Student Voice

Student Voice

Student Voice is a news hub spotlighting the student perspective on higher education. This collaboration, is presented by Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse.

Academic Life

Students share how advisers are working with them to navigate the academic path, what they think about course materials professors choose for courses, and what barriers they perceive to success in class.

Sara Brownell stands to the side of a round table full of students in an active learning classroom. One student raises his hand and yellow paper placards with students' name dot the table.

A Matter of (Teaching) Style: Active Learning and Student Identities

March 30, 2023

In the recent Student Voice survey, students cite teaching style as a major barrier to their academic success. Research points to active learning as a solution, but experts on pedagogy and identity offer some major caveats for professors looking to mix up their instructional approaches.

A young male instructor stands in front of a darkened classroom of students, a projector light highlighting him in profile.

What Students Want (and Don’t) From Their Professors

March 24, 2023

The latest Student Voice survey reveals perceived barriers to academic success and the top actions students think professors should take. Mixing up teaching styles and being more flexible rank high.

Jennifer Bloom sits across a small table in her office at Florida Atlantic University with a young female advisee.

Advised and Engaged: Getting Students More Involved in Academic Planning

March 10, 2023

Academic advising works—when students use it. What can be done to boost student engagement with academic advising structures?

A yellow warning sign that includes a red circle with a line through it is stuck to the screen of a laptop indicating no access

College Holds Disproportionately Affect Students of Color

March 02, 2023

Nearly one in three Black students and one in four Hispanic students have been unable to register for classes to due to an institutional hold.

A female academic adviser sits at a desk in a sunny office speaking to a young male student seated next to her.

Nearly Half of Students Lack Key Academic Guidance

March 01, 2023

Just 55 percent of students say they’ve been advised on required coursework for graduation, according to Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse’s survey on students’ experiences with advising and registration.

A conceptual image of a Mac-style computer keyboard with a red button saying "survey"

Survey: Students Cite Barriers to Success, Seek Flexibility

February 14, 2023

Inside Higher Ed’s first Student Voice survey of 2023 sheds light on how students navigate their academic path, obtain and engage with course materials, and rate challenges to their success. Instructor flexibility tops student wish lists.

Sustainability Beliefs and Behaviors

Students value green campus initiatives and practices—and pinpoint areas for improvement.

 

Students tend to hydroponically grown plants.

Actions and Hopes of the Sustainability-Focused Student

January 03, 2023

Students demonstrate interest in taking initiative on environmental issues and expect their colleges will do the same—but could use more knowledge on what matters most.

Standout Stat: 46% of students surveyed have explored sustainability topics within their coursework.

Multiracial volunteers planting tree in public park
Opinion

Student Health and Climate Awareness: We Can Have Both

February 02, 2023

Educators can help students transform climate anxiety into meaningful action, writes Paul F. Steinberg.

Facilities Observations and Impact

From first impressions that helped them choose a college to experiences studying and living in campus facilities, students share perspective on their colleges’ physical environment.

Library room in 3d. Big glass window with trees

Inside and Out, Facilities Matter

December 12, 2022

From academic major buildings and historic structures to residence halls and gathering areas, a variety of campus facility types and spaces influence enrollment for nearly two-thirds of students.

Common parking complaints include inconvenient parking and a lack of enough parking, plus having to pay for it, particularly if lots and garages feel unsafe or are poorly maintained.

Perceived Campus Parking Problems and the Factors That Influence Them

December 14, 2022

Keeping parking areas maintained and safe are a few ways to positively sway overall student opinion of campus parking, as our infographic shows.

Young university student having a headache in a class at lecture hall.

Campus Spaces Lay the Foundation for Students’ Success—or Struggle

November 22, 2022

Impressions of campus facilities from the student occupant’s standpoint can make or break students’ college experiences and plans.

Standout Stat: 30% of students say poor maintenance, cleaning or overall building conditions have had at least some impact on their ability to learn.

A student tour guide addresses a group of prospective students.
Opinion

First-Impression Facilities Challenges

January 17, 2023

Maintaining older campus buildings, a challenge due to specific characteristics of such structures, is an important factor in the college enrollment process, writes facilities professional Richard Michal.

Tech Perspectives

Students weigh in on their experiences as consumers of technology on campus, including what areas they’d like to see more focus on.

Learning technology experiences and expectations infographic.

7 Surprising and Significant Student Tech Use Stats to Know

November 21, 2022

Technology-focused campus administrators should keep seven survey findings in mind when prioritizing efforts, as our infographic shows.

A student looks at an illuminated digital sign.

Where the Tech Troubles Are

November 01, 2022

Students value connectivity, convenience and being consulted about technology but have little concern about protecting institutional networks.

Standout Stat: 62% of students surveyed worry little (or not at all) about their college being targeted by cybersecurity breaches or cyberattacks, even though they could jeopardize their personal data.

Opinion

Students and Teachers Want Video. Where Will It Come From?

December 13, 2022

It’s time for providers and distributors to step up more and include video as an integral part of learning materials, writes ed-tech investor Vera Song.

Illustration of an Open book with stair to graduation cap, door with graduation Hat on top of Staircase, Bubble talk with Education icon
Opinion

Students Want to Be Involved in Decision-Making About Their Futures. Higher Ed Must Let Them.

November 18, 2022

Information on progress toward graduation, improved tools for communicating with professors and staff, and data privacy protections would help students to make informed decisions and succeed, writes Jennifer Bell-Ellwanger.

Impressions of Internships and Experiential Learning

Students weigh in on how internships and opportunities to gain real-world experiences within courses have worked out, and offer colleges preferences on the supports that would help.

Top of the infographic, headlined "Travel to and from internships: three commute questions to consider."

Hurdles to Navigate for In-Person Internship Commutes

October 24, 2022

Many students face challenges in considering how to get to and from an internship site, but understanding the problem allows colleges to help, as our infographic shows.

Standout Stat: 21% of Black students surveyed do not have a reliable way to commute to an internship.

An adviser wearing yellow walks a student through her options for an internship.

Breaking Down Barriers to Internships

October 04, 2022

The lack of valuable career-related work experiences for community college students often comes down to time and money. California Community Colleges chancellor Daisy Gonzales addresses these issues and how institutions can help.

Standout Stat: 26% of first-generation students at community colleges say their most recent internship earned them neither college credit nor money, compared to 17% of first-gen students at four-year colleges.

A Need to Succeed: What Students Want and Get From Internships

September 23, 2022

Students evaluate internships and experiential learning opportunities, including virtual roles that the pandemic made more widely available, and how stronger partnerships and other efforts would help.

Standout Stat: 30% of Class of 2022 graduates say they didn’t have any internships or experiential learning opportunities within their college courses.

Multiethnic Group of People Planning Ideas
Opinion

Same Tools, New Uses: What if We Rethink the Internship?

December 06, 2022

College leaders must be willing to ask these eight what-if questions related to internships, writes Liz Langemak, who works with student entrepreneurs.

A student and her supervisor talk to each other on a videoconference.
Opinion

Maximizing Internship Opportunities for All

November 22, 2022

When colleges use innovative and visionary approaches to providing internship experiences, all students—but especially three subpopulations—benefit, writes Daniel Nivern.

Stock photo of a white person holding a résumé.
Opinion

What Ails Our Labor Market Is Evident in College

October 11, 2022

Both colleges and employers must fix work-readiness failures and inequitable work-readiness practices, writes Brandon Busteed.

A group of people at a boardroom table face a screen on which several participants are connecting remotely.
Opinion

Pay, Flexible Formats and Networking Are Key Components to Successful Internships

September 29, 2022

It’s time to evolve experiential learning to keep pace with business and create greater equity and inclusion, writes Kim Churches.

Students as Customers Across Campus

Many higher ed institutions want to ensure that offices interacting with students are leaving a positive impression. How prevalent are good customer service experiences? 

Top of the infographic, with the headline Campuses With One-Stop Offices Better at Service Over All.

Service-Oriented Culture at Colleges With One-Stop Shops

September 21, 2022

Colleges whose leaders make the effort to combine service-oriented departments into one center tend to provide stronger service interactions across campus, as this infographic shows.

Standout Stat: Students whose colleges have a one-stop department are more likely than those whose colleges don’t have one to say they’ve had positive experiences as “customers” of financial aid offices, 66% compared to 48%.

Illustration of five people holding up bubbles that contain either a thumbs-up or thumbs-down emoji.

Students Vote for Remote (Employees)

September 06, 2022

When making decisions about whether non-faculty employees’ jobs could be done remotely or under a hybrid arrangement, college and university officials may not realize that most students don’t expect or feel they need in-person staff.

Standout Stat: 15% of students have waited on the phone for at least an hour to speak with someone in a nonacademic campus office; 10% have physically waited for help in an office for at least an hour.

Service With a Smile

August 26, 2022

A survey of how students feel doing business with nonacademic departments across campus reveals eight actions for clarifying expectations and improving service.

Standout Stat: 31% of students are aware of at least one campus office webpage with a chat bot to answer questions after hours, and 36% of students would like to see this technology implemented more.

Blue game figurines, playing the part of lemmings, falling down off a rock.
Opinion

Higher Ed Failing Students as They Navigate College and Career

October 13, 2022

Providing better service to students must go well beyond just being friendlier and making office hours more convenient, writes Seth Bodnar of the University of Montana.

An adviser helps a student fill out a form.
Opinion

‘Do I Belong Here?’ Students’ Service Experiences Through the Lens of Campus Climate

September 20, 2022

Colleges can amplify the experiences of students reaching out to campus offices by ensuring they feel safe and comfortable, write campus climate consultants Genevieve Weber, Sue Rankin and Erik Malewski.

Illustration of a hand holding a five-star rating, with the other ratings (four stars and three stars) below the five-star rating.
Opinion

Meeting Student Expectations That Align With Customer-Centric Industries

September 15, 2022

Institutions must develop a student-centric model of customer service, which is now key to student success, writes Emily A. Messa, a certified auxiliary service professional.

First-Generation Student Success

Understanding how students who aspire to be the first in their family to earn a bachelor’s degree feel about college and their future is key to supporting them.

Supporting First-Generation Students: A Blueprint for Faculty Development and Empowerment

Helping Faculty Help First-Gen Students

August 12, 2022

Equipped with the right knowledge and tools, professors can help first-generation students succeed. Our infographic offers six supports to consider.

Standout Stat: 25% of first-generation college students say they never share that information with professors and classmates.

Two people silhouetted against the rising sun. They are climbing a mountain and are tethered together.

9 Ways to Elevate First-Generation Student Support

July 29, 2022

Efforts by colleges and universities to strengthen and personalize supports for first-generation students largely get noticed. A survey reveals areas for expanded communication and connection opportunities.

Standout Stat: 24% of first-generation students surveyed strongly agree that their colleges help first-generation students navigate college life; 60% agree at least somewhat.

A brown-skinned woman with dark hair faces away from the camera. She is wearing a backpack.

First in the Family Make Their Mark in College

July 19, 2022

While first-generation college students’ backgrounds and challenges are unique to the individual, they tend to have high expectations and multifaceted postgraduation goals—plus complex support needs.

Standout Stat: 51% of first-generation students surveyed feel like they belong on campus over all, while an additional 29% feel like they belong but only in certain spaces on campus.

An illustration of interlocking gears reading "career," "potential," "education" and "ability."
Opinion

Creating a Culture of College Persistence

October 07, 2022

Career development offices can work differently and better to support first-generation and other disadvantaged students, writes Brittany Wampler.

A student sits alone on a bench.
Opinion

Why Institutional Narratives About First-Gen Students Matter

August 30, 2022

Consider whether your college is putting too heavy a burden on first-generation students with its expectations, write Rashné Jehangir and Tai Do.

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