Posts tagged media
Graduating seniors give CU Boulder high marks
May 8th
About four in five respondents reported satisfaction with their CU-Boulder education. A similar proportion would recommend CU-Boulder to a friend and nearly 98 percent of the seniors reported that their program of study met their educational goals.
The 2012 study is the latest edition of the senior survey, conducted 11 times since 1985 by CU-Boulder’s Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis, or PBA.
“The survey data clearly demonstrate that these students, from their perspective as seniors, judge the university in overwhelmingly positive terms,” said Michael Grant, CU-Boulder associate vice chancellor for undergraduate education. “CU-Boulder routinely invests a lot of time and energy in polling our senior students about their experiences, academic and otherwise, in order to continuously work toward improving those experiences.”
The online questionnaire was sent to 7,646 degree-seeking seniors and was completed by 2,890, or 38 percent, of the recipients. Comprising about 200 scaled items, plus four open-ended questions, the survey collected a massive amount of information including nearly 7,900 written comments.
The 2012 seniors’ ratings of CU-Boulder advising services were higher than those from any previous senior survey. The seniors’ satisfaction with numerous other CU-Boulder services, from libraries to information technology, was high and generally comparable to that of earlier cohorts.
“We use the survey results extensively to look at what’s popular and working well, to set goals to improve services, and even to pass along advice,” said Jim Davis Rosenthal, CU-Boulder director of orientation and director of the Office of Student Affairs Assessment. “Based on one of the survey questions, we are able to let incoming freshmen know what outgoing seniors wished they had gotten involved in. Other departments also use the results to encourage students to try opportunities they might not otherwise have considered. In a way, it’s like older siblings giving advice to their younger siblings.”
Large proportions of seniors said that if they were to start over at CU-Boulder, they would put more effort toward or spend more time on interacting with faculty (60 percent), career exploration (51 percent), and campus-related research projects, internships and applied experiences (45 percent).
Nearly two-thirds of seniors who expected to graduate by summer 2012 reported that their principal activity in fall 2012 was most likely to be paid employment, either full time (48 percent) or part time (15 percent). A combined 15 percent said they were most likely to be enrolled in graduate studies, professional school or other coursework. A combined 13 percent expected to go into military service, or pursue volunteer service, an internship, student teaching or travel.
The thousands of student comments included praise for various aspects of their major programs, suggestions for ways to enhance and improve major programs, and descriptions of ways in which their major program did or did not meet their educational goals.
One student wrote, “I feel that I am prepared to be an exceptional teacher after I graduate. The school had a lot to do with my preparedness.” Another wrote, “Excellent material, mostly great professors, and fantastic facilities all add up to a well-rounded education.”
The survey collects information on seniors’ satisfaction with their educational experiences at CU-Boulder and about their post-graduation plans. The survey’s findings are used primarily to provide systematic information for academic and service units to use in planning and improvement, and for use by prospective and current students, their advisers, and their families.
Preliminary results for the Seniors’ Future Plans Survey, which is separate from the comprehensive senior survey and which has been conducted each year since 2009, show a jump in full-time employment expectations. The initial data show that 54 percent of CU-Boulder seniors in 2013 expect full-time employment to be their principal activity after graduation, an increase from 48 percent in 2012. Expectations for part-time employment were reported by 15 percent of the 2013 seniors.
The 2012 questionnaire and comprehensive data from the senior survey, including summary reports from students in each of CU-Boulder’s schools and colleges and nearly 50 departments, are available athttp://www.colorado.edu/pba/surveys/senior/12/index.htm.
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CU trackster Abrianna Torres finishes 3rd in PAC-12 heptathalon
May 6th
LOS ANGELES – University of Colorado redshirt freshman Abrianna Torres had a weekend to remember as she earned a third-place finish in the heptathlon on Sunday at the Pac-12 Track & Field Championships with a personal record of 5,357 points.
As a team, the Buffs picked up 12 points in the heptathlon with senior Brianne Beemer placing fifth (5,238) and junior Genny Mayden taking seventh overall (5,161).
Torres’ score moved her up to sixth on CU’s all-time performers list in the heptathlon. She narrowly beat out Cal’s Jaci Powell for the bronze as Powell was just six points behind Torres (5,351). Arizona State’s Keia Pinnick won with 5,801 points.
Torres had a great afternoon, recording personal bests in two of the three events. She jumped 19-4 to place second in the long jump and even though it wasn’t a PR, it was the best jump for her in a heptathlon and placed 10th on the school’s all-time heptathlon list. Torres launched a lifetime best in the javelin with the third best throw by a CU heptathlete (132-11), which also placed second. She finished strong and knocked over seven seconds off her previous PR in the 800, crossing the finish in 2:25.09 for seventh.
Beemer also had a nice day. She was eighth in the long jump after recording a jump of 16-10.50 and then PR’d in the javelin by almost four feet with a throw of 120-0. Beemer finished her day with a runner-up finish in the 800, clocking in at 2:15.56. She was half a second from the winner, Pinnick, who finished in 2:15.06.
Rounding out CU’s score in the heptathlon was Mayden. She was fifth in the long jump (18-2.50), which was just less than five inches of her PR. Mayden took seventh in the javelin after earning a mark of 118-4 and finished the day with a PR of 2:21.68 in the 800.
In the decathlon, Brock Emory picked up a point for the team score by placing eighth overall with a personal best of 6,927 points. The score is the 11th best in CU history and also put him sixth on the all-timer performer’s list for the Buffs. Oregon’s Dakotah Keys won the decathlon with 8,001 points.
Emory started the day in the 110-meter hurdles by clocking 15.01 for fourth place; which tied the seventh best time in the decathlon for the Buffs. He was third in the discus with a toss of 129-11 and that was also high in CU’s decathlon record book as it tied for sixth. Emory tied for ninth overall in the pole vault after clearing 13-1.50 and then was eighth in the javelin with a PR of 157-5. He ended the day by running 4:58.79 in the 1,500.
“There were many scenarios which I would have been thrilled with today,” assistant coach Lindsey Malone said. “Leaving the track with Colorado in the lead on the women’s side and having every Colorado athlete earn a spot on the podium means more than I can say. I’m so very proud of our team and thankful that we were able to represent CU on this level.”
The Pac-12 Championships will continue next weekend, May 11-12, at Katherine B. Locker Stadium on the campus of USC.
CU media release
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Beemer, Torres and Mayden Lead Buffs On Day 1 Of Pac-12 Track and Field Championships
May 6th
LOS ANGELES – After the first day of competition at the Pac-12 Championships, University of Colorado senior Brianne Beemer is in third place in the heptathlon with 3,153 points.
Beemer leads a trio of Buffs in the heptathlon. She is 45 points in front of teammate, redshirt freshman Abrianna Torres, who is in fourth with 3,108 and junior Genny Mayden also had a good day and is sixth with 3,053 points. Arizona State’s Keia Pinnick is first overall with 3,441 points.
“The Buffs have kicked off the Pac-12 Championships in a big way,” Beemer said. “We hope to set the tone for tomorrow and the following weekend.”
Beemer had a solid effort on the first day, starting the day running 14.13 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles. The time is the fastest she has ever run in a heptathlon and ranks sixth all-time in CU heptathlon history. Beemer came close to her personal best in the high jump when she cleared 5-4.25 and was also close to her shot put PR with a toss of 35-1.75. She finished the day by running 25.45 in the 200.
Torres wasn’t far behind Beemer, finishing the 100-hurdles with a PR of 14.61. She cleared 5-1.25 in the high jump and then came out with a huge throw of 41-11.25 to win the shot put portion of the heptathlon. Torres is already the CU heptathlon shot put record holder (42-7), but this throw was good for second all-time. She finished her day by clocking 25.97 in the 200.
Mayden, who is just 55 points behind Torres and 43 points behind fifth place holder Kimberly Conner (UCLA), also had a nice day. She ran the 100-hurdles in 15.23 and cleared 5-4.25 in the high jump. Mayden, who is also a very good thrower, placed third in the meet with a PR of 40-5.50, which was good for sixth in CU’s heptathlon record book. Mayden ran 26.11 in the 200 to finish her day.
In the decathlon, Emory had a very nice start and currently sits tied for sixth with 3,680 points. He is tied with Arizona’s Keegan Cooke. Both are just 30 points from fifth place holder, Washington State’s Spencer Wordell (3,710). Washington’s Jeremy Taiwo is first with 4,200 points.
Emory ran to a PR, and the eighth best time in CU’s decathlon history, in the 100 at 11.11. His long jump was just short of his personal best, jumping 20-6.50. Emory did extremely well in the shot put and recorded a PR by almost three feet when he earned a mark of 41-9.75, improving from his previous toss of 38-8.75. The throw also ranks third amongst CU decathletes. In the high jump, Emory cleared 6-4.25 before finishing the 400 with a PR of 50.31.
Overall the Buffs are poised very well with one day of action remaining in the combined events.
“It’s truly amazing to have all four Buffs in scoring position going into day two,” Mayden said. “All three girls finished day one well over 3,000 points, so we all have a lot of momentum going into tomorrow. We are all looking forward to seeing the Buffs dominate the podium tomorrow.”
The second and final day of the combined events championships is Sunday. The remaining events will all be contested next weekend, May 11-12, at Katherine B. Locker Stadium on the campus of USC.
CU press release
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