PACE UNIVERSITY’S FOCUS ON STUDENT SATISFACTION WITH STUDENT SERVICES IN ONLINE EDUCATION

Abstract

In 1999, Pace University was awarded a $1,000,000, three-year FIPSE Learning Anytime Anywhere Program (LAAP) Grant. The grant focuses on three areas: online testing, enhanced student support services, and mentoring. Funding from the LAAP grant has enabled the University to greatly enhance the student services that are provided to online students. The focus has been primarily on students who are within the NACTEL program, an online AS in Telecommunications degree offered to individuals working for Citizens Communications, Qwest, SBC and Verizon, and who are members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). FIPSE funding has enabled the University to extensively survey students in the program, by an outside evaluator. These surveys are all online, are tabulated instantly, and provide a steady stream of feedback to administrators and faculty who are involved in the program. In addition, FIPSE funding has
made it possible to hire individuals who on a regular basis attend to how to best provide enhanced student support services for online students. As new ideas are developed, they are implemented as quickly as possible. This paper will present some of the research findings, and will also provide details about the changes to the NACTEL program that have occurred as a direct result.