Assessment Coordinating Committee:  Tom Hawley, Dorine Bennett, Carrie Ahern, Philip Sandberg, Dale Droge, Eric Johnson, Deb Knutson, Bill Henjum, Rick Christoph, Aaron Thorsen, Kristel Bakker, Peg O’Brien, Lynette Molstad, Dan Talley, Tim Fiegen, Lynda Oldenkamp, Deb Gearhart, Rise Smith, Laurie Dennis, Wayne Pauli

Employers Give High Ratings to DSU Graduates

   Based on average ratings, the DSU graduates were rated highest in their ability to learn on the job and their ability to use computer software.  Graduates were also rated very high in their ability to use information ethically and to adapt to changes in the computing environment.  The average rating in each of these areas was 4.4 or higher on a scale of 1-5.  Oral communication skills were rated lower with an average rating of 3.9.  The rating scale ranges from 5=very good to 1= very poor.  DSU graduates require less training than other graduates, particularly in the computer skills area.  Over 75% of the employers indicated that the graduates required “less than usual” or “significantly less than usual” training in computer skills.  The DSU Employer Survey has been used since 1993 to survey employers of the previous year’s graduates.  The employers rate the DSU graduates in three areas: computer skills, communication/socialization skills and job-related skills. 

          This information will be used as one method of determining if the goals and outcomes of DSU’s general education and major field assessment plans are being met.  For example, one of the general education goals deals with students’ ability to use information effectively.  One criteria used to measure achievement of this goal is to ask the employers to rate DSU graduates on their ability to find, evaluate, and apply information.  For the past 3 years, employers have rated 80-84% of the graduates as “very good” or “good” in this area.  This information suggests that we are above our goal of 70%.

                Average Ratings of 1999-2000 Graduates