Involvement and Academic Achievement
Students report
“As a result of participating
in campus activities, my
academic achievement and
grades have…
increased.”
stayed the same.”
deteriorated.”
Four areas were covered in the 2008–2009 survey: diversity
and multiculturalism; campus activities and student involvement; campus safety; and student conduct. The results from
the first year of data collection have provided subscribers and
association partners with a rich array of data, including information on the following:
• Staffing, facilities, budgets, and resources
• Trends, issues, challenges, and best practices
• Student perceptions, experiences, and learning outcomes
• National and peer comparison data
• Connections to strategic goals and institutional priorities
Campus Activities and Student Involvement
Campus activities and student involvement have long been
recognized as crucial components of student success. Feedback
from campus activities professionals suggests that they are
often challenged to present evidence on the impact of activities on student learning, growth, and development. When
pressed to further explain whether certain types
of activities have more impact than others, they
acknowledge the data is non-existent on most
campuses.
To address those information gaps, data about
campus activities and student involvement was
collected from more than 14,000 students during
the spring of 2009. Students were asked about the
following:
• Preferred means to find out about campus
activities
• Participation in various campus activities
• Outcomes of participation
• Perceptions of student fees
• Reasons for not participating in campus activities
and behaviors. Involved students have higher self-reported
grade point averages (GPAs) and report studying more hours
per week than their non-involved counterparts. Additional key
findings include the following:
Students who take more
active roles in campus activities
indicate enhanced academic
skills and behaviors.
Involvement Matters
The study shows no significant relationship between attend-
ing events (without more direct participation such as planning
events or leading activities) and outcomes related to academic
skills and behaviors. However, students who take more active
roles in campus activities indicate enhanced academic skills
These findings provide broad support for encouraging
student involvement in campus activities and also suggest
the importance of examining barriers that exist to student
involvement. Nearly half of surveyed students (49 percent)
indicate that they would like to be involved in more campus
activities. When asked what factors contribute to a lack of
involvement, 81 percent of respondents indicate that they do
not have enough time or are too busy. Perhaps more surprising
was that 38 percent of surveyed students indicate that they are
