A Longitudinal Study of Selected Changes in the Perception of the University Environment as Held by Students who Participate in Two Forms of University Governance PDF Download

Author: Arthur Grant Underwood
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : College environment
Languages : en
Pages : 162

Get Book

Book Description
The purpose of this study was to investigate the change in perception of the university environment that occurred in students who participated in two forms of university governance at Oregon State University. Students who participated as members of joint student-faculty committees (university committees) were compared with members of all-student committees. The time span of the study covered one academic year. The College University Environment Scales was the instrument utilized to measure the students' perceptions of the university environment. Additional data was obtained from the students' files in the Office of the Dean of Students. The sample used in testing the hypotheses included 102 students. Group I consisted of 51 members of university committees. Group II consisted of 51 members of all-student committees. The data was subjected to statistical analysis to determine the validity of the following hypotheses: 1. There is no significant difference in the amount of change in the perception of the university environment (as measured by the seven scales of the College University Environment Scales) between student participants on university committees and student participants on all-student government committees, for either male or female members. 2. There is no significant change in the student's perception of the university environment (as measured by the seven scales of the College University Environment Scales) among those participants on university committees for either males or females. 3. There is no significant difference in the amount of change in the student's perception of the university environment (as measured by the seven scales of the College University Environment Scales), among those participating on all-student government committees, for either males or females. All hypotheses were accepted at the .05 and . 01 levels of significance. The following conclusions were drawn from the findings of this study: 1. Students who participate in university government view the university environment in a similar fashion. 2. Male and female student participants in university government view the university environment in a similar fashion. 3. Student participation in university government resulted in no significant change from previously held perceptions of the university environment. 4. Student participants on university committees do not view the university environment significantly different from student participants on all-student committees. The major limitation of the study was the small sample size available for study.