PROGRAM PRESENTATION

Appendix N: SURVEY OF ALUMNI


Note: This questionnaire was sent to a selected sample of alumni in the spring of 1999. The sample consisted of : 157 Master's graduates from the 1995-1997 years and 109 graduates from 1989-1991. Of the 266 surveys mailed, we received back 87 questionnaires.


This SILS alumni survey is completely anonymous, so please be candid. It is an opportunity for the SILS administration and faculty to assess itself and to see where they are strong and where they need to improve.

Personal Information

1. Program of study

_17__MSIS

_70__MSLS

2. Time period in which you were a student in the SILS program.

From 1/84 to 8/91 Number: 36>

From 9/92 to 8/97 Number: 51


Career Advising

3. Did you receive any career advising while at SILS?

_58_Yes

_29_No

4. If "yes" to Question 18, from whom? (please check all that apply)

Faculty

Staff

Peers

Career Counseling Center

Other (please specify)

51
14
30
28
10

 

 

5. What were the strengths of this career advising?

Alumni offered the following comments:
  • Faculty especially helpful - 19 LS, 4 IS
  • It was positive/good/well-timed/personalized - 10 LS, 1 IS
  • Career Counseling Center - 9 LS, 1 IS (mentioned help with resumes, application letters, interviewing techniques)
  • Practitioners from Field - 5 LS, 1 IS (often as speakers or supervisors of fieldwork)
  • Student organizations/Peers - 3 LS, 1 IS
  • Interest, experience, enthusiasm - 2 LS
  • Direction and Knowledge - 3 LS
  • Own Experience - 2 LS, 2 IS
  • Listservs/discussion groups - 1 LS
One LS alum said "candid, if inexperienced;" another said, "meant well." One IS alum commenting favorably on ASIS student chapter workshops offered to help provide more.

6. What were the weaknesses of this career advising?

Responses from alumni were as follows:
  • Career Center not helpful - 9 LS, 1 IS
  • Not enough advice on career paths - 4 LS, 2 IS
  • Generally negative but non-specific - 7 LS
  • Not proactive or too brief - 3 LS
  • Too library focused - 2 IS
  • Advisor hard to reach or unaware of personal needs - 2 LS
  • Own indecision - 1 LS
  • Weaknesses offset one another - 1 IS
  • None/Don't remember/Can't identify any - 8 LS
One IS graduate said, "the most dangerous 'advice' I got at SILS -- and I heart it a lot -- was the 'mantra' that amost every professor seemed to quote like gospel, "... employers will train you!" I fell for this and was ungainfully employed for more than a year because every IS job I applied for required 2+ years of experience."

Another IS graduate said, "In my case, my company hired people with no definite purpose. After being shifted between four departments in one year, I believe planning/advising is not especially useful. The most effective advising probably focuses on helping students gain work-related experience during their time at SILS."

An LS graduate said, "Some classes I avoided could have been useful in the workplace."

Continuing Communication

7. How would you rate SILS's overall efforts to keep you informed of current activities?

Excellent

Very Good

Average

Below Average

Poor

21
39
21
2
1

8. :How would you rate the content of the following specific information dissemination tools?

 

Excellent

Very Good

Average

Below Average

Poor

SILS Webpage

20
38
15
1
0

SILS Newsletter

15
40
center>25
3
0

Employment since Graduation

See SILS Alumni Employment Since Graduation for detailed analysis of questions 9.

10. Please comment on the relevance of your course work at SILS to your job(s).

Please see Relevance of Course Work to Jobs.

11. Please list what you consider to be important knowledge or skill areas that should be included among SILS courses for current students.

Please see Alumni Opinion on Relevant Knowledge/Skills Needed.

Continuing Education

12. Please list your continuing education activities since graduation.

Please see Alumni Continuing Education Activities.
.


Revised 9/26/99