Kuh (2003) whoa nessie

Yes, the National Study of Student Engagement (NSSE) has had a great impact on the way student engagement is analyzed and documented. Assessments methods like NSSE may change the orientation of what universities deem important and change views of student development. Since NSSE cannot make any claims to educational practice, more emphasis may be placed on academic engagement. This ties back to the idea of creating a whole person. One that is able to utilize what they have learned in order to engage in the civic environment. The issue with keeping students engaged is making sure that administrators and faculty are committed to promoting these activities. This means more work on the part of these staff members which may impede other goals such as independent research. Rudolph discussed the beginnings of this dilemma in his chapter on Academic Man. While faculty are instrumental in innovative research, a more student oriented approach may take them away from such endeavors in order to increase student satisfaction.

NSSE data also shows a large variation among different cultural perspectives. One such is the difference in diversity from freshmen to seniors. Diversity is drilled into freshmen who live on-campus and must be "forced" to live in a diverse environment. But once students move off campus, universities cannot monitor or force integrational living. Students will tend to associate with people who are similar to themselves. Is it the university's job to promote diversity off-campus? Perhaps in order to promote diversity, the university must create a general social atmosphere that is more inclusive, so that diversity is not only an issue that comes up at certain events, but in everyday conversation.