quite a bit” or
student’s experience. “very much.” In addition, UM students reported that
Approximately two thousand UM freshmen and sen-
Previous and subse- they spent significantly more time per week in prepar-
quent issues can be iors participated in NSSE 2003. There were slightly
ing for their classes than their peers at other institu-
found at more women (56%) than men (44%) in the data sam-
http://.sitemaker.umich.ed
tions. More than half (54%) of UM students spent at
ple. Seventy percent were Caucasian/White, 10%
u/mknowblue. least 16 hours per week in their academic activities
Note that all data pre-
were Asian American/Pacific Islander, and 4% were
such as studying, reading, and writing. In comparison,
sented in this issue are African American/Black.
only 37% of students at other institutions spent the
from NSSE 2003.
Student Life
(Continued from page 1) volvement in campus events such as attending week. There was a considerable larger per-
speaking sessions, performances, and athletic centage of seniors that worked on campus
same amount of time in preparing for their events. In comparison, only 59% of students (41%) than freshmen (19%). The percentage
classes. For more discussion regarding the from other universities reported the same of UM seniors who worked on campus was
academic environment at UM, please see thing. also larger than that of seniors from other
Volume 1 Issue 1 of this publication. research universities (30%) but lower than
Socializing and Relaxing
the national average (56%). Most UM seniors
Co-curricular Activities UM seniors spend significantly more time in worked between 6 to 10 hours per week on
Students also participated in many non- relaxing and socializing than UM freshmen. campus.
academic activities. In fact, compared to their Almost six out of every ten UM seniors re-
On the other hand, significantly lower num-
peers at other institutions, UM students (both ported that they spent at least 11 hours per
ber of UM students (22%) reported that they
freshmen and seniors) were significantly more week in activities such as watching TV, party-
worked off campus, compared to other re-
engaged in co-curricular activities. Almost ing, and exercising, compared to half of fresh-
search universities (37%) and all universities
four out of ten UM freshmen reported that men.
that participated in NSSE (44%).
they spent more than 6 hours per week in
Reading Habits
co-curricular activities such as student organi- More than half (54%) of UM working seniors
zations, fraternity/sorority, and athletics, vs. Most students also spent some of their free explained that they needed some financial
time reading. In general, seniors reported
3% 2%
80% 100%
9% 1 0%
20 % 80% 1 8%
14 %
60%
15 %
1 5% 31 %
11 +
11 + 60% 60 %
18 % 5 to 10
40% 14 % 1 3% 6 to 10
5 6% 1 to 4
1 to 5 40% 5 4%
None
20%
35 % 35 % 3 4% 20%
28 %
1 6%
0% 0%
To gain knowl edge/ ski lls To ear n money f or basi c expenses
UM Resear ch U National Fr eshmen Senior s
To ear n extr a spending money For something to do
Number of hours per week UM freshmen Number of books UM students read on Reason for UM seniors to work for pay
participated in co-curricular activities their own (not assigned) during a school
year
three out of ten of freshmen at other univer- resources for some basic expenses. An addi-
sities. UM seniors dedicated less time to co- that they read more books for their own tional 31% explained that they wanted some
curricular activities than UM freshmen, but enjoyment (and not as a class assignment) extra spending money and 14% saw their
still more than the seniors from other institu- than freshmen. At UM, almost three out of work as a venue to gain knowledge and skills.
tions. A small number (6%) of UM students ten seniors read more than 5 books on their
Conclusion
surveyed were athletes. Fourteen percent of own initiative during the school year. In com-
students were in a fraternity/sorority, compa- parison, only slightly more than one out every UM students spent a significant amount of
rable to other universities. ten freshmen reported that they read the time studying and preparing for classes. They
same number of books. also reported that although the campus envi-
In addition, the UM campus environment ronment emphasized academic activities, it
encouraged students to attend campus Working
also encouraged them to participate in co-
events. More than two-thirds of UM students Almost one-fourth of UM students surveyed curricular activities.
believed that the UM campus environment worked for pay on campus. These students
“quite a bit” or “very much” emphasized in- Next Issue: Citizenship behavior
mostly worked about 6 to 11 hours per
Visit us at http://
The University of Michigan sitemaker.umich.
Office of Budget and Planning edu/obpinfo Phone: 734-998-7654
520 E. Liberty St. Suite 300 Fax: 734-998-7657
Ann Arbor MI 48109-2210 Email: obpweb@umich.edu