NSSE 2007 - Enriching Educational Experiences (EEE) Benchmark Score Results

2007 EEE Comparison with Peers

2007 EEE First-Year Peer Comparison

UNL first-year score for the Enriching Educational Experiences (EEE) benchmark is significantly lower than first-year scores for all three peers groups (as noted by the asterisks in the graph above).

UNL first-year responses contributing significantly to this difference include: participation in learning communities, foreign language coursework, serious conversations with students of different backgrounds, institutional emphasis encouraging contact with students of different backgrounds, and use of electronic medium to discuss/complete an assignment. Peer differences regarding contact with students of difference backgrounds, participation in foreign language coursework occurred on 2002 and 2004 NSSE as well.

2007 EEE Senior Peer Comparison

UNL senior for the EEE benchmark was significantly lower than senior scores for all three peers groups (as noted by the asterisks in the graph above).

UNL senior responses contributing significantly to this difference include: participation in co-curricular activities, community service/volunteer work, foreign language coursework, serious conversations with student of different backgrounds, institutional emphasis on encouraging contact with students of different backgrounds, and using electronic medium to discuss/complete an assignment. Like UNL first-year respondents, UNL seniors were more likely to participate in independent study/self-designed major and a culminating senior experience than senior respondents in all three peer groups. Peer differences regarding contact with students of difference backgrounds, and participation independent study/self-designed majors occurred on 2002 and 2004 NSSE as well.

Trend in EEE since 2004 NSSE (2002 data for this benchmark is not available)

Over time UNL EEE score has not changed significantly (see chart below). However, on several items first-year participation has increased including foreign language coursework, use of electronic medium for assignments, and perceived institutional emphasis on encouraging contact with students of different backgrounds.

Trend in EEE since 2004

Contextual Interpretation of EEE Results

The EEE benchmark is derived from a very diverse group of items. On some of those UNL compares very favorably to its peers and on others UNL respondents do not participate as much as their peers. One of those activities in which participation is lower than peers is interaction with students of different backgrounds. One factor that limits opportunity for UNL students is the student body at UNL is a less diverse student body than its peer institutions specifically regarding race/ethnicity. UNL does emphasize interaction with diverse ideas and individuals of different backgrounds in a variety of other ways including reading of diverse texts, interactions with diverse faculty, and diverse ideas of speakers. UNL is planning to build a new multicultural center which may increase opportunities UNL students have to interact with others of different backgrounds.