DRAFT for CPP · DRAFT for CPP Spring 2008 Final Exams and Reading Days Feedback from TCNJ...
Transcript of DRAFT for CPP · DRAFT for CPP Spring 2008 Final Exams and Reading Days Feedback from TCNJ...
DRAFT for CPP
Spring 2008 Final Exams and Reading Days
Feedback from TCNJ Students, Faculty and Staff
Prepared for the Committee on Planning and Priorities
By the Center for Institutional Effectiveness
August 2008
Executive Summary
To assess the effectiveness of the shortened reading days and exam period in the Spring 2008 semester, the
Committee on Planning and Priorities (CPP) asked TCNJ students, faculty and staff to complete a brief survey
after the completion of exams. Each group received a different online survey created in Form Genie. CPP will
use these results in their further discussion of TCNJ‟s final exam policy and the perpetual calendar.
Summary of Results
Almost 60% of freshmen, sophomore and junior respondents indicated that the number of reading days
did not meet their needs
o More students from the Schools of Engineering and Science felt this way.
62% of freshmen, sophomores and juniors felt that the Spring 2008 exam schedule did not allow them to
put forth their best effort.
o More than half the students from the School of the Arts and Communication (56%) felt it did.
A majority of faculty respondents (87%) indicated that they felt their students had adequate time to
prepare for finals.
o Most who felt students did not were from the Schools of Culture & Society and Science.
Over half of the staff (67%) felt that students were given the time and conditions to be successful on
exams.
o Those who didn‟t noted the same issues as students, namely:
exam schedule was too “crunched” together;
exam times were “too early or too late”;
exams were scheduled for Monday evening - which students thought of as a reading day.
Almost all faculty (94%) are available to students during the reading period
o Some (13%) only electronically
Most staff (74%) felt that students used the reading days productively.
Almost all students (90%) indicated that their professors gave them the full two hours and 50 minutes
allotted to complete their final exam.
o More than half the students (63%), across all levels, indicated that they did not need all the time.
o More students from the School of Engineering (54%) did use the full time
Most of the faculty (87%) felt that the time allotted for final exams was appropriate.
o Thirty five (25%) commented that the amount of time allotted for exams was too long,
o Four (3%) commented that there was not enough time.
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 2 of 16
Introduction
After final exams in the Spring 2008 semester, the Committee on Planning and Priorities (CPP) obtained
feedback from the College of New Jersey community (students, faculty and staff) on their final exam
experience (see minutes from 2/13/08: http://www.tcnj.edu/~Steering/cpp/CPP_minutes_02-13-08.doc).
In this semester, there was both a shortened reading day and final exam period. To assess the
effectiveness of this shortened process, TCNJ students, faculty and staff were asked to complete a brief
survey addressing these issues. Each group received a different online survey created in Form Genie
asking questions related to their final exam experience for the spring 2008 semester. CPP will use these
results in their further discussion of TCNJ‟s final exam policy and the perpetual calendar.
Student Responses
Method
TCNJ students were given the opportunity, via email, to participate in a brief online survey after taking
their final exams. A copy of the student survey instrument is available in Appendix I. The anonymous
survey contained questions about class level and major/department, followed by four statements on the
final exam process that students were to answer by selecting either agree or disagree. Students were
able to elaborate with comments after each question. A section for general comments not related to a
specific question was also provided. In order to continue a discussion on the TCNJ final exam
policy/process, students were able to provide their email addresses for participation in a focus group to
discuss their final exam issues/concerns during the fall 2008 semester.
Results
A total of 1683 students responded to the student survey, which is a 27% response rate. The class level
of student respondents is included in the tables below. There are 35 students included in the total for
seniors who identified themselves as super-seniors, as the current student information system does not
distinguish between 4th
year senior and 5th
year (and beyond) seniors. The response rate by class level
very closely matched the enrolled student population at TCNJ in the Fall 2007 semester.
Class Level Respondents Enrolled Students
Number Percent Number Percent
Freshmen 434 26% 1581 25%
Sophomore 495 29% 1515 24%
Junior 409 24% 1559 25%
Senior 345 21% 1509 24%
Non-matriculant 0 0% 41 1%
Total 1683 100% 6205 100%
The school of the major reported by student respondents is included in the table below. The proportion
of students from each school responding is nearly identical to the number of students enrolled in each
school in the Fall 2007 semester for all schools.
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 3 of 16
School Respondents Enrolled Students
Number Percent Number Percent
The Arts & Communication 144 9% 599 10%
Business 266 16% 1098 18%
Culture & Society 451 27% 1664 27%
Education 217 13% 754 12%
Engineering 118 7% 431 7%
Nursing, Health, & Exercise
Science
121 7% 560 9%
Science 357 21% 1052 17%
Not Available / Other 9 1% 47 1%
Total 1683 100% 6205 100%
Student Item 1
The number of reading days met my needs as a student in terms of preparing for final exams and/or
completing final projects.
Over half of the students responding (56%) disagreed with this statement, indicating their belief that
they did not have a sufficient number of reading days to prepare for final exams and projects. As the
graph below indicates, by class level, sophomores (65%), juniors (59%) and freshmen (53%) disagreed
with this statement, while seniors (66%) and super-seniors (55%) agreed with it.
As indicated in the table below, a greater number of students in the Schools of Engineering (73%) and
Science (66%) believed they did not have a sufficient number of reading days, while slightly more than
half the students in the Schools of Nursing, Health and Exercise Science (53%), the Arts and
Communication (53%)and Education (51%) believed they did.
FreshmenSophomo
reJunior Senior
Supersenior
Question #1 disagree 53% 65% 59% 45% 34%
Question #1 agree 47% 35% 41% 55% 66%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Responses to Item 1 by Class Level (%)
Question #1 disagree
Question #1 agree
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 4 of 16
School
Response to Item 1
Total No Yes
Count Percent Count Percent
Arts & Communication 68 47.22% 76 52.78% 144
Business 144 54.14% 122 45.86% 266
Culture & Society 245 54.32% 206 45.68% 451
Education 106 48.85% 111 51.15% 217
Engineering 86 72.88% 32 27.12% 118
Nursing, Health & Exercise Science 57 47.11% 64 52.89% 121
Science 236 66.11% 121 33.89% 357
Unknown 5 55.56% 4 44.44% 9
Grand Total 947 56.27% 736 43.73% 1683
Student Item 2
The schedule for my final exams allowed me to put forth my best effort.
Similarly to the responses for Student Item 1, 59% of student respondents disagreed with the statement
indicating that the final exam schedule allowed them to put forth their best effort. Sophomores (66%),
Juniors (63%), and Freshmen (56%) disagreed with the statement, while Seniors (51%) and Super-
Seniors (51%) agreed with it, illustrated in the chart below.
In a breakdown of responses by school, a majority of respondents from only the School of Arts &
Communication (57%) agreed with the statement. In all other schools, over 50% of respondents
disagreed, as indicated in the table below.
Freshmen
Sophomore
Junior SeniorSupersen
ior
Question #2 % disagree 56 66 63 49 49
Question #2 % agree 44 34 37 51 51
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Responses to Item 2 by Class Level (%)
Question #2 % disagree
Question #2 % agree
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 5 of 16
School
Response to Item 2
Total No Yes
Count Percent Count Percent
Arts & Communication 62 43.06% 82 56.94% 144
Business 135 50.75% 131 49.25% 266
Culture & Society 263 58.31% 188 41.69% 451
Education 119 54.84% 98 45.16% 217
Engineering 90 76.27% 28 23.73% 118
Nursing, Health & Exercise Science 68 56.20% 53 43.80% 121
Science 251 70.31% 106 29.69% 357
Unknown 6 66.67% 3 33.33% 9
Grand Total 994 59.06% 689 40.94% 1683
Student Item 3
My professors provided me with the full two hours and fifty minutes scheduled to complete my final
exam.
An overwhelming majority of students (90%) responded that they agreed with the statement that
professors provided the full two hours and fifty minutes for exams. The high percentage of agreement
with this statement indicates that students at TCNJ are for the most part able to have the full time
allotted for final exams, as stated in the College‟s final exam policy. Only a small number of students
disagreed with this statement, and, as indicated in the chart below, there was no specific class level that
was in the majority.
Agreement was fairly unanimous across schools as well, as indicated in the table below.
Freshmen
Sophomore
Junior SeniorSupersen
ior
Question #3 % disagree 11 11 9 9 14
Question #3 % agree 89 89 91 91 86
0
20
40
60
80
100
Responses to Item 3 by Class Level (%)
Question #3 % disagree
Question #3 % agree
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 6 of 16
School
Response to Question 3
Total No Yes
Count Percent Count Percent
Arts & Communication 4 2.78% 140 97.22% 144
Business 27 10.15% 239 89.85% 266
Culture & Society 49 10.86% 402 89.14% 451
Education 23 10.60% 194 89.40% 217
Engineering 11 9.32% 107 90.68% 118
Nursing, Health & Exercise Science 7 5.79% 114 94.21% 121
Science 45 12.61% 312 87.39% 357
Unknown 2 22.22% 7 77.78% 9
Grand Total 168 9.98% 1515 90.02% 1683
Student Item 4
I required the full two hours and fifty minutes scheduled to complete most of my final exams.
The majority of students (63%) indicated that they did not require the full time allotted for their final
exams. As the chart below indicates, there was little variation in response with class level.
In looking at response percentages across schools, slightly more than half (54%) of respondents from the
School of Engineering indicated they used the full time allotted. A majority of respondents from all
other schools indicated that they did not need the full time, as indicated in the table below.
Freshmen
Sophomore
Junior SeniorSupersen
ior
Question #4 % disagree 64 62 61 67 54
Question #4 % agree 36 38 39 33 46
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Responses to Item 4 by Class Level (%)
Question #4 % disagree
Question #4 % agree
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 7 of 16
School
Response to Question 4
Total No Yes
Count Percent Count Percent
Arts & Communication 101 70.14% 43 29.86% 144
Business 177 66.54% 89 33.46% 266
Culture & Society 313 69.40% 138 30.60% 451
Education 128 58.99% 89 41.01% 217
Engineering 54 45.76% 64 54.24% 118
Nursing, Health & Exercise Science 92 76.03% 29 23.97% 121
Science 192 53.78% 165 46.22% 357
Unknown 6 66.67% 3 33.33% 9
Grand Total 1063 63.16% 620 36.84% 1683
Student Comments
TCNJ students were given the opportunity to elaborate on their response to each of the four survey
questions. Students that commented were often candid in their criticism of the final exam and reading
day schedules. In order to provide more specificity, comments were sorted into categories based on type
and an analysis was conducted. Responses were counted under more than one category as appropriate.
Results of the response analysis are discussed below. All student responses are available in the
companion excel file.
Student comments to Item 1
The number of reading days met my needs as a student in terms of preparing for final exams and/or
completing final projects.
Student comments to question #1 were grouped under the following six types of responses:
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Question #1 Question #2 Question #3 Question #4
Students with Comments (%)
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 8 of 16
More Reading Days – Students indicated the need for more reading days/number of reading days
provided was not enough.
Reading days provided was sufficient.
No reading days on weekends-Students preferred to not have weekends included as reading days.
Final exam schedule problems-Students expressed various concerns with the scheduling of the
final exams in spring 2008.
No final exams during reading days- Students were concerned with the scheduling of finals on
Monday evening.
Fall 2007 final exam schedule was preferred by students or a final exam schedule from a prior
semester/year.
A total of 693 students (41%) gave elaborated comments to Question 1: 619 or 89.3%, were from
students who disagreed with the number of reading days available during the final exam period. In 87
percent of the responses, students indicated not having enough reading days offered for the spring 2008
final exam period. The breakdown of this category by class level is 42% sophomore, 38% juniors, 32%
freshmen, and 29% seniors. Comments from students expressing problems with the overall schedule for
spring final exams accounted for 19% of the responses. Other percentages of responses were as follows:
10% believed the number of reading days available was appropriate, 13% of students were concerned
with weekends being counted as reading days, 10% of students had a problem with final exams
beginning on Monday, and 6% commented on preferring a final exam schedule similar to that offered in
the fall of 2007. It is clear from the responses that a number of students believed that more reading days
should be available during the final exam process in order for them to be prepared for exams and
complete final projects.
Student Comments to Item 2
The schedule for my final exams allowed me to put forth my best effort.
Student comments to question #2 were grouped under the following six types of responses:
Final exam schedule was good-Student had no problems with the final exam schedule
Problems with time of final exams-Exams were scheduled too early/too late/poor time.
No final exams on reading days-Student had a problem with an exam being scheduled on
Monday evening.
Final exam schedule problem-Student had problems with his/her final exam schedule/final exam
schedule was confusing.
More preparation time need for exams-Student wanted more reading days for final exams and
projects.
Projects due on exam days-Student had regular/final projects due on same day as final exams.
There were 725 students (43%) that gave elaborated comments to question 2; 88% of the responses were
from students that disagreed with the statement that „The schedule for final exams allowed me to put
forth my best effort‟. Almost half of the responses (49%) were about students‟ displeasure with the
7:30am and 7:30pm final exam time slots. More juniors and sophomores commented on the new exam
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 9 of 16
times than students in other class levels, 26% and 24% respectively. Another 45% indicated that they
had scheduling problems which interfered with their ability to do well on their final exams (sophomores:
23%, juniors: 20%). Other responses percentages were: 10% students had no problems with the final
exam schedule, 2% of the responses were for no final exams on reading days, 22% of the responses were
for more reading days/preparation time for finals, and less than one percent (0.5%) did not want
regular/final projects due during the final exam period.
Student Comments to Item 3
My professors provided me with the full two hours and fifty minutes scheduled to complete my final
exam.
Student comments to question #3 were grouped as follows:
Less final exam time was provided.
Full final exam time was provided.
Less time was required to completed final exam.
Time for exam was restricted by program/course (ACS).
More time was required for final exam than given/more time was required for final exam and
given by the professor.
No final exam required/only final project due.
A total of 171 students (10%) provided additional responses to question 3; 62% of the comments were
from students that disagreed with the statement „My professors provided me the full two hours and fifty
minutes scheduled to complete my final exams’. Of those who offered comments, 48% said they were
given less than the full time allotted for their finals, 33% said they were given the required amount of
time, 16% said that less time was needed than the full time allotted to completed their finals, 11% were
taking an ACS regulated final exam which called for two hours only, 9% said that more time (more than
2hrs 50 min) was required to complete their exams and/or the professor gave them more time, and 6%
had only final projects due and did not take a final exam. Comments were evenly distributed across
class levels. With only 10% of those that took the survey commenting on question #3, it‟s difficult to
determine if a majority of professors did or did not offer the full-time allotted as required by final exam
policy.
Student Comments to Item 4
I required the full two hours and fifty minutes scheduled to complete most of my final exams.
Student comments to question 4 are grouped in the following categories:
Full time allotted for finals not required by student
Full time allotted for finals was required by student
More preparation time needed for final exams by student
No final exam given-only final projects/papers
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 10 of 16
There were 302 students (18%) that elaborated on their response to question 4. The majority of
comments were from students that stated they did not require the full time allotted for final exams, 55%.
Comments were for the most part distributed equally across class levels. Thirty-nine percent of the
comments were from students that indicated they did require the entire two hours and fifty minutes.
Other types of comments received included 0.3% concerning more preparation time for final exams and
4% of students reported having no final exam only final papers/projects.
Faculty Responses
Method
TCNJ faculty were asked to respond to a brief online survey after the final examination period ended.
The online survey was announced twice to faculty via TCNJ e-mail. A copy of the blank faculty survey
is available in Appendix I. The faculty feedback survey contained items that collected information on
faculty standing and department, followed by three statements on the final exam process that faculty
were to answer by selecting either „yes‟ or „no‟. Faculty were able to elaborate with comments after
each question.
Results
All results are available in the companion excel file. A total of 141 faculty responded to the online
survey, which is a 40% response rate. A breakout of the faculty demographic information as reported by
survey respondents is included in the tables below, and compared with faculty data for TCNJ as of the
Fall 2007 reporting date. Proportionately more full-time faculty than adjuncts responded to the survey.
Faculty
Appointment
Survey Respondents TCNJ
Number Percent Number Percent
Full-time 107 75.9% 335 45.7%
Part-time 5 3.5% 21 2.9%
Adjunct 29 20.6% 377 51.4%
Total 141 733
More faculty from the School of Science and less from the Schools of Education and the Arts &
Communication responded to the survey than would have been expected given the number and percent
at the College.
Faculty School Survey Respondents TCNJ
Number Percent Number Percent
Arts & Communication (AM) 11 7.8% 98 13%
Business (BN) 13 9.2% 57 8%
Culture & Society (CS) 48 34.0% 200 27%
Education (ED) 8 5.7% 176 24%
Engineering (EG) 3 2.1% 29 4%
Nursing, Health, Ex.Sc. (NH) 8 5.7% 58 8%
Science (SS) 43 30.5% 115 16%
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 11 of 16
Not Available 7 5.0%
Total 141 100% 733 100%
Faculty Item 1
Do you feel that the two hours and fifty minutes allotted for your final examinations was appropriate?
Most faculty respondents (87%) agreed with the statement that two hours and fifty minutes was an
appropriate amount of time for final examinations. A breakout of the responses by school is listed in the
table below. While it appears that faculty respondents from the School of Engineering felt the time was
not appropriate, only 3 faculty responded, perhaps artificially inflating this negative response. Twenty-
five percent of the faculty respondents from the School of Culture and Society also disagreed with this
statement.
School
Faculty Response to Question 1
Total No Yes
Count Percent Count Percent
The Arts & Communication 1 9% 10 91% 11
Business 2 15% 11 85% 13
Culture & Society 12 25% 36 75% 48
Unknown 0 0% 5 100% 5
Education 1 10% 9 90% 10
Engineering 1 33% 2 67% 3
Nursing, Health & Exercise
Science
0 0% 8 100% 8
Science 2 5% 41 95% 43
Grand Total 19 13% 122 87% 141
Forty-five percent of the faculty that participated in the survey elaborated on their response to question
1. Faculty commentary was coded into four groups or types of responses:
Time for exams is too long.
Not enough time for exams.
Time for exams is appropriate.
Did not like final exam schedule this spring 08.
An analysis of faculty comments to item one reveal that 52% of the comments were about the time for
final exams being too long. Within this type of comment, 48% of the responses were from faculty in the
School of Culture & Society. Only 6.3% of the comments were for not enough time for final exams,
41.3% commented on the final exam time being appropriate (34.6% CS, 26.9% SS) and 33.3% of the
comments were from faculty who did not like the final exam schedule this spring 2008 semester (52%
CS). It is obvious from the responses received that the majority of faculty surveyed believe that the
current time allotted for final examinations is adequate and in some cases more than adequate to
successfully complete a final exam.
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 12 of 16
Faculty Item 2
Do you make yourself available to students during their assigned reading days?
The responses to Item 2 clearly indicate that the faculty at TCNJ understand their students‟ needs for
availability during the final examination period: 94% of respondents stated that they were available to
students during reading days prior to final exams. When examining the response by school, the results
for Engineering may again be deceptive, due to the low response rate.
School
Response to Item 2 Total
Count No Yes
Count Percent Count Percent
The Arts &
Communication
0 0% 11 100% 11
Business 1 8% 12 92% 13
Culture & Society 4 8% 44 92% 48
Unknown 0 0% 5 100% 5
Education 1 10% 9 90% 10
Engineering 1 33% 2 67% 3
Nursing, Health &
Exercise Science
0 0% 8 100% 8
Science 2 5% 41 95% 43
Grand Total 9 6% 132 94% 141
There were 68 faculty members that elaborated on their response to Item 2 (48%). Of the comments
received, 71% were comments about on-campus availability, 13% were from faculty that were available
by e-mail only, 7% commented on offering an optional review session to students either in addition to
other forms of availability or in lieu of other forms, and 9% were comments on unavailability to students
during reading days.
Faculty Item 3
Do you feel that your students had adequate preparation time in the days leading up to their final
exams?
Again, similar to responses received for Items 1 and 2, an overwhelming majority of faculty (87%)
selected „yes‟ as their response to students having adequate time to prepare. As the table below
illustrates, one hundred percent of faculty respondents from the Schools of Education, Engineering, and
Nursing, Health & Exercise Science, as well as those with an unknown affiliation felt that students had
adequate preparation time. Eight respondents each from the Schools of Culture & Society and Science
(representin
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 13 of 16
School
Response to Faculty Item 3
Total No Yes
Count Percent Count Percent
The Arts & Communication 1 9% 10 91% 11
Business 2 15% 11 85% 13
Culture & Society 8 17% 40 83% 48
Unknown 0 0% 5 100% 5
Education 0 0% 10 100% 10
Engineering 0 0% 3 100% 3
Nursing, Health & Exercise
Science
0 0% 8 100% 8
Science 8 19% 35 81% 43
Grand Total 19 13% 122 87% 141
The analysis of faculty comments to Item 3 yielded four types of comments:
Not enough preparation time.
Amount of preparation time was adequate.
Too much preparation time given.
Did not like final exam schedule this spring 2008.
There were 57 (40%) faculty members that elaborated on Item 3 with comments. Comments were
received in each category with the following percentages: Not enough preparation time, 22.8% (53.8%
of the total in this category were from School of Science); 35% commented on students having an
adequate amount of preparation time (50% of the comments in this category were from the School of
Culture & Society); 15.8% commented on students having more than enough time for preparation; and
43.9% of the comments were about problems with the spring 2008 final exam schedule.
Faculty Conclusion
In reviewing the results obtained with the TCNJ Faculty survey we find high percentages of faculty
reporting that they are following TCNJ‟s final exam policy. The majority of faculty that responded to
the survey believe that the amount of exam time offered this spring was adequate or more than adequate,
they report that were available to students during the reading days, and they believe that their students
were given adequate preparation time for final exams. The main issue that appears to be common
among a majority of faculty is the spring 2008 final exam schedule. Faculty comments concerning the
spring schedule ranged from disagreement with the late/early times of exams, scheduling conflicts,
exams „crunched‟ over four days, campus facilities, and genuine concern for their students‟ well-being.
Many faculty members commented that they would like to be consulted about the scheduling process in
the future in order to avoid problems that were experienced this spring.
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 14 of 16
Staff Method
TCNJ staff were asked to respond to a brief online survey after the final examination period ended. The
online survey was announced to staff twice via TCNJ e-mail. A copy of the blank staff survey is
available in Appendix I. The staff feedback survey contained items that collected information on staff
department, followed by two statements on the final exam process that staff were to answer by selecting
either „yes‟ or „no‟. Staff were able to elaborate with comments after each question.
Staff Results
A total of 34 staff responded to the online survey, which is a 5.1% response rate. Survey data results,
with comments from the survey can be viewed in the companion excel document. Only two
departments had three staff members responding (Athletics and Student Affairs), and most had one or
two. Staff departments were merged into three groups: Academic Departments; Auxiliary Services; and
Student Affairs and/or Student Support Services. Half of the responses to the survey came from staff in
the Student Affairs and/or Student Support Services, the other half was split between Academic
Departments, and Auxiliary Services. A list of departments and the group to which they were assigned
is below.
Department Count Percent
Academic
Library 2
School of Culture & Society 1
School of Education 2
School of Engineering 1
School of Nursing, Health & Exercise
Science
1
School of Science 1
School of the Arts & Communication 1
Academic Subtotal 9 26.5%
Auxiliary Services
Academic Grants/Sponsored Research 1
Admissions 2
Auxiliary Services/CMS 1
Campus Planning/Construction 1
Facilities 1
Public Affairs 1
Auxiliary Services Subtotal 7 20.6%
Student Support/Affairs
Academic Support Programs 1
Athletics 3
Career Services 2
Center for Academic Success 1
EOF 1
Health Services 1
Information Technology 2
Residential Ed & Housing 1
Student Activities/Leadership 1
Student Affairs 3
User Support Services 1
Student Support/Affairs Total 17 50.0%
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 15 of 16
None Given 1
Total Responses 34
Staff Item 1
Based on your interactions with students through your department/office, do you believe students were
afforded the appropriate time and conditions to be successful in both preparing for and taking their final
exams?
Two thirds (67%) of staff respondents selected „yes‟ in response to this question, indicating that they
believed that an appropriate amount of time was provided and the conditions were adequate for students
to prepare and be successful on their final examinations. Notably, 71% of staff responding from
Auxiliary or Student Affairs/Support Departments felt students had the time and conditions to be
successful, but, only 56% of those from Academic areas did.
Department Type
Staff Response to Item 1 Total
Count No Yes
Count Percent Count Percent
Academic 4 44% 5 56% 9
Auxiliary Services 2 29% 5 71% 7
Student Support/Affairs 5 29% 12 71% 17
Grand Total 11 33% 22 67% 33
The staff that disagreed, believing an inappropriate amount of time was available and/or conditions
weren‟t adequate, elaborated on their responses with statements concerning the exam schedule being too
„crunched‟ together, exam times were „too early or too late‟, and exams were scheduled for Monday
evening which students thought of as a reading day. All staff members who disagreed provided a
comment, and a total of 42% of the staff commented.
Staff Item 2
From your interactions and observations of students through your department/office, do you feel
students use the assigned reading days productively?
The responses to Item 2 indicated that close to 74% of the TCNJ staff believe that students used their
assigned reading days productively. Once again, staff from the Academic Units were less inclined to
agree with this statement (only 63%).
Department Type
Staff Response to Item 2
Total Count No Yes
Count Percent Count Percent
Academic 3 38% 5 63% 8
Auxiliary Services 1 17% 5 83% 6
Student
Support/Affairs
4 24% 13 76% 17
Grand Total 8 26% 23 74% 31
There were 14 staff members that elaborated on their response to Item 2 (42%); half were from staff that
selected „yes‟ and half were from staff that selected „no‟ as their response to the item. Forty three
Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008
Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 16 of 16
percent of the comments received were concerned with changes that can be made to the final exam
schedule. The remaining 57% were general comments related to students‟ use of reading days.
Staff Conclusion
Overall, responses to the staff survey indicate that a majority of the staff surveyed believe that students
were given an appropriate amount of time to prepare for their final exams and that the students made
productive use of their study time. Due to the low number of responses received from staff, it would be
difficult to use the results obtained here to make any statements about the final exam schedule at TCNJ,
but these results may be used to supplement the results of the faculty and students surveys for spring
2008 final exams.
Overall Conclusion
Students felt there were not enough reading days, with almost 60% of freshmen, sophomore and junior
respondents indicating that the number of reading days did not meet their needs. More students from the
Schools of Engineering and Science felt this way. Similarly, 62% of freshmen, sophomores and juniors
felt that the Spring 2008 exam schedule did not allow them to put forth their best effort. However, more
than half the students from the School of the Arts and Communication (56%) felt it did. In some
contrast, a majority of faculty respondents (87%) indicated that they felt their students had adequate time
to prepare for finals. Most of the Faculty who felt their students did not have adequate time to prepare
were from the Schools of Culture & Society and Science. Over half of the staff (67%) also felt that
students were given the time and conditions to be successful on exams. The 33% of staff responding
who felt students did not have the best conditions, a larger proportion of whom were from Academic
units, noted that the exam schedule was too „crunched‟ together, exam times were „too early or too late‟,
and exams were scheduled for Monday evening - which students thought of as a reading day.
Almost all faculty respondents (94%) indicated that they are available to students during the reading
period, although some indicated in their comments (13%) that they are available electronically, and not
in person. Most of the staff respondents (74%) felt that students did use the reading days productively.
Only 63% of those from Academic units did so, however.
Almost all student respondents (90%) indicated that their professors gave them the full two hours and 50
minutes allotted to complete their final exam. However, more than half (63%), across all levels,
indicated that they did not need all the time. More students from the School of Engineering (54%) did
use the full two hours and 50 minutes to complete their exams. Most of the faculty (87%) felt that the
time allotted for final exams was appropriate. Upon looking at the comments provided, more than half
faculty who commented (52%), especially those from the School of Culture and Society, felt the amount
of time allotted for exams was too long, and only 6% felt that there was not enough time.
The feedback received from the spring 2008 Student Feedback Survey on Reading Days and Final
Exams provides the Committee on Planning and Priorities (CPP) and TCNJ administrators with key
student information to help assess the policy and procedures in place for final exams and reading days.
Due to the robust response rate for this survey, results obtained will be helpful as a guideline for
planning future final exam and reading days scheduling at TCNJ.