Freshmen agree with Access '99

By SUE WUETCHER
Reporter Editor

If a survey of freshmen entering UB in Fall 1998 is any indication, the university is on the right track with Access '99, the initiative requiring all freshmen to have access to computers beginning this fall.

The survey of incoming freshmen conducted during orientation sessions last summer by the Office of Academic Information and Planning found that almost all freshmen-98 percent-agreed that a requirement of computer literacy is "an essential feature of a university curriculum as we prepare to enter the 21st century." And 97 percent expected to be asked to use educational technology in their coursework at UB.

UB will become a "high-tech institution" with the implementation of Access '99 this fall. Campus information-technology officials say that universities that have adopted such strategies have seen increases in admissions applications and acceptances, as well as improved retention. Providing "convenient and affordable" computing access to students also will personalize and customize instruction and increase students' computer proficiency, making them more employable, officials say.

Students apparently agree.

Sixty-nine percent of freshmen surveyed by Academic Information and Planning expected to have their own computers at the start of the Fall 1998 semester, an increase from 61 percent a year earlier. Most of those students had a desktop unit (87 percent) with a modem (93 percent), a Web browser (87 percent), a CD-ROM drive (91 percent) and multimedia capabilities (89 percent).

Of the 31 percent who would not own their own computers by the beginning of the fall semester, 89 percent expected to need equipment and 91 percent expected UB to provide computer access.

Computer access was an important factor in students choosing UB, according to the survey results. About 40 percent of respondents agreed somewhat or strongly that they would have been further encouraged to apply to UB "because computers are important to my expected career plans." About 40 percent were neutral, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the statement. Only 20 percent disagreed somewhat or strongly that a mandated computer purchase would have encouraged them to apply to UB because of the importance of computers to their career plans.

Only about 15 percent of those responding felt that the additional financial burden of purchasing a computer might cause them to reconsider UB, with a majority of respondents saying the requirement would not cause them to reconsider attending UB and 30 percent remaining neutral on the issue.

The survey found that freshmen entering UB in Fall 1998 already had a solid background in the use of computer-related software. Nearly all indicated they had at least basic proficiency with word-processing software (95 percent) and use of the Internet (91 percent). About 84 percent reported at least basic proficiency with email. A majority indicated at least basic proficiency with database software and presentation software (66 percent and 61 percent, respectively).

Only 9 percent of respondents felt that a mandated computer purchase might have led them to reconsider applying to UB because their "level of computer skills would put (them) at a competitive disadvantage."

The data were provided by entering freshman via a UB questionnaire, as well as the College Student Inventory (CSI), a component of the retention-management system implemented by the university last year at the recommendation of the consulting firm Noel-Levitz.

In addition to the information on students' computer proficiency, Academic Information and Planning uncovered other details to round out the profile of the freshman class:

- The entering freshmen had extremely high, long-term academic goals, with 84 percent expecting to earn a graduate degree-either a master's, doctoral or first professional degree. Nearly half-49 percent-expected to earn that degree at UB.

- More than four out of five members of the class rated "being very well off financially" as the most highly rated of 18 personal, long-term goals. That figure included 47 percent who rated that goal as "essential" and 35 percent that rated it as "very important." About two-thirds rated "raising a family" as an essential or very important goal, with 62 percent rating "helping others" as essential or very important. The only other goal to be rated essential or very important by more than half the class was "obtaining recognition from my colleagues for contributions to my special field," which was scored highly by 59 percent of respondents.

- More than three-quarters of students cited "to get a better job" (78 percent) and "to make more money" (77 percent) as very important reasons to go to college. Among the other reasons rated by more than half the class were "to learn more about things that interest me" (76 percent), "to gain a general education and appreciation of ideas" (71 percent) and "to become a more cultured person" (54 percent).