Chapter 1
Overiew and History

 

Learner Profile

Because SVSU began as a small institution through the vision of people who wanted to bring an opportunity for intellectual growth to this region, its mission has always been comprehensive. However, as noted above, the students SVSU serves often have a strictly occupational focus and may lack a clear understanding of what a university education requires of them. This typical tension between occupational credentialing vs. comprehensive university education is often felt by both faculty and students alike.

The average ACT composite for incoming students is 21.28 (above the national average). However, students’ high school preparation varies widely. Furthermore, most students work part-time or even full-time, averaging more hours than the national norm. And diverse students from rural, urban, and suburban areas bring vastly different expectations, life experiences, and educational capabilities. Though SVSU is not an open admissions institution, regional universities such as SVSU currently attract many students who otherwise would not seek higher education and who primarily seek career credentialing. A recent retention study, for example, produced some surprising insights that the students most likely to experience difficulties with the transition to this university are the rural students. Data from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) reports of the past two years indicate that compared to national standards for freshmen in four-year colleges, SVSU students report less confidence in their communication, academic, artisitc, and creative abilities than their national counterparts.

SVSU has responded to student needs in various ways. Since its increasing academic reputation has made SVSU a university of choice for students from outside the region, student services of all types have greatly expanded, as illustrated in subsequent chapters. To meet the housing demand, new residences for students opened in Fall 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2003; these housing projects more than doubled the number of students who live on campus. Currently nearly 1600 students, including 56% of freshmen, reside on campus. A greater residential population has meant new opportunities, such as development of student life, curricular/co-curricular links, and the development of student leadership. State-of-the-art technology and recreational facilities provide a balanced student environment.

With the expanded student housing, SVSU has become a more “traditional” campus, and the average student age is dropping. The current mean age for undergrads is 24; for graduates, 34. Whereas formerly the demands of non-traditional students often shaped planning, now changing student demographics, coupled with the change in the region’s economy, have caused the university to diversify programs to more effectively meet the needs of traditional students, as well.

The student body’s socio-economic diversity stems from the fact that urban, suburban, and rural students all live within commuting distance of the campus. SVSU also enrolls international students from some 50 countries each year, though the number of students is slightly lower than in previous years due to world events. The international outlook of the campus goes beyond the international student population to opportunities for SVSU students to pursue study in countries such as Mexico, Spain, England, Poland, China, and Japan.