DHC Third-Year ProjectDHC Third-Year ProjectSpring 2008Spring 2008

Shedding Light on Optics: Strategies to Increase Enrollment in Optical

Science and Engineering

Christian Commander

Huey Jiin Liu

Colleen Phillips

Project ChargeProject Charge

Devise a long-term plan to promote Devise a long-term plan to promote OSE and increase enrollmentOSE and increase enrollment

Project ObjectivesProject Objectives

Develop an understanding of the Develop an understanding of the enrollment difficulties enrollment difficulties

Develop and implement multiple Develop and implement multiple surveys for relevant demographicssurveys for relevant demographics

Use research to develop Use research to develop recommendations for methods to recommendations for methods to increase enrollmentincrease enrollment

Present findings and recommendations in a binder for future use

Background InformationBackground Information

Optical Science and Engineering Optical Science and Engineering (OSE) major was created in 2001.(OSE) major was created in 2001.

OSE encompasses the physical OSE encompasses the physical phenomena and technologies phenomena and technologies associated with the applications of associated with the applications of light.light.

OSE prepares students to design, OSE prepares students to design, analyze, andanalyze, and fabricatefabricate effective effective optical systems.optical systems.

OSE: Enrollment OSE: Enrollment ChallengesChallenges

63

97

111 108

71

45

29

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Enrollment Numbers for OSE for Fall ’01 to ’07Source: Office of Resource Management and Planning <http://www.ormp.ucdavis.edu/inform/index_enrollment.html>

SurveySurveyIdentify what motivates students to choose Identify what motivates students to choose their majortheir major

Use results to direct promotion and outreach Use results to direct promotion and outreach ideas of OSEideas of OSE

Survey instruments: Survey instruments: University of California Undergraduate University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES)Experience Survey (UCUES)

Student Affairs, Research & Information (SARI)Student Affairs, Research & Information (SARI)

QuickSurveyQuickSurvey

Question: Question: Which of the following aspects Which of the following aspects influenced you to choose your major?influenced you to choose your major?

Target Group: Target Group: Undergraduates (Upper Undergraduates (Upper Division) in UC DavisDivision) in UC Davis

Survey done via UCUES 2006.Survey done via UCUES 2006.

Inference:Inference: Students want to be intellectually Students want to be intellectually challenged.challenged. Financial income is important to Financial income is important to Engineering majors.Engineering majors.

Questions:Questions:

Have you heard of the Have you heard of the Optical Science and Optical Science and Engineering Major?Engineering Major?

Target group:Target group: Undergraduates Undergraduates in UC Davis in UC Davis

Survey done via QuickSurvey.Survey done via QuickSurvey.

Inference:Inference: Low enrollment numbers most likely due to lack of Low enrollment numbers most likely due to lack of awareness of the major.awareness of the major.

Question:Question:

Are you interested in attending Are you interested in attending an information social hosted by an information social hosted by the Optical Science and the Optical Science and Engineering department?Engineering department?

Target group:Target group: Undergraduates in Undergraduates in UC Davis UC Davis

Survey done via QuickSurvey.Survey done via QuickSurvey.

Inference:Inference: Promotional events need to be brought to Promotional events need to be brought to the students.the students.

RecommendationsRecommendations

OutreachOutreach

WebsiteWebsite

InternshipsInternships

Reaching out to FreshmenReaching out to Freshmen Welcome WeekWelcome Week

Tabling at events/fairs at dormsTabling at events/fairs at dorms Resources: Resources:

Poster describing highlights of majorPoster describing highlights of major handouts with major info and link to website. handouts with major info and link to website.

Attach candy or voucher for free slice of pizza.Attach candy or voucher for free slice of pizza. Trivia WheelTrivia Wheel PrizesPrizes

Outreach to High School Outreach to High School and Community College and Community College

StudentsStudents Currently being doneCurrently being done

Optics Club membersOptics Club members

More OutreachMore Outreach Target broader radius (not just Target broader radius (not just

Davis High)Davis High) Funding and supportFunding and support

TransportationTransportation

Campus OutreachCampus Outreach

Open HouseOpen House Career/Internship FairsCareer/Internship Fairs Picnic DayPicnic Day Teaming up with current events is Teaming up with current events is

the most effective method:the most effective method: low intensity, cost and timelow intensity, cost and time network with other groups to increase network with other groups to increase

awarenessawareness

Outreach: Mailing Postcards to Outreach: Mailing Postcards to ParentsParents

Many OSE and Many OSE and other Engineering other Engineering majors report that majors report that parental influence parental influence affected their affected their major choicemajor choice

Mail a postcard to Mail a postcard to all students on the all students on the Statement of Intent Statement of Intent to Register listto Register list

Parental Influence on Students’ Major

Data obtained from UCUES 2006

Postcard BackPostcard Back

Postcard FrontPostcard Front

OSE Website RevisionsOSE Website Revisions The OSE website is the primary resource The OSE website is the primary resource

for students to gain information on the for students to gain information on the majormajor

These revision would make the website These revision would make the website

more informative and user-friendly:more informative and user-friendly: Less “solid-text”Less “solid-text” More ImagesMore Images Separate Area for ParentsSeparate Area for Parents Profiles of Current and Past StudentsProfiles of Current and Past Students Up-to-date InformationUp-to-date Information

Current OSE WebsiteCurrent OSE Website

Sample Sample Page for Page for Revised Revised WebsiteWebsite

AestheticsAesthetics- Less Text per Less Text per PagePage- More More GraphicsGraphicsNavigationNavigation-More InteractiveMore Interactive

-Images serve as Images serve as LinksLinks

Revamp the Internship Revamp the Internship ExperienceExperience

Low satisfaction of students with Low satisfaction of students with current optionscurrent options

Work with faculty to increase Work with faculty to increase internship opportunitiesinternship opportunities

Increase awareness of opportunitiesIncrease awareness of opportunities Updated binder in advising officeUpdated binder in advising office Updated list on the websiteUpdated list on the website

Attractive Features of Attractive Features of OSEOSE

Small majorSmall major Wide variety of career options Wide variety of career options Lucrative salary for a recent Lucrative salary for a recent

graduategraduate Practical preparation for easy Practical preparation for easy

transition into a careertransition into a career Low student to staff ratio enables Low student to staff ratio enables

better advising servicesbetter advising services

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Carrie Devine, Carrie Devine, DHC Coordinator and DHC Coordinator and CounselorCounselor

Dr. Ann Orel, Dr. Ann Orel, DHC 3DHC 3rdrd Year Seminar Instructor Year Seminar Instructor

Kate Elias, Kate Elias, OSE Student Affairs OfficerOSE Student Affairs Officer

Dr. Hector Baldis, Dr. Hector Baldis, OSE Faculty AdvisorOSE Faculty Advisor

Kathy Davis, Kathy Davis, Analyst, Student Affairs Research & Analyst, Student Affairs Research & InformationInformation

Dr. Yin Yeh, Dr. Yin Yeh, OSE Department ChairOSE Department Chair

DHC 3DHC 3rdrd Year Seminar Peers Year Seminar Peers

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

General

Population

Engineering

Freshmen

Entry

Free Time

International Opportunities

Prestige

Second Choice Major

Easiness

1)On slide #8:   you show UCUES data related to choice of major.  First of all, you should make it clear that only UPPER DIVISION students were asked these questions, and you should show the number of respondents in each group.  (For example, it should be clear that there were only 17 OSE respondents.) 

2) On slide #8 and slide #12:  freshmen did not answer those questions – they were only asked of upper division students.    I think you must have misunderstood the variable that indicates whether a student was a freshman entrant or a transfer student.  You should redo that bar to include ALL engineering students who responded.

3)On slide #6:  you mention survey monkey, but I don’t see where that data is used in the presentation.  Perhaps I overlooked it?

4)On slide #9:  QuickSurvey results look correct, but you should show the number of respondents as well as the percentage.

5)On slide #19:  you state the students are unsatisfied with internship options.  How do you know?  Do you have data to support that?  If so, you should show it.